Thousands Of Free Turkey Dinners To Be Handed Out To Southern California Families In Need
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — With so many people out of work this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, many local organizations are working to provide the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner.
One of those organizations is the shipping and logistics company CMA CGM Group, which donated 2,000 turkeys being distributed at the Battleship USS Iowa in the Port of Los Angeles Friday until 1 p.m. The turkeys were distributed via drive-thru, but the LAPD and the L.A. Port Police also pitched in to deliver some birds to people who were unable to travel.
On Saturday, St. John the Baptist Church in Baldwin Park is working with state Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio to distribute food to more than 750 families in need, including hundreds of families referred by local schools and those living in local motels. This year's effort is one of its most ambitious, the church's pastor Friar Michael Gutierrez said.
"Normally, we would aid 180 families; in these not normal times, this effort is going for the extraordinary in service and faith.
The church says it is still accepting donations to aid families throughout the holidays at givecentral.org.
Free turkeys and food boxes will also be distributed to Saturday by the Power of One Foundation at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. The food distribution is by appointment only from 8 a.m. to noon at 88 Fair Drive.
On Tuesday, pre-boxed groceries including either a frozen turkey or a frozen ham and Thanksgiving trimmings – will be given out to 500 large families at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Los Angeles Harbor. The distribution from 3 to 4:30 p.m. will be contactless, with families encouraged to pull up to the parking lot of 1444 West Q Street in Wilmington and open the trunks of their cars so food boxes can be placed inside. Walk-ups will not be permitted.
On Thanksgiving Day, thousands of turkeys, pies, potatoes, and other food will be packaged by the Second Harvest Food Bank Of Orange County and passed out to 7,000 Orange County families struggling with food insecurity. The food distribution will take start at 9 a.m. at the Honda Center, 2695 E. Katella Ave. in Anaheim off Douglass Road.
