The annual event continues to feed seniors, the sick and shut-in at the senior complex and throughout Los Angeles.
“We have our last orders going out to some of our senior buildings like Rosa Parks [Villas], Tuelyn Terrace, Casa de Rosas and it was a great effort,” said Mothers In Action (MIA) President Tracy Mitchell about this year’s Thanksgiving Day Senior Feed.
Celebrating 29 years, MIA and Ward Economic Development Corporation (Ward EDC) delivered 1,000 meals to seniors, sick and shut-in residents in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Every year, the event brings out countless volunteers, local officials, organizations and more to Ward Villas for Seniors. Mitchell is grateful every year for the turn out to help bring this event together and this year is no different.
“Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson came out and he actually delivered some meals right here at Ward Villas to some the residents,” said Mitchell.
“We had a lot of support from elected officials like [Councilmembers] Curren Price, Heather Hutt and they all provided turkeys to make this happen.”
The Thanksgiving Senior Feed was created by Mothers In Action’s Founding President Brenda Marsh-Mitchell and Ward EDC President Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker to bless the often-forgotten seniors on Thanksgiving Day with a meal and a smile.
“Even though our founding president joined the ancestors in 2014, her legacy of love, giving and kindness continues,” said Mitchell.
Chef Marilyn prepared the Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings with 27th Street Bakery providing individual pies. Pre-registered volunteers assembled the meals with greeting cards made by one of MIA’s youth groups. A Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper, dinner mints and valuable resource information were also provided in a recyclable bag by valued sponsors and delivered to recipients.
This year’s Thanksgiving meal was brought to recipients by Mothers In Action, Ward EDC, Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper, Taste of Soul, Council President and Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson of Council District 8, Councilmembers Current Price of Council District 9 and Heather Hutt of Council District 10, Thrive Living, Blue Shield, My placeHealth, Helpful Honda, Door Dash, The District, Pacific Asian Volunteer Association (P.A.V.A.), Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, Sigma Gamma Rho, Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Phi Alpha.
“I’ve been doing this for longer than I can remember,” said Harris-Dawson about volunteering at the Thanksgiving Senior Feed at Ward Villas.
“My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is when we rally for each other, when we start thinking about our families, our neighborhoods, our community and thinking about our blessings and how we can bless others.”
“This is my 28th year coming and I used to be a member of Ward AME church down the street and my wife and my kids would come here every year to participate,” said Brian Williams, deputy mayor for public safety.
“It’s great giving back, it’s great being amongst people who are of like mind, who are concerned about our communities and it’s just truly the spirit of Thanksgiving out here.
“I love what Mothers In Action is doing, I remember Brenda Marsh-Mitchell well, just having to see the legacy that she’s established still operating today.
“So happy to be here.”
“It feels amazing helping our community out, the citizens for Thanksgiving,” said Aiden Kim, national president of PAVA, who shared this was his third time volunteering in the Thanksgiving Senior Feed.
“Every year, we’re doing this—just feels great.”
“This is my second, I love being able to give back,” said Stephanie McFaddin, volunteer and former city employee.
“I’m usually used to cooking because I have four kids, but now my kids are adults and they got to make it around to the other families so, this is my way to give back.
“I really love Tracy, I love what they do so, coming here, spending the early part of the day helping out and seeing the faces when I do deliver—it makes it all worthwhile.”
Rashad Sharif, a volunteer with the Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, shared this was his fourth time at the Thanksgiving Senior Feed.
“I really enjoy giving back, part of our group’s mission is to help others and we’re doing it right here,” said Sharif. “Every year, Thanksgiving, I tell my family, ‘Hey, I can’t go nowhere because I got to help out with Mothers In Action at the Ward facility for seniors.’”
David Walker, volunteer and grandson of Dupont-Walker, said it’s family tradition taking part in the Thanksgiving Senior Feed.
“We come with the family every year so, it’s more of a family tradition for us,” said Walker. “It’s a good feeling, it’s good to know that people have a good heart for the people that are in need especially for the seniors, who are alone, that don’t have a lot of people to help them in this time.
“It’s good to know to seniors are cared for and also looked out for as well during this time.”
“Community service is one where you give a lot and you overlook one thing and it’s a catastrophe, this reminds you that when you give and get along that you can live with those moments, when things don’t go right,” said Dupont-Walker.
“After this election, we’re feeling like it’s not going right, but this says the people are resilient and that we will come out and we understand the battle is not over and as a person of faith, the battle is not ours and so, if we are just faithful, it makes a difference.
“There are new faces and today, to give us really, a comfort, a number of the adults came because their kids said I want to go do something.
“We know now that the world can be different and maybe we needed that wake-up call.”
Through MIA’s community partnership with the Los Angeles Food Bank, they provided poultry and other food items to over 100 underserved families as well.
MIA is thankful for their entire village of sponsors, donors and volunteers. In 29 years, MIA and Ward EDC’s Annual Thanksgiving Day Senior Feed has provided over 30,000 meals to seniors, sick and shut-in residents, while supporting minority owned businesses at the same time.
