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‘Oakland’s 23rd annual Thanksgiving dinner event was started by Korean Americans’

November 26, 2014
People eat a free Thanksgiving meal served at an annual event in Oakland's Marriott City Center Tuesday.

An annual free Thanksgiving meal was provided to 2,000 needy people inside Oakland’s Marriott City Center Tuesday.

By Shin Young-joo

OAKLAND, Calif. — With Thanksgiving just around the corner, one Oakland committee dedicated to organizing an annual free meal for the needy was busy Tuesday as it served 2,000 people inside the Marriott City Center.

Volunteers served turkey, bread and salad to the needy.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said the feast is in its 23rd year and was started by Korean American immigrants. It’s a day during which the diverse Oakland community comes together to become one, he said.

From left to right: Committee members Kim Soon-ran, Lee Jong-hyuk, Jin Duck & Kyung Sik Kim Foundation President Kim Han-il at the 2014 Thanksgiving event.

From left to right: Committee members Kim Soon-ran, Lee Jong-hyuk, Jin Duck & Kyung Sik Kim Foundation President Kim Han-il at the 2014 Thanksgiving event.

Lee Jong-hyuk, head of the committee, said the event takes one year of preparation and costs about $40,000. Donations were made by the Golden State Warriors, Kaiser Permanente and University of California President Janet Napolitano, he said.

One 63-year-old Berkeley man said he’d attended the event for six years with his sick wife. He said countless people would remember what they had been served at the feast.

In particular, the Jin Duck & Kyung Sik Kim Foundation donated 2,600 toothbrush sets.

“We decided to support the event to maintain my parents’ love for neighbors,” said Kim Han-il, the couple’s son and foundation president.

Korean American community volunteers from Intermodal Maritime, Korea Young Dream Orchestra, Ewha Alumnae, the Korean Marine and the Korean Traditional Dance of Choomnoori came out to help serve food.