Chicago Thanksgiving Basket Brigade prepares holiday meals for hundreds of families in need

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hundreds of volunteers packed up boxes full of food this weekend to bring Thanksgiving meals to roughly 1,500 Chicago families.

The Chicago Thanksgiving Basket Brigade has assembled and delivered meals for families in need over the holiday for the past 11 years.

Volunteers Kevin and Bella Adler have been helping since the beginning.

"It was maybe 15 people in a small apartment, we all made the baskets ourselves. Now it's in a giant warehouse and there's thousands of people and we have sponsors and we are lucky enough to give to more families," Bella Adler said.

Kevin Adler called it their "favorite day of the year."

"It's an annual family tradition," he said. "We're so lucky, as everybody here is, to have what we have and to be able to give back and share that good fortune with the community. It's the best day of the year for us."

It's not difficult to fill this warehouse on Chicago's Northwest Side with food and enthusiastic volunteers.

They all know each meal will bring joy to a deserving family this holiday season.