Norcross, GA (November XX 2025) – On Thursday, November 20, at 11:00 a.m., First
Senior Center of Georgia (FSCofGA) will host its annual Thanksgiving celebration, bringing
their typical flair and charm to this uniquely American holiday. Attendees can enjoy dances,
traditional thanksgiving foods, and remarks from Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners
Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson and Gwinnett County District 1 Commissioner
Kirkland Carden.
Von Tran, founder and CEO of FSCofGA, said in preparation for the event, “To many of our
seniors, Thanksgiving is a chance to celebrate and reflect on the new life they have been given
here in America. It is the spirit of the season to be thankful, and we at the First Senior Center of
Georgia have much to be thankful for.”
The event will explore themes of gratitude as Vietnamese American seniors remember their first
Thanksgiving. For many of the seniors at FSCofGA, early days in America proved difficult.
They faced language barriers and were left without housing and food. FSCofGA has become a
lifeline for these seniors, giving them the services and resources they need to thrive.
FSCofGA caregiver, AnhTrinh Nguyen remembers her first Thanksgiving holiday. After
immigrating to the United States in 1994, Nguyen and her family were driven to Goodwill and
instructed to take whatever they needed.
At age 73, Tom Nguyễn, a regular volunteer at FSCofGA’s food pantry, can still recall his first
Thanksgiving dinner. In 1975, Nguyễn had recently arrived in America after fighting in the
Vietnam war. He was staying with a host family who sponsored his squadron’s trip to the United
States. Nguyễn’s first Thanksgiving dinner was with this family, and the holiday now reminds
him of their kindness.
As with all events hosted at FSCofGA, and in keeping with the spirit of the holiday, the 26,000-
square-foot facility will be transformed with festive fall decor. Interested media should RSVP by
contacting Amanda Brown Olmstead at Amanda@newaboa.com or (404) 659-0919.
About First Senior Center of Georgia: First Senior Center of Georgia is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to providing free services to the Vietnamese elderly community in
Atlanta and the surrounding areas. It has evolved into a lifeline for low-income seniors, offering
crucial services such as language support, food pantry assistance, benefits enrollment aid, senior
wellness programs, affordable housing support, end-of-life care, transportation, and crisis
management. First Senior Center of Georgia operates the second largest food bank in the state of
Georgia, distributing over 200,000 pounds of food to over 3,200 households each month. Learn
more at https://fscofga.com/.
