Bringing Hope at Thanksgiving

The week before Thanksgiving, volunteers, police officers, Saddleback members, and Ralphs employees gather in a Saddleback Church parking lot to assemble over 850 Thanksgiving meals. The community gathers to provide a brighter Thanksgiving for kids throughout the county who earned a full turkey dinner for their families — made possible through the state initiative program, Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership (GRIP).

GRIP originated with the hope to reduce gang activity in Southern California. It aims to identify and help Grades 4 through 8 children who are at high risk for gang involvement. Children as young as eight years old who are demonstrating behavior that often leads to gang association are given an incentive to model better behavior. Skipping school, aggressive behavior, and family affiliation with gangs are all signs of possible recruitment. GRIP steps in and offers incentives, like a trip to Angel Stadium or a Thanksgiving meal, for these children to stay in school, improve behavior, and complete homework.

This past week, Saddleback and GRIP came together for their sixth annual delivery of Thanksgiving dinners. Students who earned the meals were able to provide for their entire family. They accepted their prize with honor and pride, knowing their hard work and determination had paid off.

“For a lot of these GRIP families, they’ve never had Thanksgiving,” said Pastor Brian Uyeda. “When you tell a student they can earn a meal for their family, and they have the chance to become the provider, that’s what changes lives.”

At the delivery ceremony, students were individually called up and recognized for their efforts. A police officer handed the meals to the beaming faces of the children, and they were celebrated with applause by the families and volunteers. Having the officers there demonstrates that the whole community is behind them, supporting them, and rooting for them. Through GRIP, healthy new relationships between young kids, police, and the community are fostered, and students are given new hope for their future.