CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Volunteers were working in a warehouse in the northwest suburbs to pack thousands of boxes of food for needy families this Christmas.
Volunteers worked at the Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services warehouse in Elk Grove Village, packing boxes with "shelf ready" food items like Stove Top stuffing and canned beans and then stacked them on pallets. A separate shipment of frozen ham, turkey, and chicken will come later.
The Salvation Army plans to distribute 15,000 boxes of food to families in need across the Chicago Area. Major David Dalberg said that's an increase in 5,000 boxes over last year.
He said the need is greater than ever before.
"We know what Christmas is like here traditionally. We're beyond tradition now. We're in an area we've neve been before," Dalberg said.
Dalberg said the Salvation Army has been delivering food to families since the pandemic hit in March.
"We did a major food distribution that started right around April, and lasted for probably 12 weeks," he said.
When it was all over, the Salvation Army provided nearly 300,000 meals.
Dalberg said volunteers follow COVID safety protocols, and it is a safe process.