People in need lined up outside a Southwest D.C. community center Monday afternoon to receive free frozen turkeys and even the pots and pans to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner.
Washington Commanders offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr., joined by Commanders defensive lineman Daron Payne, provided the cookware alongside the nonprofit Islamic Relief USA, which provided 240 halal turkeys.
“We did that because we know a lot of people get turkeys on Thanksgiving, but a lot of people don’t have the ability to cook the turkey or something to cook the other things in,” Leno said.
“This is the perfect time to give back to the community. It is like the season of giving and I just love giving back and love seeing people happy, seeing people just have things that they need,” added Payne.
Kids played basketball inside the King-Greenleaf Recreation Center and shared the gym for the giveaway, making space for boxes full of frozen turkeys and long banquet tables holding cookware sets. The giveaway also included gym bags for kids.
“We were able to purchase 26,000 halal turkeys in Canada and had them shipped to the United States. So, this is actually part of a United States distribution of 26,000 turkeys in the next two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Kesha Abdul-Mateen, the D.C.-area coordinator of Islamic Relief USA.
The event was coordinated by the nonprofit group GOODProjects, which also conducts a daily after school program for up to 100 kids from 5-years-old to high school aged at the recreation center.
“The need is great, not only in D.C. but in the metropolitan area. Many people are suffering, loss of jobs, loss of family members. And so this is a time of year where you try to pull together to help those in need who may need a little support,” said Stephanie Page, director of GOODProjects’ youth programs.
