Thousands of cars are lining up outside the filmmaker's Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta after he announced that he's donating Thanksgiving meals to 5,000 families.
- Nov 23, 2020
AceShowbiz - Tyler Perry has created miles-long lines in Atlanta with his early Thanksgiving giveaway. The filmmaker has donated meals to 5,000 families through an event called TPSGiving Food Giveaway, which started at 8 A.M. on Sunday, November 22.
Thousands of people jammed roads for miles in multiple directions on Sunday morning as they waited patiently to get their hands on non-perishable foods and $25 gift cards. Some of them had already lined up one day before, with the first reportedly arriving at 3 P.M. on Saturday.
Jeanette Walton, who arrived 15 hours in advance for the giveaway, told FOX 5 that the need is greater than ever before, though she acknowledged she had never waited overnight for a food drive. "I've been blessed in where my job has allowed me to work from home, but still I've had other family members that have lost jobs and had to move in," she shared to the local news outlet. "That's really why I'm here because when you have to take on the burden of others, you find yourself in need yourself."
The enthusiasm caused a long line that at one point stretched for 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of downtown Atlanta. By 10 A.M. Sunday, the studio said it was already out of food.
The giveaway was held with strict COVID-19 safety protocols. Volunteers, who were on hand to distribute boxes of canned vegetables and gift cards, wore protective equipment, while people were asked to wear their masks when communicating with volunteers. TPS additionally limited each car to two families.
Tyler announced the giveaway via his studio's official social media accounts on Thursday. "We are excited to announce the TPSGiving Food Giveaway event on Sunday, November 22nd from 8:00am to 12:00pm," the event description read. "During this drive-up event we will be distributing non-perishable food items and gift cards to people who are in need during this holiday season. See you there!"
