DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 17: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans brings the ball down the court against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on November 17, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis and his family were in the giving spirit on Sunday, Nov. 19 as they provided — and served — a Thanksgiving dinner to the New Orleans Mission.
According to NBA.com, “Pelicans forward Anthony Davis and family hosted his fifth annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the New Orleans Mission, which provides food, shelter and clothing to the city’s homeless.”
You can catch a video from the Thanksgiving festivities here, as well as a photo gallery here.
Via an article posted in 2016 by theadvocate.com:
The New Orleans Mission sits on a quiet corner in Central City, in the shadow of the spire of the St. John the Baptist Church and the elevated Pontchartrain Expressway.
This an area of the city many residents and visitors most often view solely from above as they cut through via Interstate 10. Below, scores of homeless find shelter under the concrete arches of the overpass, in a neighborhood with a 44 percent poverty rate and high reports of violent crime.
As stated above, this is the fifth annual Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Davis and his family.
Davis, a 4x NBA All-Star, is averaging 26 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game during the 2017-18 NBA season. His Pelicans are, at the time of writing, 11-9, and they hold the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference standings.
Truly blessed to be able to host my 5th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner last night with my family at the @NOLAMission 🦃🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/5lEcsfcRPp
— Anthony Davis (@AntDavis23) November 20, 2017
More from The New Orleans Advocate article mentioned above:
The New Orleans Mission is the largest provider of food and clothing in the Gulf South, according to Steven Scaffidi, director of development, marketing and media. And Davis’ presence is a valuable opportunity to raise awareness of the mission’s work. The mission provides nearly 20,000 meals a month to 5,000 recipients and residents, which comes out to about 650 meals a day, said director of operations and food services John Proctor. There are more than 230 residents. Davis and his team come in and provide the food, the decorations and the setup — “the full-court press,” Proctor said.
It’s always amazing to see the wonderful things professional athletes do in their spare time. In Davis’ case, he gives back in a big way when he isn’t out on the basketball court.
Speaking of which, while Davis threw his fifth annual Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 19, he was already back on the court the very next day, a day in which he scored 36 points (and racked up 15 rebounds), and led New Orleans to victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Clearly, Davis won the Thanksgiving season.
Per The New Orleans Advocate piece:
“It means so much to me and my family to do stuff like this, and it’s huge for us,” Davis said. “We like for it to get bigger and bigger every year. Everyone has their struggles, so you can only imagine what these people are going through. So to just take a minute out of your life, and to come here and enjoy this moment with these families and these people and just put a smile on their face, it means a lot to them, and it means a lot to me as well.”
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