"We just wanted to do something different. You know, something that if you don't have nowhere to go on Christmas, you can come here," said Nikki Hughes with the Salvation Army.
[Ads /]
This is the first time the Salvation Army in Chicago has held this breakfast after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted so many holidays in past years. They told ABC7 this was the perfect opportunity to bring the community together.
"It's a beautiful thing being in a place like this ... being around these people," said Sydney, a resident.
Along with the pancake breakfast comes a plethora of gifts for kids.
"I love being with the community. I love giving back and giving back to people that are in need and I love the Christmas period, and I'm just happy to be here today," said volunteers Cheyenne and Tonya Harris.
[Ads /]
Santa was standing by to make sure everyone has a special Christmas.
It's moments like these that make the holidays such a uniting time for this community.
"It means everything," said resident Mike Atkins. "I'm around a great group of individuals trying to get our life back in order, Salvation Army helping us with it."