Look To The Stars News: Family/Parent Support

Celebrities' Socks Appeal For Charity

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0000

MandMDirect.com is excited to introduce its limited edition ‘Socks Appeal’ charity sock range in association with Help for Heroes, The Andrew Flintoff Foundation, The Bumblebee Conservation Trust and The White Ribbon Alliance. The campaign is completely not for profit and all proceeds go directly to each charity partner, the perfect gift for Christmas.

Appearing in an exciting pictorial campaign, eight celebrity ambassadors have been styled in their chosen charity socks for Christmas. Help for Heroes is supported by Gemma Atkinson and Calum Best, The Andrew Flintoff Foundation by Freddie Flintoff and Jeff Brazier, The Bumblebee Conservation Trust by Violet Budd and Tamsin Egerton, and The White Ribbon Alliance is supported by Laura Bailey and Lauren Lavern.

Artist and illustrator, Duncan Cargill has created unique and exclusive designs specific to the theme of each charity, each with exciting illustrations and colour ways stylishly representing who they are and what they stand for. The socks are perfect Christmas gifts or stocking fillers and can be used to brighten up any outfit this Christmas. Each pack costs £9.99 available from MandMDirect.com from mid November.

Eva Longoria Honored For Philanthropy

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria has been honored as Philanthropist of the Year by The Hollywood Reporter.

The actress “was chosen for her relentless dedication to giving back to her community and serving others as well as for her long-standing commitment to Latino causes.”

“I’ve never met a more conscientious and socially aware young, energetic talent,” said THR publisher Eric Mika. “Eva’s efforts on behalf of the causes near and dear to her are Herculean. She pours her free time and energy into raising millions of dollars for charitable missions that make a difference in the Latino community and other humanitarian organizations.”

Longoria founded Eva’s Heroes to help developmentally disadvantaged children and has been the National Spokesperson for Padres Contra el Cancer since 2005.

Having grown up with an intellectually disabled sister, Longoria considers her sister her hero. “She has given me so much inspiration and hope to face everyday with the strength and courage she has had her whole life. She has never seen herself with a disability and only sees the good in everyone and everything.”

Boy George And Marcus Bonfanti To Headline Charity Event In London

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Boy George is to be a special guest at an event being held to benefit Children with AIDS.

With an extraordinary 2009 coming to an end that has seen the recession making headlines everyday, it has turned the normally difficult task of fundraising for charities into an even greater challenge. However Children With AIDS Charity (CWAC) decided that this just meant they needed to get creative and find new ways of fundraising with the help of Wired Events.

AIDS is one of the most supported causes around the world but the knowledge that it exists within the UK amongst families and children seems relatively unknown. CWAC aims to eradicate the prejudice facing these children and families living with HIV & AIDS and helps them on a daily basis with the financial concerns, stigmatism and emotional suffering which many of them have to endure behind closed doors. It was therefore decided that an event which could offer a voice to those children and raise the profile of CWAC’s work to a new younger generation which would be important for the future of the charity and its essential work. So Singing for Silence was created.

The event is on Tuesday 1st December, to coincide with World AIDS Day, and will take place at the 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street, London. The night will play host to a range of well-known and up-and-coming artists who all have a strong acoustic vibe to their music. CWAC are excited to announce that Sarah Champion from Absolute Radio will be hosting the night which will include: Jamie Hartman, from Ben’s Brother, who will be playing a solo acoustic set; and the legendary Boy George, who is will be performing a few songs accompanied by John Themis on acoustic guitar. With the night rounded up by an exciting talent with a folk/rock/blues feel – Marcus Bonfanti & band.

Tickets go on sale Monday 9th November via We Got Tickets or from 100 Club website. Doors open at 7.30pm on Tuesday 1st December and acts are on stage from 8.00pm.

Visit the CWAC website for more info on this great charity. Look to the Stars’ UK Correspondent and Children With AIDS Charity Trustee Richard Barker hopes to see our readers at the gig.

Naomi Campbell's Bag Raises Charity Cash

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Last month, Look To The Stars brought you news that supermodel Naomi Campbell had donated a Hermes “it” bag to help raise funds to fight deaths in pregnancy, which hit more than half a million women each year.

We can now reveal that the bag raised US$31,500 at the auction, with proceeds to go to the White Ribbon Alliance, an organization established in 1999 as an international coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote increased public awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns in developing and developed countries.

The Hermes Birkin bag was named after British singer and actress Jane Birkin, who sold her own bag in 2007 for US$108,000 dollars to benefit a human rights group.

