By Mike Kinney
On Saturday, Nov. 22, the Independent Community Church at 605 South 16th St. in Richmond will host the annual Thanksgiving Giveaway in honor of David Kilpatrick Underwood, the federal officer tragically murdered while guarding the Federal Courthouse in Oakland during protests in 2020.
Pastor Landry and community leader Antwon Cloird will lead the effort, distributing 250 Thanksgiving dinners to families on Richmond’s south side. Families will be required to attend a church service prior to receiving their meals from noon to 2 p.m.
“We’d like to thank the kindness and generosity of our partners here in Richmond: Channel Lumber, Alton Construction, C. Overaa Construction, the Community Excellence Coalition, and Eric Wright, retired San Francisco 49er,” Cloird said. “They make this possible every year.”
For the past five years, these community partners have consistently provided meals to residents of St. John’s Apartments, the Senior Citizen Center on Harbour Way, and Eastshore Apartments, in addition to supporting the Thanksgiving Giveaway at Independent Community Church, Cloird added.
Since 2020, Cloird has helped organise annual Thanksgiving giveaways in honor of David Patrick Underwood. Underwood, a contract officer for the Federal Protective Service, was fatally shot on May 29, 2020 while posted outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland during a drive-by attack. His colleague was wounded in the same incident.
Hundreds gathered for a memorial service in June 2020 to celebrate Underwood’s life and service. In October that year a public basketball court dedicated in his name was opened as a lasting tribute to his character and commitment to the community. The following month the Thanksgiving charity initiative kicked off in his memory, aiming to provide meals to families in need.
The story has been updated to reflect the correct date for this event.
