Hollywood's most generous are banding together for a feel-good night of television, raising vital funds to deliver 1.5 million medically tailored meals annually to 7,100 Angelenos facing serious illness. The Lead With Love telethon spotlights compassion over celebrity drama.
But look closer at that phone bank roster — Jodie Sweetin and Lori Loughlin both answering calls? That's not a coincidence when you've got Full House alums reuniting for a charity event. Also notable: fuel costs are up 55% in just 30 days, putting serious pressure on the nonprofit's delivery operations.
The June 27 KTLA broadcast runs 7-9 PM PT and raised nearly $722,000 last year (per Variety). Brad Bessey confirmed monthly fuel costs now approach $15,000 — up 55% in a single month. The telethon is in its seventh year with three LA Area Emmy nominations.
Project Angel Food has been doing this work since 1989 when the AIDS crisis hit Los Angeles hardest — they've earned their star-studded support. But let's see if this year's lineup can beat last year's $722K haul.
Noah Wyle, Amy Poehler and Regina King are headlining Project Angel Food's Lead With Love: Going the Distance telethon, airing live on KTLA 5 on June 27 from 7-9 PM PT. The annual fundraiser — now in its seventh year with three Los Angeles Area Emmy nominations under its belt — has rounded up an absolutely stacked roster of celebrity volunteers to keep those refrigerated vans rolling across Los Angeles County.
The lineup reads like a who's-who of television royalty: Adam Brody, Brooke Shields, Janelle James, Jason Ritter, Valerie Bertinelli, Jamie Lee Curtis, Judith Light, Kym Whitley, Lori Loughlin, Morgan Fairchild, Caroline Rhea, Edward James Olmos, and visual artist Robert Vargas. But the real throwback energy comes from 94-year-old Barbara Eden, the "I Dream of Jeannie" icon making a special appearance — because nothing says charitable giving like channeling pure sixties television magic.
The telethon will be hosted by Eric McCormack, Steven Weber, Jessica Holmes of KTLA, and Loni Love. Live performances include Clay Aiken, Tiffany, Em Beihold, Sam Harris, and "The Wiz Live!" star Shanice Shantay. Meanwhile, Amy Yasbeck, Bruce Vilanch, Will Sasso, Jodie Sweetin, KTLA's Melvin Robert, and brothers Gregory and Lawrence Zarian will be working the All-Star Phone Bank taking donations from viewers.
Here's where things get interesting behind the curtain: executive producer Brad Bessey revealed that Project Angel Food operates 16 refrigerated vans traveling 17,700 miles across 81 routes throughout Los Angeles County — and monthly fuel costs are now approaching $15,000, up 55% in just 30 days. That's a massive operational squeeze for an organization that started in 1989 as a meal delivery service for people with HIV and AIDS and now provides more than 1.5 million medically tailored meals annually to 7,100 Angelenos.
"Project Angel Food was founded on the belief that no one facing serious illness should also face hunger and isolation," CEO Richard Ayoub said. "Every donation made during Lead With Love: Going the Distance helps us extend dignity, nourishment and compassion to our neighbors when they need it most." Last year's telethon raised nearly $722,000 — a number they'll be gunning to beat with this stacked lineup. The broadcast streams across KTLA's digital platforms including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and on KTLA+ via Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Samsung Smart TVs.