Kim Kardashian Gets A Black Eye For Charity

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Kim Kardashian is sporting a black eye after Tuesday night’s charity boxing event, but says it won’t hold her down.

“The event itself was absolutely insane!! None of us are professional fighters… we literally had three days of training to prepare for the event and thought it would be a little bit of fun to raise money for one of our favorite charities, The [”Dream Foundation":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/411-dream-foundation]," she wrote on her official blog. "When Rob [Kardashian] stepped in the ring to fight, his opponent was at least 25 lbs heavier than him, even though the organization had assured us that they were screening the people we were fighting against and that they would be within 5 lbs of our weights! At one point Rob’s mask fell off and when he put his hands down he got hit in the face and ended up in hospital with a concussion. Rob’s a strong guy and can definitely hold his own, but he wasn’t expecting to get hit after his mask had fallen off! This guy just got really down and dirty!

“We were all really angry and upset about what had happened to Rob, but I hadn’t even fought yet and I didn’t want to let the charity down, so I decided to get in the ring. My girl was a good sport, but she was tough! I knew I had to do it for charity, since that’s what it was all about, but man, my girl could throw a punch! Look at my black eye!!!”

The mission of the Dream Foundation is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and families battling terminal illnesses.

“At the end of the day, we did this for charity and that’s what counts. Rob is doing fine now and my black eye will be gone soon… I hope. You can try to bring the Kardashians down… but we’re a strong family. A concussion and a black eye can’t hold us down!”

Step Into The Ring With The Kardashians For Charity

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Now is your chance to step into the ring with a Kardashian for charity.

Chet Koerner’s TKO Boxing Promotions and PR Entertainment, Inc. presents the “Kardashian Charity Knock Out”, Tuesday, November 3, 2009, at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, CA. Kim, Khloe and Rob Kardashian, along with Bruce Jenner and Scott Disick, are being auctioned off on CharityBuzz.com. The winning bidder gets to step into the ring and duke it out with their favorite “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” cast member for their favorite charity, The Dream Foundation, as well as be taped for their popular reality show on the E! Network.

This auction will close within the next few hours – at 3:00pm EST, October 25. Certain Rules and Restrictions will apply to the lucky winning bidder including being in the same height/weight/gender/age range category as the celebrity, and no licensed professional or amateur boxers will be allowed to fight. All winners will be subject to a criminal background check and a psychological and physical test.

The charity segment will be part of an undercard of world class professional boxing featuring five of the finest young prospects in boxing: 21 year old junior featherweight Leo Santa Cruz, 10-0-1 (2KO’s) of Lincoln Heights, California, 19 year old welterweight David Garcia, 1-0-0 (1KO) of Oxnard, California and Las Vegas based, Zambia native junior welterweight Hastings Bwalya, 1-0-0 (1KO). Also making their pro debuts will be former amateur standouts, lightweight Fidel Maldonado of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Ukrainian junior lightweight Ivan Redkach.

Tickets for the live charity and boxing event are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone by calling Ticketmaster, (800)745-3000. Doors open at 7:00p with the first bout at 8:00p. Commerce Casino is located at 6131 Telegraph Rd, Commerce, CA 90040. (323) 721-2100.

Dream Foundation is the first and largest national wish granting organization for adults battling life-threatening illness. For more information visit www.dreamfoundation.org.

To make a bid in the auction, click here NOW.

Charitable Celebrities To Receive 21st Century Leaders Awards

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Celebrities will be out in abundance in Doha, Qatar, next week for the Whatever It Takes Experience presented by 21st Century Leaders and Whatever It Takes.

As well as a private art experience and gala dinner, several stars will be honored with 21st Century Leaders Awards at this massive charity event.

The Doha 21st Century Leaders’ Awards are granted to individuals who, whilst being leaders in their own fields, have also made a serious commitment and significant impact on their chosen cause.

The award is given to individuals who have used their influence to raise awareness, their celebrated status to raise funds, and the respect and notoriety which they have gained from successes in their chosen profession, to make positive policy changes to progress either environmental or humanitarian concerns.

Friday, October 30, will see Sir Ben Kingsley CBE, Venus and Serena Williams, Josh Hartnett, Danny Boyle and Christian Colson honored for their outstanding charity and humanitarian work. A surprise guest will open the event, and an art exhibition will also take place featuring original artworks by George Clooney, Stella McCartney, Sir Roger Moore KBE, Sir Michael Caine CBE, and Lady Shakira Caine, Sir Ian McKellen, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Laurence Fishburne, John Travolta, Pierce Brosnan OBE, Morgan Freeman, Charlize Theron, Minnie Driver, Lucy Liu, Susan Sarandon, Courteney Cox & David Arquette, Whoopi Goldberg, Penelope Cruz, Benicio del Toro, Joseph Fiennes, Anjelica Huston, Christian Slater, Harvey Keitel, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Gillian Anderson, Hilary Duff, Adrien Brody, Mickey Rourke, Robin Wright Penn, Patrick Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Stephanie Powers, Toni Collette, Daniel Craig and many more.

