Environmental advocate Maggie Baird, mom to Grammy Award-winning singers Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, hosted a star-studded pickleball occasion over the weekend to fight meals insecurity.
Assist+Feed, the nonprofit based by Baird, hosted its inaugural Pickleball Invitational and Recreation Evening Fundraiser on Saturday at PIKL L.A.
The sport evening introduced collectively celebrities, group companions and supporters to boost consciousness for a trigger that Baird has been vocal about for several years. A number of notable visitors attended the occasion, together with her kids, Eilish and O’Connell; Angelina Jolie and her son, Pax Jolie-Pitt; Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard; and former Spice Ladies singer Melanie C.
“Our work in L.A. has taken on even greater urgency since the fires last year,” Baird completely informed The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s extremely moving to see our community come together to support our neighbors.”
Attendees have been handled to plant-based meals from Assist+Feed accomplice Cena Vegan and Sturdy Roots, who additionally partially sponsored the occasion. Each firms have beforehand labored with the nonprofit in distributing meals. Dwell Nation served because the presenting sponsor together with expertise company WME.
Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the Assist+Feed occasion.
Christopher Polk/@polkimaging
Baird gave remarks on the mission of the occasion and her group earlier than kicking off the pickleball event. Newbies and seasoned gamers alike competed with hopes of reaching the championship spherical. For many who opted out of enjoying pickleball, there have been different video games, together with UNO or ping-pong, accessible and a lounge for visitors to seize a drink.
Proceeds from the evening went to supporting Assist+Feed’s mission, which affords group meal programming, emergency aid efforts, meals entry initiatives, instructional programming and extra. The nonprofit, which Baird based in 2020, was closely concerned in supporting the L.A. communities that have been rebuilding within the wake of the lethal 2025 wildfires.
Assist+Feed tackles the local weather disaster via the lens of meals. “Getting people to understand that what we eat matters, and every time you can make a more sustainable choice, make more plant-based food, that makes a major impact,” Baird previously told The Hollywood Reporter.
Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell at Saturday’s Assist+Feed fundraiser.
Christopher Polk/@polkimaging
“The music industry has so much power to do that. Every arena, every stadium, every venue is serving so many people that if you make your menu 80 percent plant-based, you’re going to make such a big impact,” she continued.
Baird has been a robust advocate of sustainability in leisure via her work on Eilish’s excursions, which included a push for plant-based meals choices on the venues, discovering extra sustainable journey choices when doable and internet hosting meals drives at choose stops. The environmentalist not too long ago partnered with public media group WETA for a new sustainable lifestyle series, Local weather Kitchen, which is ready to air in 2027.
