A youth-led nonprofit has partnered with a Long Beach church to provide dozens of families with Thanksgiving meals this holiday season.
Ella Shahbazian is a sophomore at Rose & Alex Pilibos Armenian School in Hollywood who started her nonprofit — Ella’s Angels — three years ago. Her goal was to get young people like herself involved in community service, and now, she’s giving back to a community she has grown to love.
This Thanksgiving, Ella’s Angels has partnered with the Greater Harvest Church in Long Beach to feed 100 families in need through their “Thanksgiving Bags with All the Trimmings” program.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve just always loved helping people,” Shahbazian said in an interview, “and as I grew older, I wanted to continue helping people.”
The 15-year-old started her nonprofit with toy drives to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and beach cleanups in Long Beach, and has now continued to grow with their Thanksgiving food drive, as well as providing scholarships to students in underrepresented communities and creating handmade Valentine cards and care packages for hospitalized veterans.
The nonprofit’s vision is to empower young people of all backgrounds to become catalysts for change and make a positive impact on their communities, according to its website. Shahbazian said she envisions a world where youth are actively engaged in volunteerism, nurturing their compassion and leadership skills while addressing critical social issues.
At her young age, Shahbazian is already a published author, a 4.0 GPA student, and a varsity tennis player — with dreams of attending Yale University and Yale Law School to continue her advocacy for youth, families and equality.
The Thanksgiving food drive is one of the most meaningful events that Ella’s Angels has done, Shahbazian said, because it will bring neighbors together to share kindness, compassion and gratitude.
“Ella’s Angels reminds us what true service looks like — young people leading with heart,” Pastor Gerald Johnson of Greater Harvest Church said in a statement. “This Thanksgiving drive will bless families in ways that go far beyond a meal.”
Shahbazian said she wanted to help the Long Beach community because of her connection to the city.
“I thought about this idea a year ago,” she said, “and I really wanted to help that area, because I feel like I have a connection with Long Beach.”
The Thanksgiving food giveaway will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at the church. While not all 100 meals are funded yet, Shahbazian said that Ella’s Angels will still make the goal possible. Each $45 donation covers a complete family meal — including turkey, sides, dessert, and a reusable tote bag.
“This means a lot to me,” Shahbazian said. “I love helping people, and I’m excited to be able to see their faces when we’re handing out the meals to them. I feel like it’s going to leave a really big impact on me because maybe without this, they wouldn’t have had a Thanksgiving meal to eat with their families.”
Long Beach community members who are interested in making a donation or signing up to volunteer can visit ellasangels.org. For families in need, sign-ups to receive a meal bag are on the website as well.
Shahbazian said that she hopes to continue to grow this Thanksgiving food drive in the future and reach more families in need.
“It’s a start,” she said, noting that she hopes it’ll also help inspire other young people to make a difference in their communities.