An active supporter and patron of charities such as the Prince’s Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust and First Star, English actor Sir Ben Kingsley CBE is very much devoted to helping disadvantaged young people and children. In 2008, Kingsley was awarded the “Cinema for Peace Honorary Award”, for the portrayal of the humanitarian role-models Simon Wiesenthal, Itzhak Stern and Gandhi.

In April 2009, following the success of Slumdog Millionaire, filmmakers Danny Boyle and Christian Colson announced a commitment of £500,000 to Plan, an international children’s development organization. The money will be spent on a five-year program focusing on education and sanitation, designed to improve the lives of children in Mumbai’s slum communities. In consultation with Plan, the filmmakers have also founded the Jai Ho Trust, an independent trust which aims to ensure that Rubina Ali (who played the youngest Latika in the film) and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (youngest Salim) receive an education, housing and social support. The trust will also hold a sum of money for the two children until they reach adulthood.

American actor and film producer Josh Hartnett supports a number of worthy causes and has backed Global Cool, a charity focused on climate change since its inception. Launching with a reception at No.10 Downing Street in London in 2007, Josh Hartnett met with former Prime Minister Tony Blair on behalf of the group and has since taken the message of greenhouse gas reduction far and wide, to let people know that they really can make a difference to the environmental health of our planet.

Professional women’s tennis players whom have won a combined 12 Grand Slam titles. The Williams sisters have demonstrated an immense amount of charitable work off the court. The “Williams Sister’s Tour” set out to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities which provides housing for families of seriously ill children. In addition, Serena started The Serena Williams Foundation which focuses on education, and helping underprivileged children in Africa who cannot afford to go to school or college to do so.

WhateverItTakes.org is a unique charity artwork project which inspires hope by gathering artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. The artworks are used to ethically produce Whatever It Takes products which are then sold to raise funds for charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader. 21st Century Leaders Foundation’s mission is to assist and encourage a generation of influencers – royalty, Nobel peace prize laureates and well-known leaders in the fields of film, music, fashion, art and literature – to raise awareness and funds for international development causes, thereby leading the way in promoting positive environmental sustainable development. 21st Century Leaders was founded in May 2003 when Charlotte di Vita was made a Goodwill Ambassador to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. 21st Century Leaders was also the 10th Anniversary celebration of Trade plus Aid, the foundation for which Charlotte had received an MBE from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

To find out more about this event – to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Doha on October 30/31 – click here.

Ryan Seacrest To Host Ronald McDonald House Event

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities (ARMHC) announces its Hearts and Hands Gala at 7pm on Saturday, October 24, at the World of Coca-Cola.

Atlanta`s own Ryan Seacrest of “American Idol” will serve as host of the sold out black-tie dinner which will feature a special performance by “American Idol” season six finalist Melinda Doolittle and a silent auction. The Coca-Cola Company is the event`s presenting sponsor. The Event Chair is Javier Goizueta, Vice President, The Coca-Cola Company and President of the McDonald`s Division Worldwide. Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company is Honorary Chair.

“The Ronald McDonald House is a cause that is very dear to the hearts of us at The Coca-Cola Company. We are committed to supporting the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities, as we strive to help improve the health and well-being of children and families in need,” says Javier Goizueta.

Proceeds from the Hearts and Hands Gala will support operations of Atlanta`s two Ronald McDonald Houses.

“We are grateful for the generosity and ongoing support of The Coca-Cola Company. And we are thrilled Coca-Cola`s longtime ambassador, Ryan Seacrest, will host the evening. Despite a tough economy, we expect this inaugural event will be successful in raising funds to support families in need at our two local Ronald McDonald Houses. This year marks our 30th anniversary and this new event is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness for Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and the organization’s important work throughout the area,” says Linda M. Morris, President/CEO of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Increased demand led to the recent expansion of the local Ronald McDonald House programs. Last year, Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities opened a new state-of-the-art 50-bedroom $15.7 million Ronald McDonald House near Emory University and Children`s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston to meet the growing need. An 11-bedroom Ronald McDonald House on Peachtree Dunwoody Road continues to operate at full capacity to serve families of children receiving medical treatment at Children`s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. Combined, the two local Houses serve more than 2,000 families a year.

