On Thursday, November 22, Mothers In Action (MIA) will celebrate 23 years of providing Thanksgiving Day meals to Ward Villas Senior Apartment Complex, seniors, sick and shut-in residents in need throughout the greater Los Angeles area and surrounding communities. MIA’s has a long list of elected officials, celebrities, law enforcement, and organizations that all come together to make this highly anticipated community service event work every year.
Thanksgiving at Ward Villas was started by the late Brenda Marsh Mitchell and Lillian Mobley in 1995 to give seniors a holiday meal, who are forgotten and/or neglected during the holiday season. It has been affirmed by both Brenda and Tracy that on Thanksgiving Day, that unfortunately sometimes the faces of the volunteers who deliver the meals to the seniors and shut-in are the only visitation the recipients of the meals receive that day.
For over two decades, MIA has forged an ongoing partnership with Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker of Ward Villas Senior Complex. This partnership has brought a wealth of love and gratitude to the residents of Ward Villas and our community at large. Four years ago, Holman United Methodist Church joined MIA as a community partner. MIA extends their gratefulness to media partners, the L.A. Sentinel & L.A. Watts Times for their editorial support, ads, donations, volunteers over the years.
The Thanksgiving Day Senior Feed at Ward Villas is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, cranberries, dressing, green beans, macaroni & cheese, salad, dessert and a beverage served and delivered to seniors or to those who are unable to leave their house because they are sick and shut-in. Every meal recipient will receive a Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper, a hot meal and a greeting card in a recyclable bag. Seniors that are served onsite are treated to a good meal, live entertainment, the company of their special guests, friends and loved ones.
“Words cannot express the depths of our gratitude for the elected officials and their continuous support of Mothers In Action: Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Council President Herb Wesson of the 10th District, Councilmember Curren Price of 9th District, and Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson of 8th District,” said MIA president, Tracy Mitchell. “When God gives you something to do, He will give you what you need to do it. We are so honored to have our village of volunteers, donors, generations of families and friends that give their time, talent and treasure to contribute to the success of this event.
Whether it’s monetary donations, sodas, salad, bread, centerpieces, turkeys to recyclable bags, clean up, serving or delivering meals, Tracy is extremely grateful to all the volunteers, donors and sponsors who come out to make this day happen. “We are also very appreciative to the youth groups and individual young people between the ages of 3 -21 that make Thanksgiving cards to go with every meal served or delivered.”
Special thanks to Danny Bakewell, The Bakewell Family Foundation, Chef Marilyn, Fabian Wesson, Girl Scout Troop 1565 along with their leaders and mothers, Howard & Associates, Hyundai, Isadore Hall, Joyce Jamison, LAPD South Traffic Division CTSU, LAUSD Board member Dr. George McKenna of District 1, Lisa Square, Ms. Fannie Upshaw, Mothers In Action staff, Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, Richard Calhoun, Robert Torrence, I Health, Inc., Sharon Robinson, The Family of Everett Courtney, The McKinney Family, The Randolph Family, The Starving Actor, Yvonne Wheeler and all of our other donors and volunteers.
This year, MIA will serve 250 seniors onsite at Ward Villas Senior Complex and deliver up to 800 meals. Volunteers are needed to deliver Thanksgiving meals from 9:00am – 2:00pm, prep for to go meals, prepare dining room, serve meals and clean up/breakdown.
Ward Villas Senior Complex is located at 1177 West Adams Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA 90007. The Mitchell Family would also like to thank Danny Bakewell and their mother, the late Brenda Marsh-Mitchell for teaching the importance of giving back to the community and loving your neighbors.
To donate go to www.gofundme.com/MIA-Thanksgiving-Day-Feed or Drop or mail donations to Mothers In Action, 4401 Crenshaw Blvd, suite 315, Los Angeles, CA 90043. Thanksgiving cards can be delivered to the above address as well by Monday, November 20, 2018 by 5:00pm.
Follow Mothers In Action on Facebook and follow them on Twitter (@mothersinaction). For more information, contact (323) 290-0456 or email [email protected] or [email protected]
Tracy Mitchell contributed to this article.
