November 23, 2017
City News Service
For the 35th year in a row, thousands of people stood for hours in a blocks-long line Tuesday for an annual South Los Angeles turkey giveaway, the founder of which died last year but the spirit of which continues to thrive.
The Los Angeles Reinvestment Foundation, carrying on the legacy of Ellsworth E.J. Jackson, handed out thousands of boxes containing all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner, to the delight of needy families looking for a way to brighten the holiday.
“I’m so happy and grateful,” one woman told CBS2/KCAL0 as she picked up her box of food.
The woman who was first in line told the station, “I got here at 6:30 yesterday morning.”
E.J. Jackson was the owner of Jackson Limousine Service, which is well- known as a chauffeur to the stars. But Jackson is better known for his annual turkey giveaway. The event began in 1982 when some area senior citizens who couldn’t afford Thanksgiving holiday meals approached Jackson, who responded by buying 100 turkeys and creating the E.J. Jackson Foundation. The next year he bought 200, and the next he bought 500.
The giveaway grew into an annual community event. More than 10,000 turkeys will be passed out by the time Tuesday’s event is finished.
Jackson died Nov. 1, 2016. The city on Tuesday dedicated the corner near his limousine company “E.J. Jackson Square.”
The dedication and continued efforts by volunteers and donors to make the event happen served as an inspiration to Jackson’s son, Tyron.
“This means a lot to me,” he told CBS2/KCAL9. “It makes me want to continue to keep my dad’s legacy alive.”
November 23, 2017
By Brian W. Carter
Contributing Writer
On Thursday, November 23, Mothers In Action (MIA) will celebrate 22 years of providing Thanksgiving Day meals to Ward Villas Senior Apartment Complex and to those 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.
The Thanksgiving Day Senior Feed at Ward Villas is a traditional hot Thanksgiving dinner complete with 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, 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.
For the last 22 years, MIA have 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. Three years ago, Senior Pastor Kelvin Sauls and Holman United Methodist Church joined MIA as community partners. MIA extends their gratefulness to media partners, the L.A. Sentinel & L.A. Watts Times for their editorial support, ads, donations, and staff volunteers over the years. Ms. Mitchell and her sisters, Tamela and Pamela would also like to thank Danny Bakewell and their mother for teaching and showing the way to make a difference in the community.
The love that is poured out every year never ceases to amaze MIA president, Tracy Mitchell. From 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.
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 surprisingly forgotten 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.
“Words cannot express the depths of our gratitude for the elected officials and their continuous support of Mothers In Action: Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Councilmember Curren Price of 9th District, and Councilmember Marqueece Harris – Dawson of 8th District,” said Mitchell.
Special thanks to Danny Bakewell, The Bakewell Family Foundation, Baldwin Bethany CDC of Greater Bethany Church of West Los Angeles (Rod Miles), Bobbie Jean Anderson, Brandiva & Sir Jerk, Carolyn Fowler, Carrie Konjoyan, Chef Marilyn, Dolores Spears, Fabian Wesson, Fred Childress, Girl Scout Troop 1565 along with their leaders and mothers, Glory Foods, Henrietta Perkins-Barkley, Howard & Associates, Isadore Hall, Joyce Jamison, LAPD South Traffic Division CTSU, LAUSD Board member Dr. George McKenna of District 1, Lisa Square, Mike Stringer, Mothers In Action staff, Mothers Nutritional Center, Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, Renita Lorden, Richard Calhoun, Robert Torrence, Sharon Robinson, Shawn Newmann, The Randolph Family, The Starving Actor, Veneranda Toledo, Wayne Francis, Yvonne Wheeler and all of our other donors and volunteers.
This year, MIA will serve 200 seniors onsite at Ward Villas Senior Complex and deliver 800 meals. Volunteers are needed to deliver Thanksgiving meals from 9:00am – 2:00pm
Ward Villas Senior Complex is located at 1177 West Adams Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA 90007
Follow Mothers In Action on Facebook and follow them on Twitter (@mothersinaction). For more information, contact (323) 290-0456 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tracy Mitchell contributed to this article.
November 23, 2017
LAWT News Service
Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) gave away 1,100 free turkeys to students and families from Senate District 35, comprising Carson, Compton, Inglewood, Lawndale, Torrance and the surrounding communities. Senator Bradford, who is finishing his first year in the California State Senate, continued his tradition when he served as a Gardena City Councilmember and State Assemblymember, by providing turkeys so families in need can share a healthy and hearty holiday meal with loved ones.
“The holiday season is not only about spending quality time with family and being thankful for all we have, it is also about making a concerted effort to help those who are less fortunate,” said Senator Bradford. “For me, it means bringing our community together for a common cause, and giving back to the community that made me who I am today.”
El Camino College President Dena P. Maloney and Board President Ken Brown joined the Senator at their Torrance campus to pass out turkeys at this year’s event. Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles and Councilmember Pat Kearny, Torrance Councilmembers Tim Goodrich, Heidi Ann Ashcraft and Kurt Weideman and Compton Councilmembers Tana McCoy and Emma Sharif were also in attendance, along with Carson Chamber member Ralph Felix from California Water Services. Representatives from various charities and businesses participated, including P.S. I Love You Foundation, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Uncle Darrow’s New Orleans Grille, the DWA Drum Squad and many others.
In addition to the giveaway, the Senator provided resources for healthcare coverage and higher education, while highlighting El Camino College’s recently opened Warrior Pantry, which is an on-campus food bank for food insecure students. A portion of the turkeys at the event were donated to students of El Camino College.
“Families strengthen their relationships over the dinner table and during the holiday season, so by providing these turkeys, we hope that they will continue to build the bonds which have sustained many families and communities during trying times,” said Bradford. “I want to thank all the donors, volunteers, participants and especially the churches and non-profits who do their part to be servant leaders - Happy Holidays to all!”
November 16, 2017
LAWT News Service
Compton native ABC black-ish star and Emmy-nominated actor Anthony Anderson was named today as the 2017 Grand Marshal of the annual Compton Christmas Parade. Presented and produced by the City of Compton, the parade, now in its 64th year, will take place on Saturday, December 9th in the heart of Compton and is themed, “Peace and Happiness for Every Child At Heart.”
“We are excited to have Anthony Anderson represent the city of Compton as our 2017 Grand Marshal,” said Mayor Aja Brown. “He has been committed to giving back to Compton and continues to be a significant supporter of the Compton community—especially our young people. Christmas is a special time of year and that holds true for the families of Compton. The holiday season is an important time for our community to come together and I am looking forward to this year’s Christmas parade.”