Feed Jackson Initiative Gives Away 1,000 Thanksgiving Meals

Marshawn Goodloe of Baby Bear Burger discusses the assembly of more than 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners to volunteers at Veritas Wednesday morning.

Photo, story by
Jeff Steers
JTV News

(November 27, 2024 2:16 PM ET) A group of food truck owners.

Entrepreneurs who met while going through the Lean Rocket Lab startup incubator.

Old friends.

And volunteers gathered Wednesday to help 1,000 local residents have a better Thanksgiving.

Baby Bear Burger owner Marshawn Goodloe and a host of local businesses hatched the idea to provide more than 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners Wednesday outside of Grand River Brewery.

It was part of the Feed Jackson Initiative.

“It was an idea born out of the joy of giving back to our city,” Goodloe said. “I grew up in Jackson and believe Jackson gets a bad rap at times.

“Hopefully events like this will turn around the narrative for Jackson.”

Local restaurants included Baby Bear Burger, Five Forks, West Texas BBQ, PB&J BBQ, Phat Belly Foods, Grand River Brewery and Veritas.

The organizations also received donations from American One Credit Union, Harvest Solar, Interfaith Shelter, Art Moehn, and Richmond Brothers.

Representatives from local schools Jackson and Northwest and others helped assemble the meals in boxes and hand out the dinners.

Cars were able to drive up the Grand River parking lot or residents could walk up from the street.

Donations were also given to the Aware Shelter and Jackson Interfaith Shelter.

An assembly line of volunteers was formed in the kitchen at Veritas Wednesday producing the Thanksgiving meals.