Alyssa Milano defends fundraising efforts for son’s baseball trip

Alyssa Milano has clapped back at those who slammed her after she sought donations for her son’s baseball team earlier this year.

Back in January, Milano, 51, was criticized after she shared a GoFundMe for her 12-year-old son Milo’s baseball team’s trip – but she defended her actions and insisted she was unable to afford every child’s expenses. 

Over the weekend, Alyssa had an update – she revealed her child’s team had come in third place out of 70 teams. 

She immediately referenced the controversy as she shared how the money was used to assist the team.

‘Remember all the sh*t I got for fundraising for my son’s baseball team?’ she captioned the post. ‘The team came in 3rd out of 70 teams. The families on our team are so appreciative to everyone who made a donation. 

‘The money we raised ensured every child on the team was able to participate and make the trip with their families. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.’

The post included snaps of her child playing baseball as well as the family supporting him.

It also featured a photo of Milano embracing her son on the baseball field.  

Milano was slammed on social media earlier this year after she shared a GoFundMe asking for donations for her son’s baseball team trip. 

The GoFundMe sought $10k and has exceeded it’s goal.  

The Charmed star – who is believed to be a multimillionaire – set up the online fundraiser herself under her married name Alyssa Bugliari, and then shared it to her 3.4M followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Milano is married to powerhouse Hollywood agent David Bugliari, 43, who used to be a co-head of the motion picture department at CAA.

Fans widely mocked the post, flooding her replies with memes, including one that said the actress ‘identifies as poor’ when it is time to pay the bills.

After receiving backlash, Milano defended herself on X, telling followers she has paid ‘for uniforms for the entire team and coaches’ herself as well as thrown birthday parties and sponsored ‘any kid who can’t afford monthly dues.’

She added: ‘The kids also do fundraising themselves—car washes, movie nights, and many other fun things! Thank you to all who have contributed to the gofundme! You’ve made things easier for these boys and their families.’

Milano and Bugliari married in 2009, and in addition to their 12-year-old son Milo, they have a nine-year-old daughter called Elizabella.  

She posted the GoFundMe to X back in January, writing: ‘My son’s baseball team is raising money for their Cooperstown trip. Any amount would be so greatly appreciated.’

Criticism poured in on social media, including from one X user who wrote: ‘I’m sure she’s getting residuals as we speak.’

‘Why isn’t Alyssa Milano paying for the trip for the whole team herself?’ wrote another. ‘Why is she asking for money from people who can barely buy groceries.’

Another social media user wondered: ‘Do rich people really just completely lose touch with reality. She has people living pay check to pay check pitching in for her son. WTF has happened to us.’

‘You’re a rich actress in Hollywood and you’re begging for money for your kid?’ snapped an X user. ‘Pay for it yourself you miserable t***.’

‘#AlyssaMilano would like to know if people could also donate to pay for her toilet paper and possibly her snacks,’ wrote another.

Still another X user wrote: ‘Alyssa Milano when it’s time to pay the bill,’ with a gif of Chris Rock joking onstage: ‘I identify as poor.’

In February, she continued to defend her actions after social media users flooded her Instagram with backlash and left ‘horrid’ comments on her son Milo’s Instagram account.

She shared two screenshots of him responding to trolls, reminding them that he is only a pre-teen child, and asked people to leave her children out of it.

She added that she ‘cannot afford to’ pay for the entire team and their family as much as she hopes to be able to do that ‘maybe someday.’

Despite being a multimillionaire, she said she is ‘no different’ than other parents.

‘Every parent raises money for their child’s sports teams and many of them do so through GoFund Me,’ she began in her lengthy caption.

‘As much as I’d love to pay for the entire team and their families for travel, transportation, hotel, food and beverage, uniforms, trading pins and all the things teams do for this kind of trip — I cannot afford to do so,’ she continued. ‘Maybe someday.’

She also said that no matter what she does, it would be a lose-lose situation anyway.

‘Also, if I did pay for everyone — my trolls would find something else to be hurtful about,’ she added.

‘Regardless of how you feel about me, going on to my hardworking 12 year old son’s Instagram page and leaving these kinds of messages is so horrid,’ she said.

‘Leave the kids alone,’ she continued as she defended her son. ‘Let them play baseball.’

Finally, she shared her fundraiser again and wrote: ‘If you’d like to donate to help the team’s families — we appreciate it — the link is in his bio’.