Jermaine Dupri Serves Vegan Thanksgiving to Those in Need in Atlanta

Hip-hop producer, writer, collaborator and hitmaker Jermaine Dupri spent his Saturday over the weekend serving vegan Thanksgiving meals to families and individuals in need in his hometown of Atlanta. Dupri, who has worked with Mariah Carey, Usher, Boyz II Men and Destiny's Child, early on, is a vegan who promotes the lifestyle, encouraging fans to "Feel the beets. Lose the meat."

Dupri joined PETA, and the Southwest Ecumenical Emergency Assistance Center (SWEEAC), and Dynasty star Elaine Hendrix on Saturday as they served delicious vegan meals—including roasted vegan turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, and pumpkin pie to anyone who needed a hearty Thanksgiving-style meal. The event also made sure that anyone who wanted to could take home a Tofurky Roast.

Elaine Hendrix, left. Photo Credit: Matt Pendry. See more photos of the event here.

Explaining why he wanted to serve vegan food to those in need, Dupri said: "I've been vegan for over a decade, and for me, there's nothing better for feeling your best and knowing you're helping the planet and animals."

"The holidays are about the spirit of giving," he added. "And PETA and I want to give people in Atlanta a Thanksgiving meal that's healthy, humane, and delicious."

A PETA spokesperson added that vegan holiday meals—which are free of saturated animal fat and cholesterol is also beneficial to the planet since farming meat is a   major contributor to harmful greenhouse gas emissions that are affecting climate change. It takes 12 pounds of grain to produce a single pound of meat—and only a fraction of that amount to create enough plant-based food to feed humans. For tips on how to celebrate a vegan Thanksgiving go to the PETA website.