ATLANTA — Atlanta hip-hop icon, mogul and philanthropist T.I., alongside his family, the Harris Community Works organization, Atlanta city council member Andrea L. Boone and other city leaders and volunteers distributed food to more than 1,000 families at the 19th annual Harris Community Works Turkey Drive on Tuesday.
The annual drive was held at Jackson Memorial Baptist Church in Atlanta’s Adamsville neighborhood.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, several city and community leaders, and dozens of sponsors and volunteers attended the drive to help provide families in need with hope and food during the holidays.
The turkey drive was sponsored by Norfolk Southern, Humana, Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, Maximum Impact, Kaiser Permanente, U.S. or Else, the Morgan and Harris families, Harris Community Works, mayor Dickens, Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Atlanta Hawks, Jackson Memorial Baptist Church, A National Limousine Service and more.
“I appreciate everyone’s hard work,” T.I. said to the crowd of supporters. “Thank you for all of the contributions of the sponsors, and everybody who took time out of their days to come to share their efforts. I appreciate my mother, my uncles, my aunts, my wife, my children, all of my family. We want to make sure that you all have enough food for you and your families for the holidays. We want to also make sure the people who don’t have enough can get what they need.”
Mayor Dickens said he is happy to see the support of the organizers, volunteers and everyone involved to make this Thanksgiving drive a success.
“We are out here doing the will of the people supporting folks and making sure everyone gets fed,” Mayor Dickens said. “T.I., you’ve been doing this over, and over, and over. Thank you for your contribution, your generosity and your leadership. The Harris family means so much to Atlanta. Councilwoman Boone, you continue to always show out for Atlanta, you do your thing for district 10 and Adamsville. Thank you to all of the sponsors and volunteers. We’re going to move Atlanta forward.”
Violeta Morgan, T.I.’s mother, spoke to the crowd and discussed the importance of continuing to grow the turkey drive, which began in 2006.
“My brothers started this selfless event and put it on with their own hard earned money,” she said. “They decided to give to the elderly and less fortunate families. Their acts of kindness resonated with the hearts of money. Individuals of all works of life came forward donating items to contribute to the cause.”
Councilwoman Boone, one of the organizers, has been a part of efforts to give back for more than a decade.
“Atlanta loves this family,” councilwoman Boone said. “Thank you TIP, thank you to this entire family for never forgetting northwest and southwest Atlanta. To all of the volunteers that have been here for two days setting up because that; is what it is all about. Thank you. Thank you to everybody for helping. Thank you everybody.”
Baptist Church Memorial Pastor Dr. Gregory A. Sutton also spoke to the crowd of supporters and sent a message of thanks ahead of the holiday.
“We thank all of those who have represented here today. All of the sponsors and all of the volunteers,” Pastor Sutton said.
Notable attendees included Atlanta hip-hop legend and community activist Young Dro, Atlanta actor DC Young Fly, entrepreneur and Trap City Cafe co-owner Mike Upscale, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, and several community organizations.
Dozens of volunteers gathered the turkeys and other foods, packed the foods in bags and distributed to a long line of cars. The purpose is to help those in need who may be struggling.
Chinyere Okoh, an Atlanta native, says she has volunteered for the turkey drive for 11 years. Okoh is happy to see more and more people supporting every year.
“I’ve been involved since 2013. I’m from Atlanta. I grew up here and went to college here. A lot of our education here is servant leadership based. Being immediately impactful in my community is something that I always wanted to do. This was something that I could do to make an impact and see the people that I’m servicing.”
Atlanta Community Food Bank, one of the many sponsors, says they distribute 78,674,739 pounds of food to people facing hunger every year. Atlanta Community Food Bank officials say in the community that they serve, one in every six children face hunger and one in every nine people face hunger.
Kenneth Hill, Chief Supply Chain Officer of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said “on behalf of our staff, our volunteers and all of our donors, we are here to support this community as we do each and every month.”
“Shout out to council woman Andrea Boone, our mayor, and all of these supporters. We’re partnered with so many people up here, it’s like a family reunion. We do it for the community and there is no better cause,” Hill said.
All of the organizers said they understand that food insecurity is an issue that impacts millions across the world.
Okoh said giving back to the community is special to her.
“Volunteering is actually a way of life at this point for me,” Okoh said. “People depend on it. I depend on coming here to see all of the smiling faces, seeing all of the people in need. I enjoy being a part of the process of helping procure some items that you see here.”
T.I. has always been outspoken about giving back to his community.
T.I. recently collaborated with fellow Atlanta rapper and community leader Killer Mike to reopen Bankhead Seafood located off Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway in Bankhead. In 2023, T.I. opened the Intrada Westside, his first affordable housing development minutes from Bankhead Seafood, also on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. He also owns the world-renown Trap Music Museum in Bankhead.
T.I. has released 11 hit albums on Billboard including multiple platinum albums. His last album titled “The Libra: The Legend Is Back Running Atlanta” was released in 2020. T.I. announced in 2023 that he wants his final two albums to be called “Kill the King” and “Kiss the King.”