Brooke Shields To Attend Family Charity Carnival

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Brooke Shields is confirmed to attend the annual Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Kids For Kids Family Carnival on October 24.

This annual event is a major fundraiser for the charity, and has for 16 years brought families together to rally in support of the Foundation’s fight against pediatric AIDS. Last year’s event raised $3.6 million. The event will feature samplings from New York’s greatest restaurants, world-class artists and photographers, celebrities, and both old-fashioned and cutting-edge games and activities – all-in-all a great day out for the whole family.

Joining Brooke at this year’s event will be Nigel Barker, Mario Batali, Diane Sawyer and many more. Past years have seen appearances by Whoopi Goldberg, Marcia Cross, Mariska Hargitay, Heidi Klum, TR Knight, Vanessa Williams and others.

The event will take place at the Industria Superstudio, New York City. More info can be found here.

Naomi Campbell And Louis Vuitton Join Forces For Women’s Health

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Catrina K. Sally

March 2010 will mark the 100th anniversary celebration of International Women’s Month, and Naomi Campbell has teamed up with Louis Vuitton to help bring awareness to maternal mortality and safe motherhood initiatives.

The supermodel has selected a sleek signature Vuitton bag to raise funds for the White Ribbon Alliance, an organization dedicated to reducing preventable maternal deaths. Vuitton has pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds from sales of the bag to the alliance.

Campbell serves as a global ambassador of the alliance, and has promised to donate all proceeds from the upcoming auction of her Hermès bags. The yet to be named Vuitton bag will retail for about $2,789 and will be available at all of Vuitton’s 439 network stores.

Look To The Stars Helps Promote Hollywood Philanthropy At Noble Awards

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Look to the Stars is pleased to announce that we will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

The inaugural Noble Awards, taking place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, October 18, has announced five new award honorees. The Blind Project, The Lollipop Theater Network, Padres Contra el Cancer and Playing for Change will be honored along with six previously announced charities. In addition, Morgan Freeman will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The two-hour event, hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush, seeks to annually honor up to a dozen charities and celebrities who actively support them, elevating awareness of these organizations and the significant impact of their work.

Celebrities who will accept awards on behalf of the charities being honored include Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Billy Bush (Lollipop Theater Network), Kenny Edmonds (Stand Up To Cancer), Teri Hatcher (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Norman Lear (Playing for Change), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium), AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project), Nancy O’Dell (Best Buddies International), Eva Longoria Parker (Padres Contra El Cancer) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org). During the ceremony, each will be presented with an award sculpture, designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Brian McKnight and Julio Iglesias, Jr., along with Emily Bear and Timothy Mitchum will provide live musical performances throughout the evening.

“We are delighted to present these eleven distinguished charities and their celebrity supporters with the inaugural Noble Award,” stated Janeen Mansour, creator and executive producer of The Noble Awards. “With the presentation of The Noble Awards, our goal is to turn the spotlight back onto these celebrities and charities to provide recognition, to educate, to inspire, and to encourage even more support from the Hollywood community and the public at large.”

Morgan Freeman will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work and dedication to over a dozen non-profits. Freeman’s diverse charitable efforts include working with American Red Cross, Artists for a New South Africa, the Campaign for Female Education, Earth Biofuels, Grenada Relief Fund, Mississippi Animal Rescue League and Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman has also done PSAs for Sierra Club, and a number of Entertainment Industry Foundation campaigns, covering issues like colon cancer prevention, health care reform and volunteerism.

“The Entertainment Industry Foundation is pleased to be a part of the inaugural Noble Awards,” said Lisa Paulsen, President and CEO of Entertainment Industry Foundation. “We are honored and so proud to present our dear friend and exceptional actor Morgan Freeman with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding charitable work and ongoing contributions to so many important social causes.”

The Noble Awards will kick off the “Be A Noble” Movement, a perennial effort to encourage each and every person to “Be A Noble,” and inspire them to give back and take action with a purpose on a global scale. Some of these initiatives include:

Look to the Stars will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

As part of next year’s Cup with a Cause program, 7-Eleven, in collaboration with The Noble Awards, will produce a series of celebrity-designed coffee cups featured in stores nationwide. A minimum of $250,000 will go towards each participating celebrity’s charity of choice. During The Noble Awards’ cocktail hour, guests will be asked to design cups as part of the program.

Participant Media and Takepart.com, the official “action” platform for the Awards, have partnered with the “Be A Noble” Movement to provide the Foundation with a web platform to showcase the work of all the organizations they are honoring throughout the year.

