24th annual Turkey Dinner Giveaway

Celebrities, politicians and others showed up to hand out free Thanksgiving meals during South Los Angeles’s 24th annual Turkey Dinner Giveaway, including James Pickens from “Grey’s Anatomy” and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

“I haven’t seen anything like this anywhere,” Villaraigosa said. “The message here is everyone has a responsibility to their brothers and sisters.”

E.J. Jackson, founder of Jackson Limousine Service, which sponsored the giveaway, founded the event years ago in L.A. and has been giving away food to the needy ever since.

“If we work together, we can lick this problem,” Jackson said. “We can lick this, all walks of life, all colors, all religions.”

Congresswoman Maxine Waters also attended the event, thanking all the volunteers for spending their time helping others.

“This is one of the most important events that takes place in this city,” Waters said. “This is what life is all about: giving and sharing.”

The boxes of food include a turkey, rice, beans, vegtetables and canned items.

“I think it’s a blessing that they’re going out and helping the community,” said Michael Burgher, who also attended the giveaway last year. “Jackson Limousine has done a great thing for us and bless all of the contributors that helped, the food banks, everybody.” 

The giveaway is expected to go on all day until providers run out of food.

Reach reporter Laura Cueva here. Follow her on Twitter @leccueva.