Operation North Pole makes special deliveries to kids this holiday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some special elf helpers spend hours getting gifts wrapped for Santa's nonprofit, Operation North Pole, in Des Plaines.
Large and small, the packages are ready for special deliveries this week in Chicago and the suburbs.
Sixteen families, each with a child battling life-threatening cancer, have Christmas taken care of, with the hopes of at least taking one stress away.
Before the pandemic, Operation North Pole would host a winter wonderland for families in Rosemont that began with a train ride to the North Pole and finished with a spectacular party filled with all the holiday goodies.
Then at the end of the night, each family would take home gifts for under their tree.
Since it's still too risky to have kids battling cancer altogether, this year Operation North Pole will deliver Christmas to each child's home with the help of suburban fire and police departments.
"Many of the departments are making it festive and community-based activities as opposed to just a simple delivery. And everything everybody is doing, we're thrilled about. And we know the families receiving the gifts are thrilled," said Hoffman Estates Fire Chief Alan Wax.
"Anything we can do to help engage with the family and bring a little spirit around this time of year, we do everything we can," said Jason Dziedzic of the Skokie Fire Department.
One of those deliveries will happen Tuesday night for an 11-year-old battling leukemia in Hoffman Estates.
CBS 2 will be there and bring you the story on Wednesday.