“At a time when most people were worried about their own health and security, Maggie dreamed up and implemented a plan to get nourishing food to people who needed it most.”

This week, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, and Billie Eilish helped distribute Monty’s Good Burger plant-based meals to homeless youth in Los Angeles.

The food drive, which took place at  My Friend’s Place – a non-profit that offers comprehensive services to youth experiencing homelessness – was to mark the one-year anniversary of Maggie Baird’s Support + Feed initiative.

Eilish’s parents – Patrick O’Connell and Maggie Baird – also joined in distributing meals at the nonprofit in Hollywood.

Baird established Support + Feed last year to help those ‘greatly impacted’ by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as support local vegan restaurants in the Los Angeles area.  

Within a year the initiative, which also scooped the PETA’s “2020 Company of the Year” award, has expanded its reach to New York, Washington D.C, and Philadelphia.

‘A positive impact’

Baird took to Instagram to state: “What we imagined as a few months worth of effort became a year of full-time volunteering for so many and now, as we have seen the impact that receiving this nourishing, delicious food has had for people and also knowing that every plant-based meal we serve has a positive impact on climate change, we are more committed than ever!”

She thanked Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix as well as expressed her gratitude to Monty’s Good Burger for “being a wonderful partner” in distributing the plant-based burgers.

Mara and Phoenix in a statement to Variety said: “At a time when most people were worried about their own health and security, Maggie dreamed up and implemented a plan to get nourishing food to people who needed it most.”

Vegan ambassadors

Phoenix, who has been a vegan since age three regularly uses his platform to speak against animal cruelty.

At this year’s Golden Globes ceremony, the acclaimed actor wore a hoodie emblazoned with Animal Equality’s logo – effectively promoting the vegan charity.

Last year at the Academy Awards, he used his Oscar acceptance speech to call out animal agriculture and slam the dairy industry.

Meanwhile, Eilish, a vegan since 2014, has also been a vocal advocate of the vegan movement by raising awareness of the ethical, health, and environmental advantages of veganism.

• Read: David Attenborough answers nature-themed questions from Billie Eilish, David Beckham and

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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