It's the one time of year where Hollywood doesn't mind a few extra pounds. A slew of celebrities and elected officials will serve thousands of pounds of turkey and trimmings to the homeless throughout Los Angeles County Thursday.
"The Biggest Loser" host and "Days of Our Lives" star Alison Sweeney and Jane Kaczmarek are among the expected volunteers for the 33rd annual "Thanksgiving-In-The-Park" in Pasadena's Central Park.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will be among the volunteers at the Fred Jordan Mission's annual Thanksgiving banquet. Organizers expect to serve nearly 3,000 pounds of turkey to more than 2,000 homeless.
Villaraigosa is also scheduled to volunteer at The Midnight Mission's annual Thanksgiving Celebration. Other volunteers include actors Dick Van Dyke and Anthony Hopkins, along with City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and AEG President Tim Leiweke, who will temporarily put aside their feud over whether AEG should compensate the city for cost of Michael Jackson's memorial.
In addition to a meal, the Vision Project and the Westside Thanksgiving Day Dinner Committee will provide the homeless with flu shots and medical care, eye drops, glasses, clothing, blankets and haircuts at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
For the 31st year, The Laugh Factory in West Hollywood will provide free Thanksgiving meals for the underprivileged, "struggling and/or lonely" comics, actors, writers, directors, others in the entertainment community and anyone who is alone for the holidays.
Temple Beth Hillel in Valley Village will serve Thanksgiving meals for the ninth year in a sit-down restaurant style, to about 800 people, including families and individuals supported by area homeless shelters and food banks.
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In this year's Thanksgiving proclamation, President Barack Obama said, "This is a time for us to renew our bonds with one another and we can fulfill that commitment by serving our communities and our nation throughout the year."
