Denise Richards, Ian Ziering, Jennie Garth Talk the Importance of Giving Back at L.A. Mission’s Skid Row Easter Event

Hollywood stars offered part of their Easter weekends to help the Los Angeles Mission distribute food on Skid Row.

For the L.A. Mission’s annual Easter event, the shelter provides hot meals and essential supplies to the people of Skid Row. Among the celebrities who were in attendance on Friday were Nick Cannon, Denise Richards, Jennie Garth, Corey Feldman, Scheana Shay, Ian Ziering, Josh Peck, Loni Love, Kate Linder, Emily Tosta, Julieth Restrepo, Nora Kirkpatrick, Mayra Veronica and Masiela Lusha.

Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Rep. Maxine Waters and Rep. Jimmy Gomez also made an appearance to help L.A. Mission, which is among the largest providers of services to homeless people in the country.

Cannon, 43, told PEOPLE he’s been working with the mission for “over a decade.”

“It’s one of those things where it allows you to actually put life into the proper perspective. I mean, we have such an abundance of love in my family, and then when you come down here, you see the need for so much of that same familial love,” he explained. “So, to be able to share that, to allow my family to experience that. The mission has brought us so much joy and so much love over the years, so it’s truly about paying it forward.”

Ahead of the lunch, Ziering, 59, shared similar sentiments, telling PEOPLE, “Really from my perspective, the reason that I’m involved in something like this is to show others that leading a life of service is so rewarding, not just for you but for the people that you’re helping rise.”

“I look at the celebrity that I’ve earned as capital and I think this is a good way to spend that capital if I could help raise awareness towards what’s possible for people to donate their time to help others that perhaps are less fortunate,” he continued. “First and foremost, I think that that’s a good thing to do. That serves my heart and also with my kids, it’s a teachable moment where I can give them perspective.”

In fact, Beverly Hills, 90210 actor brought his daughters Mia, 12, and Penna, 10, to the event.

“I’m bringing you here today so you understand perspective,” he said to Penna. “How life can be, maybe appreciate the life you have. And be happy with what you have and show some gratitude.”

Garth, 51, also brought her three daughters, Luca, 26, Lola, 21, and Fiona, 17 — whom she shares with her ex-husband Peter Facinelli — to the event, as she told PEOPLE it was an “honor” to give back to the L.A. community.

“The Mission is just sort of like a cornerstone of Los Angeles and being a part of helping them to provide service is an honor,” she said, later adding, “Just walking through the building — it’s so full of joy and hope and people are just so happy to be here and to be celebrating Easter… I mean, it’s so fun and festive in there and it just warms your heart to be able to be a part of it.”

The actress also noted that it’s important to her to show her kids why it’s important to “pay it forward” when it comes to community service.

“Every time I do a volunteer opportunity, I try to take as many of my kids with me as I can because they love to give back and we love to do it together,” Garth said. “And I think it’s just a good thing to keep, keep in their minds that the importance of giving back and providing service. You know, we’re so fortunate and it’s really important to me to pay it forward.”

Richards, 53, spoke with PEOPLE, saying it was “really wonderful to be able to give back” before emphasizing how serious the homeless crisis was in Los Angeles.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to be able to help out and give back,” she said.

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Pastor Troy Vaughn, president and CEO of L.A. Mission, delivered a sermon prior to the event. The meal distribution that followed lasted for three hours.