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American Morning
Hosea Williams Campaign Kicks Off in Atlanta
Aired November 22, 2001 - 08:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this is, of course, a day of good food and plenty of it. But many Americans are also taking time to help those in need. Here in Atlanta, virtual, a virtual army of volunteers is preparing food right now for the annual Hosea Williams Feed The Homeless campaign.
Our Natalie Pawelski is down the street at Turner Field, where the feast is going to begin in just a few hours -- Natalie, how is it shaping up down there?
NATALIE PAWELSKI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's looking pretty good, Leon, early hours yet. You know, a lot of people are waking up right now a little nervous because they have to get Thanksgiving dinner ready for friends and family. Try cooking for 20,000 to 25,000 people. That's what's going on here today at Turner Field.
We've got about 25,000 to 30,000 people, actually, who may start arriving. We're not going to start feeding them until about 11 o'clock. But for now, the preparations are under way. The cooking's been going on for days. The preparation has been going on for months. And this event has been going on for 30 years. It is the 30th annual Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry and Homeless Thanksgiving Day Dinner.
And joining us to talk about it today is Elizabeth Omilami. She is the Reverend Williams' daughter.
Elizabeth, we were talking about how they're going to get a great meal today, but a little bit more than that, too.
ELIZABETH OMILAMI, HOSEA'S FEED THE HOMELESS: Oh, yes. We are setting up downstairs the clothing center, the barbers and beauticians. The hot showers are ready with towels and toiletries. Morehouse School of Medicine medical clinic with dental screenings and cholesterol checks and HIV testing. We have prayer and counseling rooms. We have free legal aid. We even have a masseuse on site along with a seven course meal.
We have three major stages of entertainment and our donors like Coca Cola and Debrays Foundation (ph) and DeKalb County Sheriffs and Kroger and Publix will be here. So there's a lot going on today. Kids are coming in from the shelters to have, experience the kids' corner, as well.
PAWELSKI: You know, we don't hear so much about the homeless these days. Who are our guests here today? Who's coming?
OMILAMI: The guests that are coming today are the hungry and the homeless. Not only are they sleeping hidden in the streets and the camps and behind in the bushes of America, but they are also the working poor, those that have jobs. Two out of every five homeless people are working but they can't feed their families due to layoffs, due to cutbacks in federal funding for taniff (ph) and food stamps and defax (ph), due to layoffs at companies.
These people are coming today to let the world know that we exist and we need help.
PAWELSKI: You know, it's such a big problem and this feels like a one day event. Can it really make a difference?
OMILAMI: We are a year round operation. We have a food bank here in Atlanta, Georgia at 1035 Donnelly Avenue (ph). We give away food baskets to approximately 100 people a week. We service about 25 shelters in the area. We also have food that's going to the Philippines and to Uganda. We're an international organization. But these four times a year when we serve these 20,000 people, we are an advocacy for homelessness and hunger in America. It's the largest gathering of the homeless and the hungry in the Southeast. And we're saying to America, don't forget about us.
We have a heart for those that lost their families, lord knows, in this major tragedy on September 11. But these people fight a war of their own in the streets of America every day. We must help them. It is not the government's job. It is each individual's job.
PAWELSKI: Elizabeth Omilami, thank you. We're getting ready for, to serve some of these guests at about 11 o'clock -- Leon, back to you.
HARRIS: Well, Natalie, did she tell you how many turkeys it takes to feed 25,000 people?
PAWELSKI: They've been giving it to me in terms of thousands of pounds of turkey. At least 6,000 pounds of turkeys have been denoted for this event.
HARRIS: OK, so one 6,000 pound turkey or 20 20,000 pound turkeys.
PAWELSKI: A meal is being served, yes.
HARRIS: Got you. OK. Good deal. Thanks, Natalie. We'll check back with you later on.
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