The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation partnered with Mookie Betts and local organizations to give away Thanksgiving meals at the Algin Sutton Recreation Center on Nov. 20. This event marked the final of three November giveaways, distributing around 3,000 meals to families in need amid a challenging year for the community.
One week before Thanksgiving, residents of Los Angeles lined up in cars outside the Algin Sutton Recreation Center from early morning. They departed with turkeys, fixings, desserts and smiles after the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation's grab-and-go event.
The Dodgers maintain high standards both on the field and in community efforts, which gain extra importance during the holidays. This South L.A. initiative on Nov. 20 partnered with Mookie Betts and Brianna Betts' 5050 Foundation, Brotherhood Crusade and We Benefit Children. It was the third such event in November, following distributions on Nov. 18 at the Dream Center in Echo Park—where World Series hero Will Klein handed out supplies in collaboration with Jacoby & Meyers—and on Nov. 6 at Loma Alta Park in Altadena with Brotherhood Crusade.
In total, the efforts provided around 3,000 meals to families. The year started with devastating wildfires across the L.A. region, underscoring the importance of supporting the community that backs the team.
"It feels amazing, just being able to give back," said Mookie Betts, the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award winner. "It's just a blessing, because not everybody can do it, but if you can, you should."
Will Klein added, "It means a lot, because they give their hearts and souls to watching the Dodgers. Just being in L.A. has been rough like the last year or so, and longer than that, obviously. So just to be able to come back and give back to the people that supported us all year, and to families and communities that need it and wouldn't be able to have Thanksgiving meals otherwise, is really great."
The Dodgers have a long-standing presence at the Algin Sutton Recreation Center, home to two Dodgers Dreamfields. Their multi-year partnership with Brotherhood Crusade focuses on improving quality of life for low-income and underserved individuals.
"We've been doing this year after year after year," said Brotherhood Crusade president and CEO Charisse Bremond Weaver. "Understanding that folks have been in line since 3 a.m., the line has been all the way to the Imperial [Highway], the walk-up line has been far more than 100 walk-ups—we just know that the need is so overwhelming. And so even though we are doing a small give, that small give means a lot."
Previously, the Dodgers hosted a Thanksgiving drive-through at Dodger Stadium, but this year they relocated events to the Dream Center and Loma Alta Park to reach more people, including those without cars. The Dream Center event accommodated a large walk-up line alongside drive-through service.
"Given everything that's going on, given the challenges that people are facing," Dodgers vice president of government affairs and community relations Kristin McCowan said, "to go to a place where people know they can already expect some amount of giving is really helpful."
Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation CEO Nichol Whiteman noted, "This has been a really tough year for a lot of families. A big roller-coaster here in Los Angeles. We started out the year with some really terrible natural disasters and more. … This opportunity to be able to provide turkeys and the fixings and education resources and health resources and even gift cards to families here in South Los Angeles, a community that we serve all year long, is just really important right now and super special."