USO Naval Station Great Lakes Center Continues the Mission with Drive Through USO No-Dough Dinners

COVID-19 has changed our lives in countless ways, but it has not changed the USO’s mission. The USO connects our service members to family, home and country whether on the frontlines of the pandemic or deployed overseas.

Our programs staff have swiftly pivoted summer plans to move our programs to a virtual format. But something was missing. If you’ve ever been to the USO Naval Station Great Lakes Center on a Thursday evening, it’s abuzz with military and their families laughing, chatting and eating at our USO No-Dough Dinners. But, how do we bring that same atmosphere to our military families during a global pandemic?

Starting in May, military families in the North Chicago Area have lined the streets near the Great Lakes Community Center for Drive Through USO No-Dough Dinners! USO staff and volunteers have served nearly 7,000 meals to service members and their families since May. Early on, USO volunteers noticed the cars began to line up as early as 3PM for a 5PM start time. We even got our longtime partners Costumers for a Cause to come out and help entertain the military children and their families as they waited in the comfort and safety of their cars to pick up their free individually packaged meals.

Thank you to PepsiCo, Combined Insurance, Gary Sinise Foundation, Colonial Dames, Dover Corporation, North Shore Gas, Clune Construction and Energy Volleyball Club for continuing to support our USO No-Dough Dinners!