Three-and-a-half-hour live telethon featured all-star team of celebrities and performers
The call for help went out all through the land and Northeast Ohio responded by contributing more than $150,000 to two local non-profits.
After the pandemic and orders from Ohio’s Governor shut down schools, businesses and more, families in the Cleveland area are relying more on services provided by the United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
19 News, the Cleveland Cavaliers and iHeartRadio joined forces for “All For The Land: COVID-19 Relief Live” on April 4.
The three-and-a-half-hour live telethon aired simultaneously on WOIO CBS 19, CW 43 WUAB, and radio partners WTAM 1100 and 100.7 WMMS.
The telethon raised over $153,251.60 as of Monday morning. Online donations are still being accepted until 11:59 p.m. April 7. A link to contribute is on cleveland19.com.
“This may have been the absolute worst time ever to ask people for money,” said WOIO/WUAB Vice President and General Manager Erik Schrader. “Unemployment is soaring, and people are scared for their families. And yet the phones rang off the hook. We had nearly 2,000 different donors. To put this together in roughly nine days is a credit to having partners like the Cleveland Cavaliers, iHeartRadio, Live Nation, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I’m also really proud of the employees at our station, who tackled one of the most challenging live broadcasts anyone could imagine in this new reality of social distancing.”
The telethon featured live and taped interviews and performances via FaceTime and Zoom, to minimize live camera shots and personnel to safely distance.
Guests included Cleveland comedy legend Drew Carey, Cleveland Cavaliers stars Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr., and Matthew Dellavedova, Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, renowned Iron Chef Michael Symon, chart-topping country music star Chris Janson, Geraldo Rivera, Cleveland Indians Baseball Hall Of Famer Jim Thome, Browns legend Bernie Kosar, singer/songwriter Jim Brickman, musical acts from Cleveland International Records, CBS Network stars, Cleveland Cavaliers broadcast announcers, iHeartRadio and 19 News personalities.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine also sent a pre-taped message.
The show also paid tribute to our heroes — local doctors, nurses, first responders and other essential employees who are working on the front lines of the epidemic.
“In terrible times like this pandemic, this was an example of a city and region at its best,” Schrader said. “I received a text from one of our charities when I asked them about the results. They said it best. “It was the generosity of those who had little to give because they have little themselves. That’s Cleveland.”