Group Defies Order to Stop Feeding Poor : Homeless: Celebrities help anti-hunger activists continue food program at a West Hollywood park.

With a cabal of celebrities dishing up soup from the back of a truck to more than a hundred homeless people, a West Hollywood food giveaway group defied a city order to vacate Plummer Park on Wednesday night.

The Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition vowed Monday it would not shut down the program, which received $29,000 in city funding this year, even though the city recently told it the program would end as of Wednesday.

Locked out of the city-owned kitchen they had used for the last year, coalition volunteers prepared the Wednesday meal in a church kitchen several blocks away, then served it in the park’s parking lot.

“The funny thing is, this is where we started,” said volunteer Ted Landreth, referring to the program’s start in a West Hollywood church three years ago. “Then the city had us come here (the park) because of complaints. We were told we were protected here, that this was a public place.”

A few city representatives stood on the outskirts of the news camera lights, watching the first giveaway in violation of the city order, but no action was taken.

The City Council is scheduled to formally vote on the fate of the program at its meeting Monday and is expected to dismantle the giveaway and rescind financial support.

City support for the program has faded in recent months in the wake of reports of violence, intimidation and unsanitary conditions at the park giveaway.

“I have told staff to let them serve until Monday. They will have access to their (equipment) inside until then,” said Lloyd Long, director of human services for the city. “We will recommend the council fund them for 30 more days for incurred expenses, then use the remaining money to buy food vouchers for people in the city’s warming center (at West Hollywood Park).”

People in the long line waiting to be served by such celebrities as actors Martin Sheen, Lou Diamond Phillips and Katey Sagal seemed less intrigued by the star status of their hosts than did the circling cameramen. Most quietly shuffled through the long line talking with each other, and a few acknowledged the actors with comments like, “Hey, I love your work.”

Many of those in line praised the stars behind the ladles.

“Hey, they don’t have to be out here; they’ve got food on their tables. I really appreciate their being here,” said one diner, Dale Harper.

Despite the promise from city staff members that they would have access to equipment inside park buildings, the facilities Wednesday were Spartan. City-owned tables the group previously had used were locked inside, and food had to be unloaded from two trucks.

Despite those difficulties, both celebrity and coalition volunteers vowed to continue serving at the site.