Holiday Event Brings Together Families In Need In Woodridge

WOODRIDGE, IL — West Suburban Community Pantry's junior board members recently organized a free holiday event to bring some seasonal joy to local families in need.

"Many people don’t have the luxury of celebrating the winter holidays, but (we can) give the kids and families of the Pantry a place to celebrate and create memories,“ Leela Khuntia, a member of the Junior Board of West Suburban Community Pantry (WSCP), said in a statement.

Dozens of families came to Woodridge Public Library to enjoy a warm meal, ornament-making, henna art and other ways of celebrating community.

Junior board members also joined forces with St. Elizabeth Seton Church to donate coats to the families.

Downers Grove resident and junior board co-president Nathan Moawad said, "serving families through the WSCP has given me a broader perspective and understanding of the community I live in through a lens that I often don't get to see. I didn't realize how widespread food insecurity was in the west suburbs among my own neighbors, and realizing this has empowered me to serve more often at the pantry and bring groups to volunteer at the pantry."