The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) and Dodgers partnered with Smart & Final over the weekend to host the 14th annual Community Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway at Dodger Stadium. Kenley Jansen, Ron Cey and Dennis Powell were among those to assist in distributing the meals.
Jansen and the alumni handed out a complimentary turkey (or vegetarian alternative), fixings and reusable canvas bags to 1,200 pre-selected families and not-for-profit community organizations who in turn distributed them to Los Angeles-area families in need. Levy Restaurants provided all turkey dinner recipients with complimentary Dodger dogs as well.
In addition to the pre-selected families, turkeys and fixings were provided to pre-selected students in the team’s “Community of Schools,” a strategic community partnership to improve the education and wellness of children attending local schools (all Title I) and living in communities surrounding Dodger Stadium.
Beneficiaries of the program also include participants of Dodgers RBI (LADF’s youth baseball and softball program), local residents from communities surrounding Dreamfields and the Bresse Foundation, a non-profit organization supported by LADF.
Gobble gobble. 🦃 @kenleyjansen74 is here to hand out some turkeys! pic.twitter.com/727NFj8gWF
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 16, 2018
Congress member Jimmy Gomez, California Senator Kevin de León, California Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, Mayor Eric Garcetti, L.A. City Councilmember Gil Cedillo and L.A. City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell partnered with the Dodgers for the turkey giveaway. Each office selected organizations in its district to benefit.
Jansen’s participation came 10 days ahead of his scheduled heart surgery. It marks a second time Jansen’s heart will be operated on, and like the first instance, he doesn’t expect to be sidelined for a prolonged stretch of time.
