MOUNT CARMEL, PA – The Greek Isle Cafe in Mount Carmel served a Greek-American Christmas Eve feast for needy families in the area for the first time this year, WNEP16, an ABC-affiliated television station, reported. The restaurant staff had visited a local soup kitchen and handed out Christmas cards, inviting ten families to the restaurant for dinner, WNEP reported.

Waitress Crystal Wilhelm said, “We hand-delivered all the invitations. I’m tearing up now, I’m sorry. It really made us cry, too, because he was so thankful. It made us all feel so good to give someone that feeling that someone does care,” WNEP reported.

The Greek-American holiday dinner included pork, mashed potatoes, spanakopita, buttered beans, and loukoumades for dessert, WNEP reported.

“It is a very big meal. I got everything all ready in the oven and it’s getting ready to go… I hope those ten families come and I’m just excited about it. I’m super excited about it,” chef Jennifer Walkowiak said, WNEP reported, adding Wilhelm’s comment about the event, “Really thankful to be able to do something like this for our community.”

Though this was the restaurant’s first such Christmas Eve dinner for those in need, the staff hopes it will become an annual tradition, WNEP reported.