Local food banks worked hard to fill in those gaps while the shutdown persisted, and now, even more charities and local do-gooders are stepping up to make sure their neighbors are well-fed for Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n
If you need help getting a turkey \u2014 and the fixings to go with it \u2014 here are three options:<\/p>\n
Local Hearts Foundation \u2013 Nov. 22<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Nov. 22, the Local Hearts Foundation, a local nonprofit that often organizes food drives, back-to-school drives and toy drives, is hosting its annual turkey giveaway.<\/p>\n
Every year, Local Hearts feeds thousands of families around the holidays and this year will be no different, according to the organization\u2019s director, Tito Rodriguez. So far, the Local Hearts Foundation has 1,500 turkeys to give away, but they\u2019re hoping to get that to 2,000 before Saturday, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing it for such a long time now, we know that the need is massive,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cWe know that [with] everything going on with all the benefits being put on hold, that the need has grown.\u201d<\/p>\n
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Homeland Cultural Center in MacArthur Park, 1321 E Anaheim Street, the Local Hearts Foundation will be giving away turkeys, produce and warm clothes to families in need. No registration is required; everything will be handed out to those in need on a first-come-first served basis.<\/p>\n
Rodriguez, who is known throughout the community as the Hood Santa<\/a>, is passionate about helping and doesn\u2019t want people to have to choose between paying the bills or buying food for the holidays.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that everything\u2019s kind of expensive right now; turkeys to the moon, bills are to the moon, gas is to the moon, rent is to the moon. So being able to provide a family a meal, it\u2019s going to be huge,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n Those interested in getting involved can make donations on the Local Hearts Foundation website<\/a> or message Rodriguez on Instagram<\/a> to find out more about volunteering.<\/p>\n Dairy Market by Breezys \u2013 Nov. 23<\/p>\n While sitting in the hospital with his 2-year-old daughter after she was diagnosed with brain cancer a couple of months ago, Bryan Torres said he had a revelation about just how important nutrition is to health, especially for kids.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t talk about kids that go hungry [enough], Torres said.<\/p>\n After that moment, Torres, who owns the North Long Beach restaurant Dairy Market by Breezys, decided he wanted to give back.<\/p>\n On Sunday, Nov. 23, starting at 8 a.m., families can get a free Thanksgiving turkey at Dairy Market by Breezys, at 5450 Dairy Avenue.<\/p>\n Torres has invited the mayor, local councilmember, the Fire Department and the Police Department to hopefully make it a full community event.<\/p>\n He wants his neighbors to know \u201cthat somebody cares about them, and that they have a real neighbor in me,\u201d Torres said. \u201cI don\u2019t think anyone should be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n Currently, Torres has over 250 turkeys to pass out, but he hopes to have 400 by Sunday. Torres has pulled donations from friends and other members of the community to pay for the turkeys.<\/p>\n One of Torres\u2019s friends, Katie Reid, has donated 50 turkeys. Torres said Reid is his \u201cright-hand\u201d in organizing this turkey giveaway and anyone who would like to donate to help them get more turkeys should reach out to her at 310-990-2542.<\/p>\n Ella\u2019s Angels \u2013 Nov. 26<\/p>\n Led by 15-year-old Ella Shahbazian, Ella\u2019s Angels is a nonprofit organization that empowers local youth to get involved in their community and works to address issues including poverty, homelessness and environmental conservation.<\/p>\n This year, on Wednesday, Nov. 26, Ella\u2019s Angels is handing out 100 Thanksgiving meals to Long Beach families from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Greater Harvest Church, at 1144 Olive Avenue.<\/p>\n When Shahbazian found out about people losing access to their SNAP benefits at the beginning of November because of the government shutdown, she sprang into action.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t just sit and do nothing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Though Ella\u2019s Angels, which she launched three years ago, has organized toy drives and beach cleanups before, this event is the largest project the nonprofit has taken on.<\/p>\n The Thanksgiving meal bags will include a frozen turkey, stuffing mix, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, cornbread mix, and pumpkin pie filling or brownie mix.<\/p>\n People can register to receive a meal bag here<\/a>. Those who want to support Ella\u2019s Angels can make a donation on the organization\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Shahbazian said she hopes to make this an annual tradition, expanding in the future to be able to help more families in need.<\/p>\n \t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1119-turkey-6-723651-sqtwlqec-070845-ViGXmd2j-1024x592.jpg\")
<\/a>Tito Rodriguez, also known as Hood Santa, helps move hundreds of frozen turkeys out of a truck as over 200 volunteers help with the Local Hearts Foundation\u2019s Turkeys giveaway at MacArthur Park in Long Beach on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/p>\n