LA's thankful this Thanksgiving - 29th November 2023

Nearly 55.4 million Americans headed home to be with family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. However, due to homelessness and poverty, not everyone felt so fortunate. However, charities and organisations like the Los Angeles Mission served up holiday meals for those in need.

Micky Giblin's been attending the LA Mission's Thanksgiving for 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."

In 12 months, US food prices have risen by 10.5 percent while homelessness has soared by 80 percent since 2015. As a result, tent cities have expanded in LA and there's increasing need for charities like the city's Mission.

The high rates of homelessness have seen the city take action, explains Mayor Karen Bass.

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 this approach will allow people to find employment. Troy Vaughn's now the president of the LA Mission, which had helped him in times of need.

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."

There are now questions over whether to celebrate Thanksgiving or not due to its origins. However, 1,500 people in need were very thankful to be fed and entertained at the LA Mission this year. Carlos Schmidt was delighted to share the holiday with others for once.

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."