Barn Steakhouse in Evanston feeds homeless during COVID-19 outbreak

EVANSTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Although it's closed to dine-in guests, the kitchen at the Barn Steakhouse in Evanston is still up and running.

Owner Amy Morton and her team are making hundreds of meals for the homeless community in her area.

"I typically cook one day a week at Connections for the Homeless," Morton said. "They gave me a call and said, 'Can you cook for more?' and I said 'of course'. Then they said 'Could it be every day?' and I was like 'What!?'"

Since then, Morton and her team have been at the restaurant by 5 a.m., cooking breakfast and preparing it for delivery.

From breakfast burritos to sandwiches, and even french toast, Morton and her team are making breakfast foods that are easy to individually wrap and distribute.

The meals go to the community resource center, Connections for the Homeless, as well as two local hotels that are housing people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other restaurants in the area are also participating, providing lunch and dinner to more than 150 people a day.

Morton said the rewards she gets from giving back are two-fold.

"It's a privilege to me to be able to help service this population, but my team, many who've been with me for many years, needs work," she said. "It's been really great."

And she's committed to serving as long as the city and the community needs.

Jalyn Henderson is a Community Journalist at ABC 7 Chicago. She tells stories on the north side of Chicago in neighborhoods like Uptown, Edgewater, Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, West Ridge and Rogers Park. If you have a story to share in these neighborhoods you can send an email to Jalyn.L.Henderson@abc.com