Recently, the first-ever Project Angel Food LEAD WITH LOVE Emergency Telethon aired live on KTLA5 and was a huge success!  Hosted by the magnificent KTLA anchor Jessica Holmes and Will & Grace star Eric McCormack, with Sheryl Lee Ralph from Philadelphia, Project Angel Food was able to raise $700,000, far surpassing their goal of $500,000.

With all fundraisers having to be cancelled for the year, this money was critical for the 30-year organization to continue serving healthy meals to 2,100+ people a day with critical illnesses who are even more vulnerable because of COVID-19.  The clients pay nothing for these medically tailored meals and Project Angel Food is on track to deliver 1.4 million meals in 2020.  That’s a lot of love!

People calling in were not only giving $5, $10, $100, they were telling stories to volunteers about the son they lost to AIDS, or their own cancer battle, or their friend who has survived because of Project Angel Food. Those phone lines became lifelines to human connection. 

With the help of auctioneer extraordinaire Gabriel Butu and MYFM’s Lisa Foxx, audiences were kept apprised of the progress of the thousands of donations throughout the evening.  Hollywood favorites such as: Jamie Lee Curtis, Chaz Dean, Duff Goldman, Tyler Henry, Carson Kressley, Eric and Janet McCormack were amongst the many who donated to the cause. A big thank you to City National Bank who started the thermometer growing with a pledge of $50,000, doubling their original pledge. 

The show was filled with amazing music from Kelly Clarkson, who sang a beautiful cover of U2’s Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For; actor and Project Angel Food Board member Juan Pablo di Pace sang Without You; Broadway great Deborah Cox, who sang Greatest Love of All;  Billy Idol who performed To Be A Lover along with guitarist Steve Stevens (and a little air guitar from Eric McCormack); Annie Lennox, who sang Walking on Broken Glass; CeeLo Green, who sang his new song Lead Me; Kristin Chenoweth, accompanied by her boyfriend on guitar, sang Angels Among Us; and what surely was a highlight closing out two-hour telethon was Josh Groban’s heartfelt rendition of Lullaby, which beautifully captured the spirit of the event.

Thanks to all who contributed live and pre-taped messages for the Telethon Jamie Lee Curtis, Sir Elton John and husband David Furnish, Sharon Stone, Marianne Williamson, Mayor Eric Garcetti, John & Annabeth Goodman, Jimmy Smits, Valerie Bertinelli, Matt Bomer, Marlee Matlin, Margaret Cho, Duff Goldman, Olivia Newton-John, Charo, Danny Trejo, Cheryl Tiegs & Josh Flagg, Tyler Henry, Carson Kressley, Eileen Davidson, Alexandra Shipp, Yvette Nicole Brown, Sandra Lee, Loni Love, Chaz Dean, Lisa Rinna, Harry Hamlin, and more joined the cause.

The livestream of the show can be found on KTLA’s Facebook page and Project Angel Food’s website…and it’s still possible to donate by texting LOVE20 to 50155.