LA's thankful this Thanksgiving - 29th November 2023

An estimated 55.4 million Americans journeyed home to observe the Thanksgiving holidays with friends and family. However, for those with no home and few if any resources, charities and organisations around the country laid on a festive lunch.

For some, like Micky Giblin, the LA Mission's holiday lunches have been a regular fixture for a number of years.

Micky Giblin: "This is my 21st holiday meal with them. So I've been here for 10 years, Thanksgiving and Christmas. So yeah, I'm starting year 11, my 21st visit."

With food prices having shot up 10.5 percent in the last year due to inflation and homelessness up by 80 percent since 2015, services like those provided by the mission are a vital necessity.

Karen Bass is the Mayor of Los Angeles which, given the alarming poverty and homelessness has witnessed an explosion of tent cities in the streets.

Karen Bass: "We've been housing people and getting them off the streets immediately. However, there are 46,000 people on the street so it takes a while but we were able to get 18,000 housed this year. More to come next year."

It's hoped that by helping people get off the streets and into housing they can once again find employment. Giving back to the LA Mission, which leant him a helping hand in his time of need, is Troy Vaughn, who now serves as its president.

Troy Vaughn: "I ate in the Los Angeles Mission a lot of times during the holidays. So ironic, I'm now full circle, actually serving the meals where I got served, providing beds where I once slept, and so it's pretty amazing actually."

Whilst controversy grows around the celebration of Thanksgiving and its origins, in LA this year 1,500 people were happy to be looked after for a day. Carlos Schmidt is one of those enjoying not just the traditional turkey dinner but the support provided by the Los Angeles Mission.

Carlos Schmidt: "Everybody's coming together and they're putting their resources together and they're showing love to people. Especially me, Thanksgiving usually I spend by myself but I'm here, good music playing. Everybody's smiling and enjoying themselves, having a good time."