Orland Township took in more than $21,000 and an estimated two-to-four tons of food to feed 204 underprivileged families during the holiday season.

The township’s board honored some of the bigger contributors — including corporate, community and individual donors — at its Feb. 21 meeting.

Money and food was raised by various means including the extra hours put in by two individuals. Alex Santillan of Orland Hills put together a group of friends and family members for an Eagle Scout project and brought in 2,250 items of food.

Orland Park’s Linda Chenore, a 34-year worker at Amtrak, helped bring in more than 500 pounds of pet food for the township’s pet pantry.

“People went above and beyond to help us this year,” food pantry coordinator Marianne Hill said.

Santillan, a junior at Andrew High School, supervised a group of 40 people who went out in front of various stores in the community on Nov. 19 and came back with a big haul for the township.

Linda Chenore is honored by Orland Township Supervisor Paul O'Grady for helping to bring in 500 pounds of pet food during the holidays. (Jeff Vorva/Tribune)

“I would drive my dad’s car to one place and get a call from someone else saying ‘get over here, we have a lot of food,’ ” he said. “I did a lot of driving. Setting it up was hard, but once the day came, it went well.”

Chenore and an Amtrak co-worker picked up 1,000 pounds of food for pets and while her co-worker donated to a shelter up north, Chenore donated to the township’s pet pantry.

She said she had to get permission from the corporate office in Washington D.C. to collect the food at various locations at the Amtrack stations and yards.

“Families that are down and out have pets and the pets need to be fed, too,” Chenore said. “Some people have to give up their pets because they can’t afford to feed them. I didn’t know so many people would be receptive to this. It was a huge success and I will do it again. It was well worth it.”

Hill said firefighters from the Orland Fire Protection District donated food, money and time for the 17th straight year and some of them volunteered to carry bags to families’ homes on days that had snow and freezing rain.

She added that people donated toys and gift certificates and other items for the cause.