Waiting hours for free Thanksgiving turkeys

(CBS News) 

LOS ANGELES - Minnie Alford began standing in line at 8 a.m. in Los Angeles, one of many waiting for a free turkey.

"Last Thanksgiving, I did it all myself. Like I said, I could have bought me, you, your crew what you wanted, you know, but this year...wow... you see where I am," Alford said.

CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy reports that she was with thousands of other people waiting for a free turkey and Thanksgiving dinner courtesy of a local limousine company, The Jackson Limousine Service.

Alford is a child-care provider for the state of California. Budget cuts have cut her income by 60 percent.

"Is it humbling a little bit? Well, yeah, a little. It is. I appreciate them. I just wish I could have done it on my own," Alford said.

The limo company handed out 10,000 turkeys and boxes full of vegetables and water. Organizers tell CBS News the first person in line got there on Saturday. Some people stood for six hours with at least an hour left to go.

Alford finally reached the end of the line six hours after she first got in it.

With the help, she'll be able to feed her two children Thursday. But next year she says she'll be even more thankful if she can once again do it on her own.

[LoadedAndDangerous]

From looking at these lines for food, "Your" Socialist Obama's stimulus policies are working. You Liberals will vote him back in because you like living in poverty. GO OBAMA!!!!

[longtree-2009]

how do they know who is really needy as opposed to those trying to scam a free turkey? those in line as well as cover picture of the lady all look like they eat well. feeding the hungry of which there are probably millions isn't for just one day but for year round. it seems there are more stories like this one today under the obama administration then there were during the bush years. wonder which administration has the most homeless, the most hungry, the most jobless. the buck stops with obama since he has had over two years. he did just spend a billion in missions to overthrow qaddafi. michelle has vacationed abroad with family and friends. does anyone else wonder?

[cmixxx]

It's good to see black people doing something positive in the media. God bless the good Samaritans around the nation like Mayor Marion Barry in D.C. who helped the poor with free turkeys in his section of the city.

[Joonhee1]

6 hours for a turkey? Stuff people will do for free stuff.

[cattiej]

I wonder how many of these people lined up to get free turkey's will be lined up in the next morning for the stores that will open at 4 a.m. for Xmas special's....all stuff made in China.

[MacDerb]

A political tool.
Forego the turkeys.