Hundreds of Bruins are spreading Thanksgiving happiness by helping international students, veterans and others enjoy the holiday.
On Wednesday evening, UCLA’s Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars introduced more than 200 guests to what for many of them was their first American Thanksgiving. Held at UCLA's Bradley Center, the dinner featured the traditional fare of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce, along with a cornucopia of desserts contributed by the guests.
Also on Wednesday, the UCLA Volunteer Center and campus collaborators hosted the annual Fall Harvest Feast for nearly 100 needy students and their families. After supping on a Thanksgiving dinner together, the guests were given additional food and supplies to take home for the holiday weekend.
On Thanksgiving Day, scores of international students far away from home, along with former foster youth who don’t have families to go home to, will be guests in the homes of UCLA alumni families. The annual Thanksgiving with International Students and Guardian Scholars is hosted by the UCLA Alumni Association, the Dashew Center, the Bruin Guardian Scholars and UCLA Extension.
Thanksgiving Day will also see a small army of Bruins enlisted by the UCLA Volunteer Center to help serve a holiday dinner to more than 3,000 veterans during the annual Westside Thanksgiving Community Dinner and Celebration at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System campus. The Volunteer Center will provide bus transportation to bring veterans, homeless and low-income Angelenos from downtown L.A. and Venice to the 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. festivities in West Los Angeles.