ONEHOPE Wine has bottled an award-winning varietal of wine to be labeled “NOBLE.” 100% of all proceeds from each bottle will go towards the “Be A Noble” Movement, to be distributed among the honored charities.

Rumblefish Jewelry will design a jewelry line based on The Noble Awards and “Be A Noble” Movement, where a percentage of sales will be donated to Noble charities.

Additional partners include EIF/iParticipate, The Hollywood Reporter, Audi, Beverly Hilton, Mobile Cause, Rosenthal and GoodSearch.

As the film industry has the Oscars, television the Emmys and the music industry the Grammy Awards, the charity community and its most dedicated Hollywood supporters will gain global recognition with the staging of The Noble Awards. Produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a non-profit organization, the first annual awards will take place on October 18, 2009. The Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round movement to BE A NOBLE to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an effective forum for change and service. For more information, please visit www.thenobleawards.org.

More Performers Announced For Keep A Child Alive Black Ball

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Regina Walton

Back in July, Look to the Stars brought you a story about this year’s scheduled 6th Annual Keep A Child Alive Black Ball. As the official website promised, more artists have been announced.  

One of the new honorees is Youssou N’Dour. N’Dour is a legendary Senegalese musician and he’s been consistently active in promoting the health and well-being of those in Africa. N’Dour is also scheduled to perform at The Black Ball. To add to the excitement building over this event, two more performers are on the event list: Chris Martin and John Mayer.  

In addition, Queen Latifah is the event’s emcee. Alicia Keys is event host and musical director, and Iman and Padma Lakshmi are the event’s co-hosts. The other two honorees are former President Bill Clinton and Sir Richard Branson.  

With only a few more days before the event, we’re pretty excited to see who else might attend and perform.

  For more information about Keep A Child Alive and The 2009 Black Ball, please click here

Neil Finn To Headline Charity Concert For Samoan Relief

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A concert featuring Crowded House’s Tim and Neil Finn – and a host of other New Zealand-based musicians – will take place in Auckland later this month to raise money for victims of last week’s Tsunami in Samoa.

The Finn Brothers will be joined by Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Elemeno P, Nesian Mystik, Che-Fu, King Kapisi and many more at Auckland’s Vector Arena on October 19. Also performing will be New Zealand Hip Hop stars Savage and Scribe, who both lost family in the disaster.

Aid agencies such as the Red Cross, World Vision, The Salvation Army and UNICEF are still seeking donations for the massive clean-up required after last week’s devastating disaster that killed over 180 people.

Tickets for the concert are NZ$25 and are available through Ticketmaster New Zealand.

Will Smith's Children Support Charity Initiative

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Jaden and Willow Smith – the actor children of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith – have spoken about their support for PROJECT ZAMBI, a charity initiative started by a group of Hasbro employees to help raise awareness and funds for the estimated 15 million children who have lost parents and relatives to the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

“Willow and I joined Project Zambi to represent all the kids out there who want to make the world a better place,” said Jaden. “We want to encourage kids everywhere to lend a hand and join us in spreading the word about how much children who have been orphaned by AIDS in Africa need our help.”

The children have joined a host of stars – including Jessica Biel, George Clooney, Glenn Close, Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joely Fisher & Brad Garrett, Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys, Heidi Klum, Kathy Najimy, Rhea Perlman & Danny DeVito, Graham Rahal, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, Taylor Swift, James Taylor, Barbara Walters, Denzel Washington, and Naomi Watts – in signing toy elephants to benefit charities such as Keep A Child Alive, the African Children’s Choir, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, the Chikumbuso Women and Orphans Project, the Children of Uganda, Global Action for Children, the Global Fund, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages and many more.

“Project Zambi is about kids and for kids, and it’s so important that we all learn to take care of each other,” said Willow. “Even from the other side of the world, kids in Africa will know they have friends who care about them.”

The 10-day Project Zambi Celebrity Charity Auction is being held online via eBay beginning October 5 with bidding closing on October 15. Visitors will be able to log on to www.ebay.com/projectzambi.

Aid Agencies Seek Donations For Samoan Tsunami Vistims

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

New Zealand-born comedy actress Pamela Stephenson has given a harrowing first-hand account of the devastating Tsunami that hit Samoa last week.

The wife of Scottish comedian Billy Connolly was staying in Samoa and is urging the world to come to the aid of the island nation after the massive wave killed over 180 people – including villagers and tourists – and left many more homeless.

