Gilles Marini Gives Back To LA Food Bank

courtesy www.celebritybabyscoop.com

Brothers & Sisters star Gilles Marini was on hand at Cost Plus Market in Los Angeles, Calif. to celebrate Bastille Day on July 13. Gilles had a ‘meet and greet’ with the first 200 customers who brought non-perishable food items to benefit the LA Food Bank.

The Sex and the City star opened up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about the charitable event and how he teaches his two children - son Georges, 14, and daughter Juliana, 6 – about poverty issues.

CBS: Tell us about teaming up with Cost Plus World Market to celebrate Bastille Day. What is the event all about?

GM: “I feel honored to partner with cost plus for this event. The event is about providing food to people who don’t have any, so they don’t go to bed hungry at night. It is awesome to go home at the end of the day and know that you did something helpful and that someone will have a meal. The LA Food Bank is doing a great job and I am honored to be part of this.”

CBS: How do you teach your kids about poverty issues and giving back to the community?

GM: “I’ve been taking my kids pretty much around the globe for years. Sure they see a lot of beautiful and fancy places, but in many places the life of the locals is not that good. I always take the kids with me to see other areas when we travel — it’s important to me that I teach the kids that they are 99.9% richer than the entire rest of the world. I think it’s important for them to see these things — it has more of an impact than if you just tell them about it. ”

CBS: What have you and the kids been up to this summer? What do you love doing with your family in the summertime?

GM: “I want to take a cruise with my family to the Caribbean. My kids are obsessed with going to Disney World, so we’re doing that too. Universal Studios is essentially in our backyard, it’s really close by, so my kids and I always see movies there and walk around.”

CBS: What is your policy with technology and your kids?

GM: “These days it seems like technology is being used as ‘the new babysitter.’ There’s a time and place for technology. For example, when you’re on a 12-hour flight, it’s helpful to keep the kids entertained, but once you hit land, time to put technology down and get them outside, encourage them to explore, and a great time for parents to pretend to be kids again and spend quality time together.”