The Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) hosted their 15th annual Thanksgiving giveaway at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, receiving contributions from Smart & Final for a second consecutive year.
Kyle Garlick, Joc Pederson, Kenny Landreaux and Dennis Powell were among the volunteers that helped distribute more than 1,000 turkeys and fixings (donated by Smart & Final) to pre-selected families and not-for-profit community organizations who in turn will distribute them to local families in need.
The offices of U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, California State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, California State Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and L.A. City Councilmember Gil Cedillo selected the organizations in their districts to benefit.
Levy Restaurants provided all turkey dinner recipients with complimentary Dodger dogs inside the Stadium Club.
Pederson assisted the Dodgers with the giveaway in 2017, and was honored to again be involved. “It’s an awesome event,” he said. “Giving back to the community, putting food on the table for families to enjoy with their loved ones, for me to come back and help the Dodgers, it’s an honor to be here.”
Smart & Final senior manager of marketing and media Jackie Avila added: “This is our second year doing the event. We brought 1,500 turkeys, pies and all the fixings for Thanksgiving meals to give to families.
“In the 150 years we’ve been in L.A., we’re really about nourishing the communities where our stores are, and we’re getting to do just that today. It’s a fun event. We have about 150 volunteers from our stores, store support center, distribution centers and transportation teams.”
While the purpose for Pederson’s attendance was to brighten the holidays for families in need, the Dodgers organization remains attached to the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal that’s engulfed Major League Baseball.
“There’s a lot that came out, and it’s unfortunate,” Pederson said. “It brings back a bad feeling in your stomach from when we lost. But today is not about the Houston Astros. It’s about giving back to these kids.
“I’m sure we’ll get a lot of those questions come Spring Training time and FanFest.”
After distributing turkeys at Dodger Stadium, Pederson visited New Village Girls Academy, where he passed out 100 more to students and posed for photographs.
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