Los Angeles Mission prepares massive Thanksgiving dinner for homeless

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Thanksgiving came one day early at the Los Angeles Mission as volunteers made sure the homeless population got a warm meal.

"The secret is a lot of love. First of all you've got to have a lot of love," head chef David Thomas said.

Thomas said he made a "big turnaround" when he came to the L.A. Mission. He said he was encouraged to go to school and cook, which eventually led to his current position at the organization.

"We want to give people hope now. We want to give them a hot, fresh meal - a good Thanksgiving meal," he said.

He added that he hopes it inspires other people to check out what the organization has to offer.

The feast includes cornbread, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and of course turkey, among other popular Thanksgiving dishes.

Each year at least 3,000 pounds of turkey is prepared, according to the organization.