Lori Loughlin makes first TV appearance since college scandal

Hauppauge-raised Lori Loughlin, who rose to fame as a star of “Full House” before later becoming implicated in the 2019 college-admissions bribery scandal, appears to be a making a comeback of forgiveness.

Loughlin, who turns 58 on Thursday, volunteered Saturday at a Los Angeles charitable telethon alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Sharon Stone and Oprah Winfrey. She told sponsor KTLA that the “Lead with Love 3” event, benefiting the anti-hunger Project Angel Food organization, has been “one of the most rewarding experiences” of her life.

The nonprofit group “welcomed me with such open arms at a time when I was feeling particularly down and broken,” Loughlin said. “That’s how I found a home here, and that’s what I feel like they did for me, and that’s why I’m so proud to be here and working with this organization, because they really do care.”

She went on to say, “It’s really a community. It’s more than just feeding people, it’s about loving people and helping people,” adding, “I think that is so important and I’m so proud to be a part of Project Angel Food.”

In particular, Loughlin appeared on a prerecorded segment following a day in the life of a volunteer for Project Angel Food, which delivers food to people suffering from serious illness. The Bay Area newspaper the Mercury News reported that the segment shows Loughlin  packing cereal and fruit for delivery and then driving to people’s homes, and getting to know them as she drops off groceries either inside or on their porches.

“It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” Loughlin said. “I have the same delivery route every week. I see the same people. They are often unable to leave their homes. They are somewhat isolated. There’s just that human connection and spending time with them, asking ‘How are you doing? How are you feeling?' ”

Other telethon volunteers included Richard Gere, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cheryl Ladd, Jaclyn Smith and Henry Winkler. Together, they and others raised $1.1 million for the nonprofit organization.

On June 18, Loughlin attended her first red-carpet event since before the 2019 federal investigation, which resulted in convictions for her and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, as well as prison time and fines. The occasion was another charitable event, Los Angeles’ DesignCare gala, supporting the HollyRod Foundation founded in 1993 by actor Holly Robinson Peete and her husband, former NFL player Rodney Peete, to advocate for individuals living with autism or Parkinson’s disease.