Tyler Perry clogs roads during Thanksgiving drive-up charity event

Thousands of vehicles clogged the roads going to Tyler Perry Studios on Sunday, as families got in line for Perry's Thanksgiving drive-up event.

The actor, writer and producer donated food and money to the people in his community in Atlanta, Georgia. Non-perishable food items as well as $25 gift cards were handed to the first 5,000 families who drove through.

In light of the pandemic, those who participated were asked to remain in their cars at all times. They were also asked to wear masks while in line and while talking to the volunteers who were dressed in protective equipment. There was also a limit of two families per vehicle.

The Thanksgiving drive-up event started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 12:00 p.m. It was done on a First Come, First Served basis.

"Although we wish that we could feed everyone in need we will close the line at the 5,000th family," reads the announcement posted on Tyler Perry Studios' official Twitter page.

According to local media reports, the event caused bumper-to-bumper traffic and food was gone within two hours. Families lined up as early as Saturday and at one point the line stretched for eight kilometers south of downtown Atlanta.

Perry is known for his charitable acts. Amid the pandemic, he decided to turn his studio into a quarantine bubble so his employees can continue working.

"I realized that I had several hundred employees. Some of them are former prisoners who were in prison for 10 and 20 years, and they're just great people who are so grateful to have this second-chance opportunity," he said in an interview with WSJ. Magazine adding, "I'm fortunate enough to go sit and wait this thing out for a vaccine for a year and a half. But what about them? What about their kids?'"

Aside from his Thanksgiving drive-up event, the "Madea" creator is also known for being generous to strangers. He went door to door with the Atlanta Police Department to gift 1,000 Kroger gift cards to families over the summer. In April, he left a $500 tip to each of the 42 out-of-work servers at Houston's restaurant, which he is fond of. He left a whopping $21,000 in tips.