((PKG)) THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY MEALS ((Banner: Delivering Kindess)) ((Reporter/Camera: Gabrielle Weiss)) ((Map: Washington, D.C.)) ((Popup Banner: After weeks of shopping and cooking, a family and a small army of volunteers prepare to deliver holiday meals.)) ((NATS)) Gravy…..quick, before my pot starts burning….. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Get this gravy going and then we’re going to pray and then we can start serving, I mean packaging the food. We all have a lot to be thankful for. We are alive and among the living and I thank God that we have the opportunity to help someone this day. You know, people that, some of the seniors, this may be the only meal they have this week, I understand. Let us all be in unity and let us all have fun as we put together these meals. In Jesus’s name, Amen. ((Volunteers)) Amen, Amen, Amen. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) So between my sister and I, we cooked 30 turkeys for the holiday. My mother started the organization and it’s just something that’s a part of me now, it’s part of my life. I can’t imagine doing anything else on the holiday but preparing meals for the less fortunate. So, I like doing it. ((NATS)) ((Volunteer)) Volunteering is free. It costs you nothing but time. ((Volunteer)) I was forced into volunteering when I was young. I didn’t come kicking and screaming this time. I didn’t come kicking and screaming. ((NATS)) ((Annie Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) I’m ready to go home. I’m past my shift. My shift was over at 6 o’clock. I’m still here. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) So these are the routes. I need to tally and see just how many meals total we have. Because we have 60 some drivers. So, I have to make a route for each driver. I haven’t had that many drivers in a long, very long time. ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) That’s the 8’oclock shift. Good morning. How are you? ((Volunteer)) Good morning. How’re you doing this morning? ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) I am good. Welcome, welcome, welcome. ((Volunteer)) No, it’s my first time. I’ve never been here, never done this. Very exciting. ((Volunteer)) Good morning. ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn’s sister)) Alright. Here’s your apron. ((Volunteer)) Alright. Thank you. I got it. ((Annie Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) You going to be a server? ((Volunteer)) And driver. ((Annie Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) We’ll get you back here and get you all gloved up, aproned up and get you going. ((Volunteer)) Alrighty. ((Annie Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) Put you to work. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Well, he doesn’t need a hairnet. ((Volunteer)) Ms. Carolyn, how are you this morning. I should have known that was you. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) He doesn’t need a hairnet. ((NATS)) ((Volunteer)) Not by any stretch of the imagination. ((NATS)) ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) Are you doing packing? Ok. ((Volunteers)) Whatever you need. ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) I’ll tell you what, you want to pack? ((Volunteers)) Yes. ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) Alright. ((Volunteer)) We’re just ready to do something. Just do it. Just do it. ((Annie Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) I’ve been here since 11 o’clock yesterday. Now I’m going home. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody. ((NATS)) ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) You better take it, scrape it, oh, scrape the ends of that ma’am. We’re not throwing that away. Oh no, you could put that in a plate and I’ll eat it. ((Daniel Woodridge-Williams, Carolyn Marshall’s nephew)) This is the most workout I get every year. Like, being in the house period. This is the most workout I get. And I don’t even like to cook. You don’t have to have immediate family. You have people that come together to do something to support somebody else. And that’s what I like so, that’s why I love it. I don’t complain about it. I do complain a lot. I complain. But it gets better. It gets better. ((NATS)) ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Hi. That’s my son. That’s my baby. ((Tavon Brown, Carolyn Marshall’s son)) How you doing? Hi mom. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) He’s my baby. This is Tavon. This is Stephanie. I didn’t get her name or your name, you two. ((Volunteer)) Kladies. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Kladies. Kladies sounds sassy. Oh Tavon, there’s Stan. Oh no, there’s Stanley right here. Hey Rob, I was pointing at you for Stan. I’m sorry. ((Volunteer)) Well, we look a lot alike. ((Volunteer)) That’s right. ((Tavon Brown, Carolyn Marshall’s son)) I can go deliver something right now. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) You want to deliver? Ok. Come on let me give you a route. I have route 2. It’s 23 meals. ((Tavon Brown, Carolyn Marshall’s son)) I was around my grandmother when she started this and that was like in the early 80s. And then when she passed away, my aunt and my mother took over. And we’re just still in to it. Sometimes I had no choice when I was younger. There’s no parking around there. All the parking spaces are taken. ((NATS)) ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) They’re writing him a ticket. I can’t understand that. That is really crazy. Daniel, come move your car. They’re going to give you a ticket. ((NATS)) ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Drivers are coming every fifteen minutes. So when I finish, I’m going to finish the headcount and then I’m coming in to help pack. ((NATS)) ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Good morning. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Good morning. Are we ready? ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Old faithful here, thirty years coming here. Thirty years. Well here’s your list. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Alright. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) I kept it warm for you. You have 56 meals. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) And they’re all counted out in the box? ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Yup. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) We’re good. I’ll take both of these. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) You have it? ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Yeah. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Bye Brian. Bye Doris. