The DPCF and three local businesses served 350 Thanksgiving dinners to Des Plaines residents

The Des Plaines Community Foundation, Sysco Chicago and Sunrise Grill all worked together to provide and deliver Thanksgiving Day dinners recently. As a result, more than 350 individuals, homebound seniors and people with disabilities had a very Happy Thanksgiving.

"This is our 13th year making the meals and delivering the turkey dinners," explained Rosemary Argus, executive director of the DPCF. "It's a group effort. Turkey dinners were delivered to those in wheelchairs, on oxygen and the blind - all those who have difficulty leaving their homes."

Sunrise Grill, 1930 E. Touhy Ave., Des Plaines, joined in on the Thanksgiving Day dinners. The owner, Chef Jose Medina and his wife, Maria, and the staff donated their time and skills to help on Thanksgiving. This is the fifth year the restaurant roasted all the turkey breasts and prepared all the fixings for all 350 dinners.

Sysco Chicago provided all the food including 200 pounds of turkey breasts, stuffing and sweet potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce, roll with butter, an apple and a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert. Volunteers delivered all the meals.

Pete's Coffee also donated 100 pounds of coffee, distributing one-pound bags to many families and/or groups with dinner.

Northwest Suburban Day Care, provided handmade place mats to each meal and Chippewa Middle School and Maine West High School students created personal handmade cards wishing residents a "Happy Thanksgiving."

According to Argus, the long list of people who were served dinner through the Thanksgiving Day program consisted of Des Plaines residents who requested assistance by calling the Neighbors Helping Neighbors hotline at (888) 646-8898.

Everyone on both the Neighbors Helping Neighbors list and the city of Des Plaines lists were called to confirm they would be home on Thanksgiving Day and enjoyed having a cooked meal delivered, said Angelika Danek, LCSW, CRADC, Community & Police social worker from the police department. "The city of Des Plaines Engineering Department and the GIS staff created the maps of routes for the volunteer drivers."

Local volunteers helped pack the meals for the Sysco volunteers, who delivered meals between 9 a.m. and noon on Thanksgiving Day.

Tanzania Harper-Frazier, sales administrative assistant at Sysco Chicago Inc., coordinated the Sysco volunteer-driver pickup.

"We are thankful for all the Sysco volunteers and drivers which include Bryce Burton, Juan Florez, Richard Jurczak, Steve Luczak, Mathew McCammon, Tim Muelleman, Felipe Ospina, Alejandro Resto, Luara Sparks and Jill Stadick," said Harper-Frazier.

DPCF board trustees who came to work were Rich Holke, the president, Kathy Puetz, Bob Argus, Jan Goczkowski, and Sandra Hansen and helped pack the meals into travel boxes.

"We want seniors to live with dignity and independence for as long as possible," said Argus." Our Foundation donates to all the local pantries as well as many of the religious organizations that provide meals during the week for the needy of Des Plaines," she said.

Some of DPCF's programs include Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program Committee; Healthy Community/Healthy Youth Program Committee; Intergenerational Program Committee; and Seasons of Service Program Committee.

The Foundation has no paid employees and is 100 percent volunteer. Foundation is a 501(c) (3) organization and funds are obtained from individuals, businesses and corporate tax-deductible contributions as well as from other foundations.

For information on becoming a student volunteer visit:www.desplainescommunityfoundation.org.

Future volunteers can call Rosemary Argus at (847) 525-5566.