On Thanksgiving Day, Mothers In Action and Ward Economic Development Corporation distributed 1,000 meals with all the trimmings to seniors and sick and shut-in residents in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Officially designated as the 26th Annual Thanksgiving Day Senior Feed, the activity was a result of the combined efforts of volunteers, members, community partners, sponsors and donors.
All meals were picked up or delivered by Door Dash; the company received a grant through CARE to deliver up to 1,000 locations. Jade Stevens of Dine Black L.A. assisted Mothers In Action in scheduling the deliveries.
The tasty Thanksgiving meal included turkey, dressing, gravy, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce enclosed in a recyclable bag. The package also contained a Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper, a dinner roll, butter, cranberry sauce, soft drink, bottled water, dessert, cutlery, mask, hand sanitizer and a personalized greeting card made by students and youth groups.
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“The outpouring of love shown by the community to make this highly anticipated event a success was nothing but God, and speaks volumes about the relationships that were forged by our founding president, my mother, Brenda Marsh-Mitchell, and the legacy of service she left behind,” said Tracy Mitchell, Mothers In Action president.
Mothers In Action and Ward EDC intentionally supported Black businesses by contracting with Chef Marilyn to cater the entire meal, as well as purchased pies from 27th Street Bakery as the organizations have done for years in the past. Mitchell extended special thanks to restaurant owners Rosalyn Pennington of The New Townhouse and Georgette Powell of Mel’s Fish Shack for helping with the process.
Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, L.A. Regional Foodbank, The Hutt Group, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Dodgers and L.A. Dodgers Foundation donated the turkeys. As Mothers In Action’s media sponsor and community partner, the Los Angeles Sentinel provided 1,000 Sentinel newspapers, newspaper ads and space.
Also, Merrill Lynch contributed 1,000 soft drinks, Self Help Federal Credit Union gave 1,000 bottles of water, Pastor Sauls donated 55 pies in honor of his 55th birthday and Pat Sanders supplied 1,000 dinner rolls.
“Mothers Action is grateful for their community partners and sponsors at Taste of Soul, Bakewell Media, LA Watts Times, Brotherhood Crusade, L.A. Urban League, AAA, KROST, Assemblymember Autumn Burke, Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas, Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, 7-Eleven and all of our individual and anonymous donors,” added Mitchell, who noted that Marcus Garvey School, The Girl Scouts and Daisies, The Bakewell School made personal greeting cards for the seniors.
Chloe Jackson, a freshman at Clark Atlanta University who was among the longtime volunteers, said, “Tracy is my godmother, so I’ve been here since I was a toddler. Being a part of this event is just the Girl Scout in me. Knowing I’m a part of making life better for these seniors is a very fulfilling.”
Other volunteers serving were Inglewood Board of Education member, Carliss McGhee and members of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., who are sorors of Jacqueline DuPont-Walker, president of Ward Villas EDC.
“Twenty-six years and I’m just overjoyed to God that I’m still here. I started this [mission] with Brenda Marsh-Mitchell because no one was taking hot meals to seniors,” Dupont-Walker said. “I will continue to carry the torch of giving in honor or Ms. Marsh-Mitchell and my late husband [Buford ‘Sonny’ Walker].”
The team of volunteers included Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., the Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, City National Bank employees, former Girl Scouts and current students of Howard University and Clark Atlanta University, alumni from Fisk University, Jackson State University, and Hampton University, Mothers In Action family, members and staff, Ward EDC staff, members of the Mitchell and Walker families, and many others.
Expressing appreciation for all of the support, Mitchell shouted out, “Thank you, Village!
