In partnership with Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts’ 50/50 Foundation and Brotherhood Crusade, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation distributed 1,500 meals as part of the Thanksgiving Grab and Go drive-thru on Friday.
The drive-thru was at Algin Sutton Recreation Center in South Los Angeles. This park is the home to Dodgers Dreamfields #1 and #50. The line wrapped for at least a mile around 90th and Figueroa.
Betts and his wife Brianna distributed groceries to the community including 16lb turkeys, seasonal vegetables and dessert. In addition, each family received a care kit from UCLA Health and $50 Target gift cards.
President and CEO of Brotherhood Crusade Charisse Bremond Weaver said this event served a great purpose.
“Just a great way to start the holidays by giving back when you understand the importance of Thanksgiving as well as Christmas,” Weaver said. “It’s really a great service around giving to others making sure that people who are in need know that people care about them. It takes all of us to care about the community and at Brother Crusade, we’re just honored that we’ve been in the community for 35 years.”
The Brotherhood Crusade is a 50-year-old grassroots organization with a vision of improving quality of life and meeting the unmet needs of “low-income, underserved, under-represented and disenfranchised individuals.”
Over $416,000 in grants have been awarded to Brotherhood Crusade by the LADF since 2018. The 50 Feeds LA Campaign is now in its third year, a partnership with Betts’ 50/50 Foundation to combat food insecurity.
Executive Vice President of Brotherhood Crusade, Stacey Hill-Williams said Betts is a great person off the field.
“Mookie Betts, who is an amazing baseball player, but an amazing philanthropist who cares about people and food insecurities. So knowing our relationship with the Dodgers Foundation and what we do for our community during the holidays, he was like, wow, like I want to adopt them,” Hill-Williams said.
The 50/50 Foundation was created by the Betts in February 2023. The foundation raised funds with the Mookie Betts and Friends Bowling Tournament. Their mission statement states “Every kid can hit a home run in life. But first they need the chance to step up to the plate…We’re forging a future where every kid knocks it out of the park.”
From UCLA Health, through the 50/50 Foundation, created the Betts On Us fund, to help families of pediatric patients in need of financial assistance.
“We know the insecurities, but know that costs are through the sky and it’s hard for folks. So for us to be able to do that, even if it’s 1,500 [people], that’s 1,500 folks that are going to have food and don’t have to go to the store,” Hill-Williams said.”It just warms and thrills my heart.”