By Brian Goodin
Photos by Brian Goodin and Carleton Overstreet, Jr.
The word comm”UNITY” is becoming synonymous with residents of Southeast San Diego as a small army of people from a few local non-profit organizations in three different locations distributed food to those in need. The Thanksgiving free turkey giveaways could not come soon enough as many families are having difficult times as the COVID-19 pandemic weighs heavily on many households.
Thanks to an awesome group of volunteers, relief was in store beginning Friday, November 20th from 12pm to 4pm at Bayview Baptist Church located at 6134 Pastor Timothy J Winters Street, where the Honorable Pastor Terry Brooks presides. Friends for Friends Foundation and Saddleback Church also aided a healthy helping hand in making sure it “mission accomplished” on the Bayview campus. Cars lined the street for at least a mile before 750 families were fed by the giving hearts of many tremendous people in a drive thru, COVID-19 safe, service distribution of the curbside giveaway of food.
The very next day, at a different location, 404 Euclid Avenue, the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation was the spot to give away a thousand turkeys along with other perishable items to feed those households in need. Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber, in partnership with Paving Great Futures and City of Hope International Church, moved forward with their 8th Annual Turkey Giveaway drive thru. All adhered to COVID-19 social distancing requirements. It was held from 11am to 2pm, honoring a voucher system until 1pm, which left about 200 families to be feed after the participants with vouchers were taken care of.
The third food distribution took place Sunday, November 22nd at Mt. Erie Baptist Church and Porter Elementary School (North). Local community organizations gathered to distribute 1,500 turkeys. Organized by Armon Harvey, Carleton Overstreet Jr. and a collective of community leaders throughout San Diego county.
Carleton Overstreet Jr. said, “I’d like to thank the entire village for a successful event. I’d also like to specifically thank Andra Day, SDBOA, Black San Diego, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Friends for Friends Foundation, Project A.W.A.R.E, Voice & Viewpoint, I am my Brothers Keeper, Roosevelt Williams III, DETOUR Fancy Girls, Yo Pace, SD Hip Hop 5k, SD strike Force, First Chance U, Titanium Insurance services, SDUSD, Village of Promise, Dr. Jerome Robinson, Steven Trost, Larry Shushan, Tony Williams, The Write Juice, Wal-Mart and the Harvey Foundation.”