“Huge piles of debris lay everywhere; it was clear the wave had whacked every structure with incredible might,” she told the Guardian newspaper in the UK. “Cars teetered where they had been thrown, on top of rubble from collapsed dwellings. Fridges and air conditioners floated in the sea. I looked along the bay and saw that a well-known jetty was missing. So were villages that once lined the shore. I saw a thatched fale [house] surrounded by three policemen and some villagers. A woman was lying inside and someone was trying to revive her.”

New Zealanders have already donated over $600,000 to aid agencies operating on the islands, but the Red Cross and Oxfam are desperately asking for more.

“Any money given to the Red Cross for an emergency goes to that emergency, we ensure that it’s spent where it’s most needed and that’s at the ground in the communities,” said Andrew McKie from the Red Cross.

Organizations such as World Vision, The Salvation Army and UNICEF are also seeking donations.

“Many are homeless, but the extended family system means they will stay with relatives in other villages,” said Stephenson. “Samoans are extraordinary people, and their resilience is evident.”

For more information on how to donate to victims of this disaster, click here.

Naomi Campbell Donates Bag To Charity Auction

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Model Naomi Campbell has donated a Hermes “it” bag to help raise funds to fight deaths in pregnancy, which hit more than half a million women each year.

Campbell gave the pale green alligator Hermes “Birkin” bag to French auctioneers Artcurial for a White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood auction to be held on November 10.

The Alliance was established in 1999 as an international coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote increased public awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns in developing and developed countries.

Love Our Children USA Launches Blue Shirt Day To Stomp Out Bullying

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Love Our Children USA has announced that NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proclaiming October 5th Blue Shirt Day to signify the importance of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, October 4th – 10th.

Thousands of kids and adults will wear blue shirts as they make their way to school or to the office on October 5 as a grassroots national movement to STOMP Out Bullying.

The organization launched the STOMP Out Bullying Campaign in October, 2008. STOMP Out Bullying focuses its efforts to reduce Bullying and Cyberbullying, decrease school absenteeism and truancy, educate against homophobia and racism and deter violence in schools, playgrounds and communities across the country. To date over 53,000 have committed to STOMP Out Bullying on the site.

It’s not just our politicians who support STOMP Out Bullying an initiative of Love Our Children USA, but celebrities are out in full force to help.

Teen Celebrities Demi Lovato, JoJo and the latest children’s sensation The Oogieloves participate in the public service campaign which includes TV spots, videos, posters, brochures and wristbands. Additional celebrities such as Brittany Snow, Naturally 7 and others are slated to join the ongoing campaign created by the Geppetto Group.

In order to raise funds for bullying and cyberbullying prevention, education and peer mentoring in schools, Love Our Children USA is holding its Second Annual Celebrity STOMP Out Bullying Auction on CharityFolks from October 5th –16th.

This year’s celebrity contributors include: Elton John, Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Ellen DeGeneres, Phil Collins, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Bryan Adams, Metallica, Guster, Dancing With The Stars, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Bye Bye Birdie, Rock Of Ages, the NJ Nets and more.

“Kids who are intimidated, threatened, or harmed by bullies often experience low self-esteem and depression, whereas those doing the bullying may go on to engage in more serious antisocial behaviors. Some kids are so traumatized by being bullied, that they contemplate suicide. Bullies often have been the victims of bullying or other mistreatment themselves” said Ross Ellis, Love Our Children USA Founder and Chief Executive Officer. This campaign’s key purpose is to educate those kids who are being bullied and those who are bullying, that there are choices for them to get help.

To find out more about the campaign, go to LoveOurChildrenUSA.org and StompOutBullying.org.

Iconic Stars Reveal Inspirations For Charity Calendar

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

British charity CLIC Sargent is to benefit from sales of a new calendar featuring the inspiration selections of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Bono and other icons for the music world.

Music and entertainment specialist HMV is to mark the third anniversary of its acclaimed my inspiration campaign by featuring memorable highlights in a charity calendar for 2009/2010.

These include the my inspiration selections of Bob Dylan – who selected Scottish poet, Robert Burns; Bono and Paul McCartney, who, in turn, cite Bob Dylan as theirs; Paul Weller, who was first inspired by the songwriting of Lennon and McCartney; Bruce Springsteen, who was influenced by Blues performer Woodie Guthrie; and Deborah Harry, who found inspiration in the songs of Leonard Cohen.

My inspiration invites iconic and exciting new artists to share with their fans the song lyric or lines of verse that have inspired them in their life and in their work. The campaign began in September 2006, when David Bowie selected Syd Barrett’s Gigolo Aunt as his personal inspiration. Since that time well over 150 artists have taken part, ranging from Timbaland to the first lady of France, Carla Bruni, as well as new artists such as Lady Gaga and La Roux.

