Jennifer Garner is lending a helping hand in a heartfelt gesture. On Friday, the 52-year-old actress joined forces with World Central Kitchen and renowned Chef José to serve meals to firefighters and evacuees impacted by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires at the Jack in the Box location in Altadena. She was snapped engaging in lively conversations with fellow volunteers and warmly paused to snap selfies with those who had come to the food truck seeking sustenance.
Dressed down in jeans, a zip-up hoodie, and a baseball cap for the occasion, the star of "13 Going on 30" carried a box of nourishment from the truck to those eagerly awaiting their meal. A mother of three, Garner resides in Brentwood, adjacent to the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, which has suffered extensive damage from the Palisades fire.
Although her own home has been spared from the flames thus far, she acknowledges that with unpredictable wind conditions and the fire still largely uncontrolled, she remains cautious. Earlier on Friday, during an interview on MSNBC, Garner revealed that she had suffered a personal loss in the blaze. The former "Alias" star, choking back tears, informed anchor Katy Tur of a friend she knew through her church who had tragically passed away.
"I did lose a friend, and for our church community, it's incredibly painful, so I don't feel comfortable discussing it yet," Garner shared with the journalist. "She didn't make it out in time." The death toll from the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fires, which have been raging for several days, officially climbed to 11 on Saturday, with over 35,000 acres burned and the toll continuing to rise.
"My heart aches for my friends," Garner continued. "I can think of 100 families, and 5,000 homes have been lost. I could easily list 100 friends who have lost everything." She added, "I feel almost guilty walking through my untouched home, wondering what I can do to help, what I have to offer with the safety and resources I possess."
While volunteering alongside Andrés, 55, Garner spoke with Tur, 41, about the chef's incredible efforts to serve those affected by the fires. "World Central Kitchen and Chef José just stepped in and said, 'We've got you. We'll take care of this. Don't worry.'"
"I've lived in and around the Palisades for 25 years, and I know we all want to find a way to help in some capacity," she continued. "Thanks to my work with Save The Children, we have a connection with the chef, and I was able to ask, 'Can I join you for the day? What can I do to assist? Put me to work.'"
The devastating blaze has forced countless celebrities to flee their homes or watch them burn to the ground. Anthony Hopkins, Billy Crystal, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Paris Hilton, Anna Faris, Steve Guttenberg, Mel Gibson, Tina Knowles, Miles Teller, Cobie Smulders, Melissa Rivers, Jeff Bridges, Candy Spelling, Eugene Levy, Adam Brody, and Leighton Meester are among the A-listers whose homes have been impacted by the fires.
For Spencer Pratt, losing his home was a "nightmare come true." "When your house burns down and you're left with nothing, and your parents' house burns down too, leaving them with nothing," he shared in a TikTok video while carrying a bag of bagels. "I'm obviously in shock. My mind isn't functioning. This is probably the most unhinged post you've ever seen."
