Pettit Kohn Attorney Blake Woodhall Makes a Difference with the 11 Meals Mission
Pettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz & Dolin attorney Blake Woodhall would routinely keep himself busy on most weekends, but COVID-19 and California’s shelter-in-place order affected everything. From this change in daily life grew a heartfelt cause. During a weekend drive in San Diego in late March, Blake and his thirteen-year-old son, Cooper, became very aware and sensitive to the large homeless population and their food insecurities. Hunger is just one of many harsh realities of those living on the streets and knowing that COVID-19 curtailed many feeding operations to this vulnerable population, the two decided to take action and make a difference.
The following week, Blake and his son packaged 11 meals, and drove to downtown San Diego. Making sure they were properly protected with face coverings, gloves and sanitary supplies, they began their mission to deliver meals and help feed a community experiencing homelessness. The initial trip struck a chord in their hearts, and it was then that the “11 Meals Mission” was born.
Support from family, friends, colleagues, and community members fueled the initiative, and what started as a weekend family project turned into a 6-week mission. As they distributed food on weekends, they rarely saw the same person twice, noting that nearly every meal was delivered to a different person. They prepped the meals in a clean, sanitized environment and each meal bag consisted of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips, fresh fruit, granola bar, fruit snacks, Rice Krispies treat, bottled water, and Gatorade. Thanks to monetary donations and a collective effort to shop for supplies and prepare, package and deliver the food, Blake and Cooper distributed a total of 1,511 meals, averaging approximately 250 meals a week. They maximized donations to an average cost of just over $2.50 per meal. The final meals were delivered on Saturday, May 30th. They only wish they could have done more.
“There are people all around us, the most vulnerable and marginalized, who simply need to eat and there’s a level of desperation that we’re seeing on the streets right now,” said Blake of the 11 Meals Mission. “There are increasing daily struggles to access food. It’s not complicated. They are hungry and we can provide a meal.”
For now, the weekly food delivery has paused, but Blake and his son plan to revive the mission during the holidays. Pettit Kohn applauds Mr. Woodhall’s efforts to make a difference and provide hope and nourishment to those in need in the San Diego community.
