Photo: Jacqueline García / Impremedia
On Wednesday from 5 in the morning individuals began to arrive on foot, in wheelchairs and in walkers, as well as entire families ready to be part of a feast.
Not surprisingly, the Los Angeles Mission homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles was celebrating Thanksgiving.
Among the first people in line were friends Margarita Guzmán and Margarita Hernández, who arrived from the Westlake area at 5 a.m.
Hernández, from 30 years old, said she has attended the feast since she was 9 years with her mother, who led her by the hand. Now she continues the tradition by bringing her two children.
“As I have a need, I always come here, either for clothes or anything else. that they give away. In addition, in the announcement that they put outside, I saw that lunch was already going to be there and we came immediately, ”said Hernández.
On this day of Thanksgiving, Hernández expressed that he is grateful to have health and a healthy family, despite the adversities that have happened during the pandemic.
“I I am thankful for my two children and that God has blessed me. Thank you for life too, ”said Hernández.
Margarita Guzmán arrived with her three children and her husband. She expressed that it is the second time that she has participated in the event and she is pleased that they do this type of good cause for the community.
“The need It motivates me to come, ”said Guzmán. “Here they give us clothes and socks for the children. Sometimes they also give blankets as gifts. ”
A few steps away Tania Sotay, from 21 years, he said he found out through a friend. The woman who is pregnant arrived with her child and they lined up from 8 o’clock: 30 in the morning. With her were other friends who found out about the event and were ready to enjoy the food.
“Many people arrive and some get in front of the line; but we are moving fast, ”he says.
Another mother who arrived with her two children was Aura Ajanel, who found out about the event in the television and said it is the first time he has participated.
“We like the food,” said Ajanel, while enjoying a turkey dish with mashed potatoes, vegetables, bread and a pumpkin pie.
Ajanel said that this year she is grateful for having a plate of food on the table and mainly because they have not been infected with the covid – 19 neither she nor her children.
Receiving gifts
Once people finished tasting their lunch, they were invited to go to different Stations that offered everything from food pantries to blankets to rain covers for the homeless. There were also members of different churches that offered free bibles.
For the first time an additional station was in charge of offering the covid vaccines – 19 to those interested.
Pascuala Soho arrived accompanied by her daughter Lorena Saxo and after finishing eating they went to the ranks to receive their gifts; a food pantry and a blanket each.
Soho said it learned of the event from an advertisement found on the street. She thanked “the strangers” for giving her so many things for free.
“I have come before and we like what they give us” said Soho, who resides in the Rampart area.
Hernandez said she participated in the event last year when due to the pandemic and meeting restrictions, lunch was not held outside of the mission. Instead, the closed plates of food were delivered to take away.
Shelter Los Angeles Mission’s annual Thanksgiving celebration served over 3, 000 pounds of turkey, 700 pounds of mashed potatoes, 800 pounds of green beans and 600 slices of pumpkin pie to the homeless and the needy.
Participating volunteers included Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore, and a variety of celebrities. The event, as every year was sponsored by Wells Fargo and the Magic Johnson Foundation.
It is estimated that there are more than 50, 000 homeless in Los Angeles County. In the Skid Row area, where the Los Angeles Mission is located, there have been about 5, 000 homeless of whom, more than half live permanently on the street.
The celebration of free lunches on Skid Row will continue this Thursday with The Midnight Mission offering its annual luncheon.