But it meant quickly bagging countless cans of yams, corn, gravy and cranberry sauce as the families paraded by a long table to pick up their feasts.
For Michelle Barillas and her father, Raymondo, who is confined to a wheelchair most of the time, the charity made a difference.
"My neighbor told us about it," she said. "I think it's really nice, caring about other people."
At 9 a.m. they were one of the first in the long line, she said.
She joked that she didn't vote for Frommer before but, "I will now."
The association started the tradition 10 years ago and asked Frommer to join forces for the first time this year, said Glendale Police Sgt. Mario Marchman.
"Lots of our officers worked with juveniles at that time who were low-income, needy or victims of crime," Marchman said. "So they said let's see if we can put together some turkey and stuff."
Frommer made four stops in his district Tuesday including Burbank, Los Feliz and North Hollywood.
"It's still a reminder that for some families of moderate means it can be a struggle to put on a nice meal for Thanksgiving," Frommer said.
After Glendale, Frommer went to the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, an emergency services agency for homeless and poor said administrator Stacy Schumacher, to drop off feasts.
"It's just great and so rewarding to be the conduit between other people's generosity and the people in need in the area," she said.
The center and Frommer handed out about 50 Thanksgiving meals.