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) We’re going to the Regency House. It’s a residential counsel. And these people are usually elderly or either they have a disability or something like that so, I’ve been doing this over 30 years so, most of them know us. This is the building here called the Regency House. So, we’re going to get out and do what we do, babe. ((NATS)) ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Mother Dear’s Community Center. Happy holidays, Mr. Daly. Mother Dear’s. We have a meal for you, Mr. Daly. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Happy holidays. Mother Dear’s Community Center. ((Resident)) Oh, how y’all doing? ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Yeah, you remember us? ((Resident)) Bless y’all. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) We be here at the same time, see that? ((Resident)) Thank you, thank you. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Alright, happy holidays now. ((Resident)) Alright, y’all have a good one. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Alright brother. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Ok, thanks. ((NATS)) ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Happy holidays. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Happy holidays. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Mother Dear’s Community Center. We have a meal for you. ((Resident)) Oh, hi. Thank you. Mom? ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) You’re welcome. Happy holidays. ((Resident)) Thank you. Come inside. Come and say hi to her. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Ok, let me say hi. ((Resident)) Mom? You have a visitor. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) How are you? ((Resident)) They are here. They are taking your picture. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) We’re right here. ((Resident)) Thank you. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) You’re welcome. You’re welcome. ((Resident)) Thank you very much. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) You’re welcome. ((Resident)) Want to see them? ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Hey! ((Resident)) She’s all the way in Africa. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Oh wow. How are you? ((Resident)) I’m just fine. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Good. We deliver dinners every Christmas and the holidays, any holidays, Thanksgiving. ((Resident)) Thank you so much. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Alright, we’ll see you the next time. ((Resident)) Alright. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Take care. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Bye-bye. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Bye-bye. ((NATS)) ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) How are you? Happy holidays. ((Resident)) Happy holidays. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) How are you? ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Come on, I’ll hold it for you. You’re coming in? ((Resident)) I’m looking somebody. My television not working. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Oh no. He’s supposed to come and fix it? Ok, what’s your apartment number? ((Resident)) Right here. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) But what number is it? ((Resident)) 315. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Yes, Ms. Small? ((Resident)) Yes. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Hi, Ms. Small. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Hi, Ms. Small. We got a meal for you. Mother Dear’s Community Center. I’ll set it right there. ((Resident)) Could you look at my television for me? ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) You want me to look at it, come on. ((Resident)) Could you look on my television for me? ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) You want me to look, ok. Come on, I’ll look at it, come on. Alright. Let’s me see what I can do. ((Resident)) Push the door. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Come on. Let’s go see what we can do. Your box not on. What channel you want to look at? ((Resident)) 294. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) 294. ((Resident)) Yeah, that’s my Christian station. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) It should come on because…..Voilá! ((Resident)) It’s something me touch. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Yeah, yeah, yeah. I fixed it. See I told you I know about TV’s. ((Resident)) Yes. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) I know all about TV’s and everything else. There you go. ((Resident)) Thank you. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) You’re welcome. ((Resident)) God bless. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) God bless. ((Resident)) I want you to come have Thanksgiving with me. I don’t have much but….. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) I got a meal for you right here. ((Resident)) I’ve been so lonely. No friends, I got big family, but everybody living….. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) All different places. ((Resident)) …..with their families. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Yes. Don’t worry about it. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) We come here every year, twice a year. ((Resident)) And I had a beer, trying to go to sleep. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Well look, put some food on it too. ((Dawn Person, Volunteer)) Now you got food. Don’t cry. ((Resident)) You better come back and see me. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) I’m going to come back and see you. ((Resident)) Bye. ((Brian Person, Volunteer)) Bye. ((Resident)) Happy holidays! ((NATS)) ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) Keep going with the food because we have 423 more meals and we’re going to need drivers. Four hundred and twenty three. ((Volunteer)) 423 meals? ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) We need drivers. ((Volunteer)) With a car or just a driver? ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) And a car to drive. You’re going to drive for me, Joseph? ((Volunteer)) I’ll drive for you if you want, yeah. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) You can drive? ((Volunteer)) I’m a good driver. ((Daniel Woodridge-Williams, Carolyn Marshall’s nephew)) It’s a hustle but we’re getting through it, we’re getting through it. ((Carolyn Marshall, Mother Dear’s Community Center)) We’ve done over 800 meals so far today. We’ll do it all again next year. It might be more. It may be less. We’ll see. ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) You needed three more? Here, three more. ((Volunteer)) Three more. Three more. Thank you. ((Iris Woodridge, Carolyn Marshall’s sister)) There you are. Everybody has their list. ((NATS))