12 Ways to Get Your Give-Back Gobble On
The season of thanking others and spending time with your family - whether you'd like to or not - is upon us once again. While it'd be easy to get snarky and eye-rolly about trudging off to spend Thanksgiving with family and all the potential weirdness that might ensue, chances are that if you're reading this, you have it far better than many in Los Angeles, crazy family or not.
If you'd like to give of your time, your wallet or your delectable turkey cooking skills this Thanksgiving, here's a roundup of ways to give back to the many people in Los Angeles who need your help this holiday.
SERVE FOOD
Have time on Thanksgiving to serve food to those who'd love a warm meal served with a side of kindness? Several spots need volunteers to help serve food:
-Los Angeles Mission downtown
-Hands and Feet Serve LA at Cypress Church in Cypress
-Union Rescue Mission downtown
-Temple Beth Hillel Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving Feast in Valley Village
DONATE FOOD
Busy on Thanksgiving day, but want to be sure others have enough food to make their own special meal? Many locations in Los Angeles are taking canned and packaged food drop-offs and online donations:
-Westside Food Bank in Santa Monica
-Thanksgiving Meal Donations in Chino
-LIFE Choir's Annual Thanksgiving Day Feast in Hollywood
DELIVER FOOD
Want to personally deliver a holiday meal to those who can't leave their homes? Several food delivery services will be toting turkeys all over town and you can help:
-Food on Foot in Hollywood
-Volunteer Action for Aging Thanksgiving Meal Delivery Program in Long Beach
COOK FOOD
Of the opinion that your brilliant turkey cooking skills should be spread far and wide? You can deliver fully cooked turkeys to a few locations:
-One Incredible Family in Playa Del Ray
-Westside Thanksgiving at Santa Monica Civic Center in Santa Monica
DONATE, COOK, DELIVER TRIFECTA
Gobble Gobble Give in Silver Lake needs "volunteers on every level" to help with their three-step Turkey Day volunteering bonanza. Bring store-bought food or make your most delicious home-cooked turkey, show up at 10 a.m. at The Echo in Echo Park to put the meals together, then deliver them throughout the city.
Best way to give back in your immediate community and get all hyperlocal with your volunteer love? Reach out to a church, a community center, any spot in your neighborhood that may be in need and ask how you can help.
Don't see anything on this list that you can do? Don't have time this weekend to help but want to volunteer for the holidays in the near future? We'll be highlighting more ways to give back in the coming weeks, but you can also visit L.A. Works to find other ways to give of your time, expertise and love.
So go on LA! Embrace your crazy aunt, your weird uncle that dresses like Santa on the wrong holidays and your ever-judging mother and be thankful for what you have this holiday. Get out there and give back.