Janelle Monáe, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Others Help Feed L.A. Families in Need

Musician and producer Janelle Monáe, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and other celebrities came together on July 7th for WondaLunch, an event that helped feed Los Angeles families impacted by COVID-19.

Monáe and Congresswoman Waters helped distribute over 2000 free boxes of fresh fruit, vegetables, and poultry to support families in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Monáe started the first WondaLunch (named after her label Wondaland) in her hometown Atlanta, Georgia. She has also held WondaLunches in Inglewood, California, where she fed hundreds of families throughout several events.

Monáe teamed up with local non-profit organizations to organize the Watts WondaLunch. The Social Justice Learning Institute and Project Isaiah provided volunteers to help distribute meal kits. The meals were prepared by the airline catering company Gate Gourmet, which Monáe hired after hearing that 500 workers in the company lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Other celebrities and leaders joined Monáe to help distribute food during the Watts WondaLunch, including actor Yara Shahidi, CNN commentator Angela Rye, and Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán. In a statement during the Inglewood WondaLunch, Monáe said, “We hope to go around to other cities and just help out families and help out people in need during this time.”

A long-time vocal advocate for equality, Janelle Monae is not afraid to roll up her sleeves to directly assist communities in need. Although there are no new WondaLunches planned just yet, be on the lookout for Monáe’s next community event.