A key part of the calendar are the iconic black & white portraits of the participating artists taken by photographers who are themselves celebrated, such as Anton Corbijn, Fiona Freund, Dean Chalkley, Lawrence Watson, Adrian Boot and Frank Ockenfels 3 – making it a must not just for music fans and collectors, but for anyone with an appreciation of rock photography.

The A3-sized calendar comes with a foreword from Q Editor-in-Chief Paul Rees, and offers the added bonus of a full eighteen months worth of artist inspiration selections, starting from August 2009 with The Edge’s selection, covering all of 2010 and then ending in January 2011 with Metallica’s choice of their inspiration.

Click here to order.

Twilight Star Tweets For Christopher Reeve Foundation

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Catrina K. Sally

Actor Peter Facinelli is putting his Twitter account to work. The Twilight star is twittering to inform his many followers about the importance of charity.

In June, Facinelli made a bet with his friend, Rob DeFranco: If Facinelli could secure 500,000 Twitter followers; he would get a $10,000 donation and the opportunity to see a bikini clad DeFranco run down Hollywood Boulevard. Facinelli won the bet and with the aid of a friend from Affliction Clothing, donated $10,000 to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Facinelli attributes his charitable success to the power of Twitter. He affirms “[Twitter]… is a very powerful tool… All these people came together on Twitter for this silly, little thing, but imagine what we could do if we come together for something even more powerful.”

Other charities championed by Facinelli include OmniPeace and Raise Hope for Congo. The Fastlane star hopes to continue using Twitter and his celebrity status to spread the importance of charity awareness, while promoting the power of unity.

Noble Awards Set To Honor Celebrity Humanitarians

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

As the film industry has the Oscars, television the Emmys and the music industry the Grammy Awards, the charity community and its most dedicated Hollywood supporters will gain global recognition with the staging of the inaugural Noble Humanitarian Awards, to take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, October 18. And Look To The Stars is proud to support it.

The two-hour event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, seeks to annually honor up to a dozen charities and celebrities who actively support them, elevating awareness of these organizations and the impact of their work.

The organizations to be honored at this first-annual ceremony include The Art of Elysium, Best Buddies International, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, DoSomething.org, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Keep A Child Alive, The Salvation Army, Stand Up To Cancer and Women’s Sports Foundation.

Celebrities who will accept awards on behalf of the charities being honored include Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Jessica Biel (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Alicia Keys (Keep A Child Alive), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org), with others currently being confirmed. During the ceremony, each will be presented with the trophy award, designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Other performers and presenters will be announced closer to the event.

With nearly two decades of experience across entertainment, fashion and charitable projects, Janeen Mansour is creator and executive producer of the Noble Humanitarian Awards. Mansour, who has interviewed many celebrities, was inspired to create a dedicated award show for the charity community after interviewing the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and learning about her significant charitable work.

“Celebrities have long given their time to charity, championing causes they feel passionate about. Their support draws media coverage, and organizations benefit. With the Noble Awards, we aim to turn the spotlight back onto these celebrities and charities in an effort to provide recognition, to educate, to inspire, and to encourage even more support from the Hollywood community and the public at large. It’s an annual celebration of service and volunteerism,” explains Mansour.

A team of entertainment veterans join Mansour in producing the Noble Humanitarian Awards. They include Ziad Batal (Executive Producer), founder of All 4 Media, one of the most prominent film and television production companies and creator and producer of dozens of reality, talk and sports programs in the Middle East; Michael Seligman (Producer), President & CEO of Seligman Entertainment, Inc, whose 35 years of work includes the Oscars, the Emmy’s, AFI’s, Kennedy Center Honors and Stand Up To Cancer; Tisha Fein (Producer), whose three-decade experience includes the Emmys, Grammys, Tonys, World Music Awards, Fashion Rocks, Movies Rock and Stand Up to Cancer.

The Noble Humanitarian Awards are produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a non-profit organization. With the staging of the first annual awards on October 18, 2009, the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round campaign to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an effective forum for change and service. For more information, please visit www.thenobleawards.org.

David Beckham Joins Shakira At Children's Hospital

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

David Beckham, Shakira, Kellie Pickler and Ryan Seacrest were some of the stars who visited the Children’s Hospital of Orange County for Lollipop Live ’09 on Tuesday.

The celebrities signed autographs, posed for photos and handed out stuffed animals to the patients as part of the fundraiser sponsored by local radio station KIIS FM.

