Celebrities, Volunteers To Make 250K Meatballs In LA This Weekend

NORTH HILLS, CA — Actress Alyssa Milano and other celebrities and elected officials are expected to join hundreds of volunteers Sunday to prepare up to 250,000 meatballs at a San Fernando Valley service event aimed at feeding people experiencing homelessness.

The event, dubbed "Meatball Madness," will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. near 8300 Hayvenhurst Place in North Hills as part of the Valley Day of Service organized by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino.

Organizers said more than 700 volunteers and dozens of community groups are expected to take part, with the meatballs to be served at shelters.

"Every single meatball will either be used for a meal served to all 3,000 current residents of Hope the Mission and Los Angeles Mission, or frozen and used later," organizers said in a statement.

Other celebrities scheduled to attend throughout the day include reality television personality Hazel-E of "Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood," actors Jenna Hall of "Roseanne," Bryan Dattilo and Patrika Darbo of "Days of Our Lives," Shaka Smith of "Pair of Kings" and Selah Victor of "Modern Family."

Hope United — a joint effort of the Los Angeles Mission and Hope the Mission — is helping organize the event, which will feature music, giveaways and multiple volunteer shifts.

Elected officials expected to attend include Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Assembly member Pilar Schiavo, D-Santa Clarita, and Los Angeles Unified School District board members Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez.

Hope the Mission, which operates dozens of facilities across the region, said it serves more than 2 million meals annually.

Officials said the event is intended to support ongoing efforts to address homelessness and food insecurity across Los Angeles County.

City News Service