Manhattan Beach Goodness: Thankful Mom Shares Thanksgiving Bounty

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — With 2020 a year no one could have foreseen, what does remain true is the generosity of Manhattan Beach residents. It's the one constant you can see in evidence in the daily actions of community members: the bright eyes that hint at the smile under the face mask; the kind wishes posted on social media for others to see; the unexpected pleasantries like opening and holding a door open for someone or wishing them a "Happy Thanksgiving".

And it's in that vein of kindness that Manhattan Beach mom Devin Alexander decided to share her Thanksgiving blessings and bounty with another. Alexander, a celebrity chef, TV personality, cookbook author, weight loss coach, keynote speaker and entrepreneur, recently added the title of "Mom" to her lengthy list of talents, skills and accomplishments.

"I am blessed to be celebrating my 3rd anniversary this week with my baby girl who I adopted from foster care on Thanksgiving eve when she was 3 days old," said Alexander, who has lived in Manhattan Beach for 11 years. "It will just be us this year as I don’t have any local family. She has a cooking stand in my kitchen that allows her to reach the counter and cook with me."

But for Alexander, spreading love and kindness and gratitude is something she is also very talented at and COVID-19 for her, too, has brought its challenges. "Through the pandemic, what has kept me going, even in the rough times, was the thought of kids aging out of foster care and how easy my life must be—even as a solo mom trying to run a business and recoup losses and pivot my entire business while watching my daughter 24/7 on my own for the first few months—compared to theirs.

"A few weeks ago, I was having a bit of a tough week so I reached out to FirstStar.org, an organization that has honored me for my work in the foster care space, and asked if they had plans for their student’s [who are foster kids] Christmas this year. When I learned the kids were getting stockings with fuzzy socks and things—these kids live in foster care so aren’t likely to get 'another' Christmas—I decided that I could do better for them. I wound up raising about $30,000 in cash donations and goods—allowing even more than the most local of the students to get Christmas.

"I was so overwhelmed by the willingness of our community to jump in to assist me that it actually made me happier than I’d been in the pandemic and made me even more excited to live in Manhattan Beach," she told Manhattan Beach Patch.

Alexander next debated "if I should make Thanksgiving 'just'" for her and her newly-turned three-year-old daughter. But her mind kept turning as she thought about how "we would 'normally' be with family or another amazing local chef has hosted me in the past when I’m not with family."

So her pondering lead to another great idea. "I was worried it would be depressing, not to mention wasteful, to make a whole meal for just us. So I decided to post to see if anyone needed part of our meal—yes, I could have made a small turkey breast, but that doesn’t say, 'Thanksgiving' to me – chef quirk?" she asked, laughing.

And voila, Alexander found another gem of an idea. "I figured others taking serious COVID precautions might not even have 'free' options this year," she said. "I was saddened to see how many people really need it so decided to make more than one turkey, and have since had an outpouring of amazing neighbors offering to help in more ways than I can even accept! I honestly wish I had a giant commercial kitchen to make a pile of turkeys and get them to people!"

She's pleased to report she has found people for her largesse and "and a ton of other very generous wonderful neighbors," who have jumped right in to provide food and support.

Some of the folks who will enjoy Chef Devin's bounty include "a solo mother and son celebrating their first holiday without their husband/dad and the mom isn’t a cook"; a couple older couples who are low income who need a meal; an elderly lady who’s daughter reached out because the woman is alone [feels unsafe flying during COVID-19], and others.

"I’m doing as much as I can and other neighbors are offering purchased meals delivered to those I can’t help," she noted. Neighbors have also stepped up to deliver meals that will include the chef's homemade cranberry sauce, among other perks.

Alexander herself, being a solo mom is not making deliveries, instead opting to stay "home to eliminate COVID risk. I don’t have local family so as a solo mom, I have to stay COVID free to take care of my 'little miracle', so I am not wanting too much contact, but am going to be taking some people up on the help."

And what will she and her precious little one do Thanksgiving Day, perhaps when the cooking, deliveries and feasting is done? "If it’s nice, we’ll go to the beach and 'run around' a bit and just cook and Facetime with family and friends who are like family."

Thanks to Devin Alexander and her amazing crew of nieghbors, friends, and supportive networks like FirstStar.org, Thanksgiving and the holidays are going to be a bit brighter in Manhattan Beach and elsewhere.