{"id":379718,"date":"2026-06-29T20:32:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/379718\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T20:32:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:32:10","slug":"lead-with-love-special-raises-589k-for-project-angel-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/379718\/","title":{"rendered":"Lead with Love Special Raises $589K for Project Angel Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

The television special aired live on KTLA 5 on June 27, featuring celebrity appearances and musical performances, raising over half a million dollars<\/p>\n

Lead with Love: Going the Distance supported nonprofit organization Project Angel Food<\/a>\u2019s work delivering medically tailored meals to Angelenos with life-threatening illnesses in a television special broadcast live on KTLA 5 on June 27.<\/p>\n

The special began in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now in its seventh year. Lead with Love has raised nearly $6 million for Project Angel Food, and has seen appearances from celebrity supporters, including Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand, Ringo Starr and Elton John. The special was hosted by Eric McCormack, Steven Weber, and KTLA\u2019s\u00a0Jessica Holmes\u00a0and\u00a0Loni Love.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s broadcast focused on the theme, \u201cGoing the Distance,\u201d showcasing the work it takes to reach vulnerable community members throughout Los Angeles County. Each month, Project Angel Food\u2019s van fleet travels almost 25,000 miles, and since its founding in 1989, the organization has delivered more than 20 million meals. The non-profit provides more than 1.5 million meals annually, in addition to nutritional counseling.<\/p>\n

The special told the story of Ricky Moore, a Project Angel Food driver who gave viewers a glimpse into the lives of the delivery drivers who bring meals with a smile to clients, many of whom rely on Project Angel Food as their primary source of nutrition. Client Eleanor Jones shared her experience with Project Angel Food, calling its volunteers \u201cangels.\u201d<\/p>\n

California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered a special message, recalling volunteering at Project Angel Food with his family, and sharing his thoughts on the organization\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Angel Food offers meals that go beyond basic needs,\u201d Newsom said. \u201cThey offer dignity and connection and a reminder that no one is forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"(L-R) Steven Weber and Eric McCormack speak onstage during Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead With Love 7 \u2013 A Fundraising Special On KTLA at KTLA 5 on June 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Photo by Tommaso Boddi\/Getty Images for Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead with Love 7<\/p>\n

The evening featured many celebrity appearances, beginning on a light-hearted note with Weber and McCormack jumping out of a delivery van, followed by a performance of \u201cGo the Distance\u201d from Disney\u2019s Hercules by Clay Aiken.<\/p>\n

Scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n

Weber and McCormack were also joined by Noah Wyle and Bryan Cranston, who shared that the four actors are working on a book together to be published next year, benefiting several charities. Wyle also broke the news that he started work on The Pitt season three last week, and that \u201cRobby is back from his sabbatical and feeling a little bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"(L-R) Steven Weber, Noah Wyle, Eric McCormack, and Bryan Cranston speak onstage during Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead With Love 7 \u2013 A Fundraising Special On KTLA at KTLA 5 on June 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Photo by Tommaso Boddi\/Getty Images for Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead with Love 7<\/p>\n

Other celebrities shared their support for Project Angel Food including Regina King, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sherri Shepherd, Adam Brody, Judith Light, Janelle James, Cassandra Peterson, Jason Ritter, Valerie Bertinelli, Lori Loughlin and Caroline Rhea. Comedian Amy Poehler showed appreciation for Project Angel Food\u2019s thousands of volunteers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m jumping aboard the Project Angel Food love train to give a huge shout-out to the 6,000 volunteers who showed up this year, delivering meals, cooking in the kitchen and proving that this city shows up with heart,\u201d Poehler said.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"(L-R) Steven Weber, Eric McCormack, and Barbara Eden speak onstage during Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead With Love 7 \u2013 A Fundraising Special On KTLA at KTLA 5 on June 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Photo by Tommaso Boddi\/Getty Images for Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead with Love 7<\/p>\n

Barbara Eden, 94-year-old star of I Dream of Jeannie, appeared live on air in a puff of pink smoke, giving the audience at home her famous \u201cJeannie\u201d blink. McCormack and Weber then serenaded her with a rendition of the I Dream of Jeannie theme song.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Shanice Shantay performs onstage during Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead With Love 7 \u2013 A Fundraising Special On KTLA at KTLA 5 on June 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Photo by Tommaso Boddi\/Getty Images for Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead with Love 7<\/p>\n

The night featured many other musical performances, including Tiffany performing her song \u201cI Think We\u2019re Alone Now,\u201d Em Beihold\u2019s rendition of \u201cWon\u2019t Let Go,\u201d Shanice Shantay singing \u201cHome\u201d from The Wiz, and Sam Harris performing \u201cOver the Rainbow,\u201d before closing out the show leading the cast in Randy Newman\u2019s \u201cI Love L.A.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"(L-R) Wendy Raquel Robinson, Clay Aiken, Ali Riley, Bruce Vilanch, Steven Weber, Amy Yasbeck, Kym Whitley, and Jodie Sweetin are seen onstage during Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead With Love 7 \u2013 A Fundraising Special On KTLA at KTLA 5 on June 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Photo by Tommaso Boddi\/Getty Images for Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead with Love 7<\/p>\n

An all-star phone bank, including Amy Yasbeck, Bruce Vilanch, Kym Whitley, Jodie Sweetin, KTLA\u2019s Melvin Robert, Gregory Zarian, Lawrence Zarian, Lisa Foxx and soccer star Ali Riley, answered donor calls throughout the night. Riley gave away 10 pairs of tickets to Angel City Football Club vs. Orlando Pride on July 3.<\/p>\n

The Herb Ritts Foundation\u2019s matching gift challenge, introduced by Brooke Shields, doubled viewers\u2019 gifts. Shields said her friend, photographer Ritts, was a long-time supporter of Project Angel Food.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"(L-R) Eric McCormack, Brandon Williams, Jessica Holmes, and Richard Ayoub are seen onstage during Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead With Love 7 \u2013 A Fundraising Special On KTLA at KTLA 5 on June 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Photo by Tommaso Boddi\/Getty Images for Project Angel Food\u2019s Lead with Love 7<\/p>\n

Executive Vice President Brandon Williams of City National Bank, the presenter of the special, presented a check to Project Angel Food on air. Project Angel Food CEO Richard Ayoub also joined to celebrate new facilities at The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation Kitchen and Campus, and said construction is set to begin on a second building later this summer, to expand the non-profit\u2019s operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery dollar raised tonight keeps our vans on the road and our meals reaching neighbors in their greatest time of need,\u201d Ayoub said. \u201cThis is what Lead with Love has always stood for: dignity, nourishment and the very best of the human spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The TV special raised $589,000 for Project Angel Food and additional donations can be made here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The television special aired live on KTLA 5 on June 27, featuring celebrity appearances and musical performances, raising…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":379719,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[60494,153566,153567,891,153568,2929,4407,48,52,51,153569,47,50,49,104083,29592],"class_list":["post-379718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-amy-poehler","tag-bryan-cranston","tag-clay-aiken","tag-covid-19","tag-eric-mccormack","tag-governor-gavin-newsom","tag-ktla","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-lead-with-love-going-the-distance","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news","tag-noah-wyle","tag-project-angel-food"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379718\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}