Philadelphia hip hop star Meek Mill is getting in the holiday spirit and giving back to the city he calls home.
On Monday Meek announced his first annual “A Dreamchaser’s Thanksgiving.” The event, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday is a pre-Thanksgiving turkey giveaway that will feed nearly 600 families in the Philadelphia community.
“Philly raised me and made me into the man I am today, so to do the first annual ‘A Dreamchaser’s Thanksgiving,’ was an obvious thing to do,” said the 26-year-old rapper. “I’m blessed to be in a position where I can make sure that as many people as possible have a meal on Thanksgiving, so that they can be with their loved ones to enjoy the holiday.”
The event will benefit local organizations, including Youth Working Together, Town Watch and Unity in the Community. Along with Meek, Mayor Michael Nutter also plans to attend the event. (*Note* All guest attendance/participation at events is subject to change).
“I applaud Meek Mill for taking the initiative to give back to his home town,” Nutter said. “Gathering together with family and friends around a shared meal is one of the most important aspects of the holiday season. It is important to give thanks for all that we have, and I am proud that one of Philadelphia’s own is donating his time and resources to make sure families in our city can do just that.”
Meek, born Robert Williams in Philadelphia, released his debut album, “Dreams and Nightmares,” on October 30, 2012, debuting at #2 on Billboard’s “Top 200 albums” chart and selling over 340,000 copies to date. He released his mixtape "Dreamchasers 3" last September and continues to work on his second studio album, due for release next year.
“I’ve been all over the world but Philly is my home,” Meek said. “To be able to now give back is an amazing feeling.”
The events will take place at the following locations at the following times:
Tuesday, Nov. 26
Martin Luther King Jr. Adult Center
5:00-7:00PM
2101-35 Cecil B Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19121
Tuesday, Nov. 26
Hank Gathers Recreation Center
6:00-8:00PM
2501-19 W. Diamond Street
Philadelphia, PA 19121
Wednesday, Nov. 27
Vare Recreation Center
4:00-6:00PM
2600 Morris Street
Philadelphia, PA 19145
In addition to Meek, local boxer Bernard Hopkins also plans his own turkey giveaway on Tuesday. The event will take place at the Spring Garden Wash & Lube on 1111 Spring Garden Street from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Hopkins will give away 300 turkeys to the first 300 people.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for BET