(Los Angeles, CA) –Last Saturday, Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) and community partners hosted the eighth annual Free Turkey Giveaway in Boyle Heights. Over 1,000 free turkeys, canned food, sides and hot meals were distributed to community members in and around Boyle Heights. The organizations and companies who provided generous donation and essential event support include the Weingart East LA YMCA, Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), Anschutz Entertainment Group, Reyes Coca Cola Bottling, Athens Services, Commerce Casino & Hotel, SEIU 121RN, IBEW Local 11, Southwest Carpenters, PepsiCo, SoCal Gas, USC, Target, Ralphs/Food 4 Less and Starbucks.
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“Our communities were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and we are still recovering,” said Assembly Member Santiago. “As we recover, it is imperative that we have essential access to food, especially around the holidays. I am proud to distribute free turkeys across the community so all of us can celebrate Thanksgiving with full and nutritious meals.”
"The Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA (WELA Y) is committed to rebuilding communities by providing equitable programs and services to empower all Angelenos,” said Brenda Hernández, the Executive Director of the WELA Y. “The WELA Y is focused on fighting food insecurity, providing equity in education, making sure every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of sports, ensuring kids and teens have a safe place to grow, learn and live a healthy lifestyle. Access to nutritional food is important in order to maintain good health and well-being. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with many partners and provide food to our Boyle Heights and East LA communities that we serve, especially during Thanksgiving."
As California continues to recover, many working families are still feeling the impact and may not afford to provide a Thanksgiving meal. As the area’s state representative, Assembly Member Santiago is committed to helping families hard hit by COVID-19 celebrate Thanksgiving through the eighth annual Free Turkey Giveaway.
Assembly Member Miguel Santiago is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization and Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Los Angeles County Homelessness. He also sits on the Assembly Committees on Public Safety, Health, Higher Education and Utilities and Energy. He represents the 53rd District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Vernon.