warning Hi, we've moved to USCANNENBERGMEDIA.COM. Visit us there!

Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Thousands Turn Out for Turkey Giveaway

Laura Cueva |
November 23, 2010 | 1:10 p.m. PST

Staff Reporter

24th annual Turkey Dinner Giveaway
24th annual Turkey Dinner Giveaway
Los Angeles was in the Thanksgiving spirit Tuesday morning as dozens of volunteers gathered to hand out more than 10,000 free meals to some of the city’s poorest families.

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.



 

Buzz

Craig Gillespie directed this true story about "the most daring rescue mission in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.”

Watch USC Annenberg Media's live State of the Union recap and analysis here.

 
ntrandomness