Tag Archives: celebrities who give back

Sharon Stone on star-studded Project Angel Food telethon

Sharon Stone will appear on the Project Angel Food telethon and help raise money for the nonprofit.

By Heather Newgen

Known for her award winning iconic roles, Sharon Stone has created an everlasting impression on Hollywood with her talent, notable career choices and stunning beauty. But, outside of Hollywood, Stone has taken on another role–philanthropy. For years, she’s been actively involved in organizations like Project Angel Food, a nonprofit that makes and delivers healthy food to LA residents battling critical illnesses. However, due to Covid-19, there’s an increase in demand for daily meals. so Project Angel Food is answering the call to help raise much needed funds with their LEAD WITH LOVE Telethon. Stone is part of the star-studded event taking place June 27th on KTLA from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Project Angel Food started during the AIDS pandemic in 1989 and continues to operate to serve the Los Angeles community during COVID-19. Project Angel Food is proud to announce the LEAD WITH LOVE: Project Angel Food Emergency Telethon, hosted by Emmy Award-winner Eric McCormack, Tony Award nominee Sheryl Lee Ralph and KTLA 5 anchor Jessica Holmes. KTLA 5 in Los Angeles will broadcast the telethon and will also stream the event live on KTLA 5, and Project Angel Food websites and their respective Facebook pages. Their goal is to raise the $500,000 urgently needed to support Project Angel Food’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund.

Will & Grace stars Debra Messing and Sean Hayes will appear live with former cast-mate LEAD WITH LOVE host, Eric McCormack. And, NCIS fans will flip when they see some of their favorites coming together for the first time in years. Project Angel Food Trustee Pauley Perrette has gathered a reunion of NCIS alums Sasha Alexander, who left the show eight years ago, Michael Weatherly, who departed four years ago and current stars Rocky Carroll and Brian Dietzen.

The telethon will feature appearances and performances, live and pre-taped, by such supporters as Jamie Lee Curtis, Sir Elton John, Sharon Stone, Kelly Clarkson, CeeLo Green, Marie Osmond, Pauley Perrette, Billy Idol, Marianne Williamson, Kristin Chenoweth, John Goodman, Valerie Bertinelli, Marlee Matlin, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Olivia Newton-John, Kelly Osbourne, Charo, Danny Trejo, Matt Bomer, Cheryl Tiegs, Deborah Cox, Tyler Henry, Carson Kressley, Eileen Davidson, Chrissy Metz, Sandra Lee, Lisa Rinna, Harry Hamlin and many more.  The telethon will also include a live Phone Bank where callers can call in and talk to a celebrity guest. People can also donate online at www.AngelFood.org.  This telethon will provide the necessary funding needed to meet the increased needs.

“This event will blend the best nostalgic elements from the Jerry Lewis Telethon with the modern virtual fundraisers of today,” says Project Angel Food Executive Director Richard Ayoub.  “We’re also thrilled to have longtime Project Angel Food supporters Eric and Sheryl Lee hosting along with KTLA’s Jessica Homes.”

Project Angel Food has kept its doors open throughout the pandemic, delivering medically tailored meals to people with life-threatening illnesses who are at high risk for COVID-19. They have served Los Angeles’s diverse communities for 30 years and today, 73% of their clients are people of color who, in addition to facing serious illness, are facing economic hardship as well. In the past two months alone, they have gone from serving 1,600 people a day, to serving 2,000 people a day.

For more information on the event, go to www.angelfood.org.

“This is Us” star Chrissy Metz talks giving back and what’s happening with Toby and Kate

Chrissy Metz talks about the personal reason behind supporting St. Jude and dishes on what’s happening with her character Kate Pearson on “This is Us.”

By Heather Newgen

Fan-favorite Chrissy Metz has been making headlines since her breakout role on NBC’s hit show “This is Us” for her incredible talents, natural ability to be totally relatable to viewers and her braveness to incorporate real-life experiences to portray her character Kate Pearson’s struggles.

While the show has launched her into superstardom and she enjoys the perks of her new status, the Emmy-nominated actress has remained gracious, humble and uses her platform to help others.

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“I think you can only keep what you give away. I think if everybody felt that way we would all be taken care of.  I’ve been gifted and blessed with so much that I’m like, ‘how can I help? How can I give back? So anyway I can I try.” Metz said at the NBC Television Critics Association panel.

And one of the ways she gives back is supporting St. Jude Children’s Hospital where no child is denied treatment regardless of the family’s ability to pay.

“I came from a family where there were times we didn’t have health insurance. Medical expenses are something you can be in debt with forever. It’s just heart-wrenching,” she told The Voluntourist.

“St. Jude is something that’s always been important to me. I used to represent [when I was an agent] a little boy who was born with a heart condition. People don’t realize how expensive medical bills add up to. I just felt so bad for the family. There was just so much red tape and hoops to jump through,” Metz added.

Chrissy Metz THIS IS US — “The Pool: Part Two” Episode 402 — Pictured: (l-r) Chrissy Metz as Kate, Baby Jack, Chris Sullivan as Toby — (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)

While chatting with The Voluntourist, Metz also gave her perspective on what’s happening with Toby and Kate.

“It has nothing to do with the weight. Weight has never been the issue. It’s about keeping secrets and being dishonest,” Metz explained. “Real intimacy is honesty and when that is fractured in a relationship, where do you go? How do you ever regain someone’s trust? Now that they have a child together, there’s things that have to be fixed and tried to sort out, but it’s not going to be easy.”

She added, “I think there’s so much guilt and I think there’s shame when he’s pursing a weight loss. Whether it comes from a place of insecurity… a lot of people experience relationships where the child takes the first place and is the front runner. We talked about last season how Toby really was like, ‘I don’t know how to handle this. We have a kid who has special needs.’ First of all having a child is complicated, having a child with special needs really plays into how do I do this? Am I enough of a father. Am I enough of a human? What can I control in my life? And I think for Toby what he could control was his weight.”

In addition, Metz chatted about her upcoming album.

“Music was always my first love, much like Kate [Pearson]. It wasn’t ever supported or encouraged. It was something that I’ve always wanted to pursue, so to do it in such a grand scale with Diane Warren, who I’ve been listening to since I could even hear, it’s like a dream come true. All of this is beyond exciting.”

The two originally teamed up on the film Breakthrough and are now recording Metz’s first album.

“The single will be coming out in February, but we are working on an album. The single is called ‘Talking to God.’ I did not write the single, but many of the writers I’ve been co-writing with. So other tracks will be co-written,” she said.

“This is Us,” returns Tuesday, January 14th on NBC.