Actress Jennifer Garner, aged 53, chose to celebrate Thanksgiving this year with a powerful act of service, continuing her personal tradition of giving back to the community. The Hollywood star dedicated her holiday morning to volunteering at The Midnight Mission's annual charity lunch, an event held on Skid Row in Los Angeles.
A Message of Gratitude and Community
In a video shared on The Midnight Mission's official Instagram page, Jennifer Garner introduced herself with warmth and reflected on the essence of the day. "My name is Jen and today I’m grateful for this beautiful day, for life, for the Los Angeles community who is here taking care of their own, for my family, all the things," she expressed. She used the platform to remind everyone that in cities everywhere, people are working to support those struggling with homelessness and food insecurity, and she encouraged viewers to find ways to contribute to such local efforts.
Heaps of Mashed Potatoes and Dignity
At the heart of the event, Garner took on a hands-on role, cheerfully serving "heaps and heaps of mashed potatoes" to attendees. She spoke highly of the organization, praising its incredible work in feeding the community not just with food, but "with love, with dignity, with respect." The Midnight Mission publicly acknowledged her contribution on social media, writing, "From Hollywood to Skid Row, it’s all about heart. Thank you, Jennifer Garner, for jumping on mashed potato duty and helping us serve Thanksgiving with dignity, hope, and a whole lot of love."
A Family Tradition of Giving Back
This act of service is not a one-off for the actress. Garner has a long-standing commitment to volunteering on Thanksgiving. In a notable instance earlier in 2024, she was joined by her ex-husband, Ben Affleck, and their three children—Violet (19), Seraphina (16), and Samuel (13)—for the very same event. A source close to the family told People magazine that they "truly enjoy giving back to their community and cherishing quality time together." Affleck himself has supported The Midnight Mission for several years and has spoken about the deep sense of purpose he derives from dedicating his time to others.
Beyond her community work, Garner also took to her personal Instagram to share a Thanksgiving message. She posted a series of photos and clips titled "Crazy things I have done for my job," which included learning skills like wood-turning and taking equestrian lessons. She expressed gratitude for a career that allows her to learn diverse things and thanked her teachers and online followers.
With her unwavering compassion and community spirit, Jennifer Garner once again demonstrated that the holidays are a time for spreading kindness and making a tangible difference in the lives of those in need.
