Oak Lawn Restaurant Prepares Thousands Of Turkey Dinners For Those In Need
OAK LAWN, Ill. (CBS) -- A mom-and-pop restaurant in Oak Lawn is spending Christmas helping the less fortunate by preparing about 3,500 meals with a lot of help from friends and neighbors.
WBBM's Mike Krauser reports this is the fifth year for the Feed the Needy event at Big Pappas Gyros at 108th and Cicero in Oak Lawn.
Owner Sandi DiGangi directed volunteers preparing, passing out and delivering turkey dinners to those in need.
"I have been cooking for nine days straight," DiGangi said. "I sleep about two hours a day. My turkey has been cooking around the clock, so it is a lot of preparing. It takes about three months to actually get it together."
DiGangi said she was tired but excited.
"I love the look on people's face, they are so grateful and I am just so happy that we can help out so many people," she said.
DiGangi said she is not rich, but rich with love.
Making thousands of home-made Christmas meals is Sandra DiGangi's way of giving back. In 1995, her son died in a Bridgeport house fire. An anonymous person paid for her son's funeral.
"My five-year-old son loved Christmas," DiGangi said. "Ever since then, I dedicated my life to helping other children that don't get anything for Christmas to make sure they have a Christmas, in his honor."
Kathy was one of her volunteers there with family.
"She's got a heart of gold," Kathy said. "She'd do anything for anybody. She is awesome."
In addition to food, she gave away 3,000 toys.
The event cost about $16,000, with about a third-to half coming from donations.
One woman called Sandi the "Mother Theresa of Oak Lawn."