Seacrest broadcast live from CHOC and asked listeners to text in $5 donations in support of Radio Lollipop. Last year, the event raised about $30,000 for the program, which allows patients to go on air and request songs.

To see photos and video of the event, click here.

Jay-Z Answers The Call For Charity

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hip Hop megastar Jay-Z played a tribute concert in New York on Friday night to mark the deaths of those that lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks eight years ago.

The Answer The Call show, which launched his new album Blueprint 3, raised money for the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund, a charity fund that has distributed over $96 million to the families of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty since 1986.

The rapper was joined by stars such as Kanye West, Pharell Williams, P. Diddy, John Mayer, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Santigold for a two hour show that covered hits from his 11 album career.

“Make some noise for everybody that lost their lives so we can live ours,” the rapper told the crowd. “We stand here tonight eight years later even stronger, even stronger.”

He also held a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives in the attack.

Celebrities Sign Elephants For Project Zambi

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

A host of celebrities have come together to be part of an online auction that features one-of-a-kind collectible elephant models.

Jessica Biel, George Clooney, Glenn Close, Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joely Fisher & Brad Garrett, Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys, Heidi Klum, Kathy Najimy, Rhea Perlman & Danny DeVito, Graham Rahal, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, Taylor Swift, James Taylor, Barbara Walters, Denzel Washington, and Naomi Watts are some of the stars who have signed the elephant toys for Project Zambi, a charity initiative started by a group of Hasbro employees to help raise awareness and funds for the estimated 15 million children who have lost parents and relatives to the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

“It is encouraging to see that companies such as Hasbro are developing initiatives to support global health issues,” said Alicia Keys. “Through my involvement in this project, I’m proud to support [”Keep A Child Alive":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/161-keep-a-child-alive], an organization dedicated to providing care and support to children and families whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India by directly engaging the global public in the fight against AIDS."

One hundred percent of the sale of each auctioned elephant will be donated to the organization of the celebrity’s choice that supports children orphaned by AIDS in Africa including the African Children’s Choir, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, the Chikumbuso Women and Orphans Project, the Children of Uganda, Global Action for Children, the Global Fund, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages and many more.

“The wonderful support that we’ve received from the celebrities participating in the PROJECT ZAMBI auction is a moving example of the deep concern surrounding the issue of caring for children orphaned by AIDS,” said Brian Goldner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hasbro, Inc. “We are very hopeful and optimistic that this auction will be successful in raising awareness and generating funds that will support some of the many dedicated organizations working to make a better future for these children.”

Earlier this year, Hasbro launched PROJECT ZAMBI, a global cause initiative tied to the new special edition FURREAL FRIENDS ZAMBI THE BABY ELEPHANT toy that is dedicated to raising awareness and benefiting programs caring for children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.

Hasbro has committed to donate 50 percent of the net profits from ZAMBI THE BABY ELEPHANT — a minimum of $500,000 (in U.S. dollars) — to the PROJECT ZAMBI Fund, part of the Hasbro Children’s Fund, beginning in 2009, and hopes to expand this global campaign to include additional Hasbro products and brands in the years to come. By purchasing ZAMBI THE BABY ELEPHANT, consumers will be supporting programs that work directly with children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.

This latest initiative is a part of the work Hasbro conducts in the U.S. and around the world to help children in need through the Hasbro Children’s Fund and product donations. In 2008, Hasbro impacted approximately four million children through its charitable programs and product donations.

For more information about the PROJECT ZAMBI Celebrity Charity Auction, PROJECT ZAMBI and ZAMBI THE BABY ELEPHANT, please visit www.projectzambi.com.

The 10-day PROJECT ZAMBI Celebrity Charity Auction will be held online via eBay beginning October 5 with bidding closing on October 15. Visitors will be able to log on to www.ebay.com/projectzambi.

Demi Lovato, JoJo Stomp Out Bullying

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Demi Lovato and JoJo have created PSA’s in support of Love Our Children USA’s Stomp Out Bullying campaign.

October 4th-10th is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, and during this week Love Our Children USA is asking kids and teens and their schools and communities to join forces to increase awareness and STOMP Out Bullying.

Ways to help include holding rallies at schools and in local communities, starting a bully prevention education club, introducing peer mentoring and observing National Blue Shirt Day on October 5th. Love Our Children USA is offering materials and support to get people started.

You can watch Demi and JoJo’s PSAs here, and to learn more about the campaign, why bullying happens and how you can help, visit the Stomp Out Bullying site here.

Stars Play Volleyball For Charity

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0000

On Saturday, August 8, Padres Contra el Cancer (PADRES), a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families, hosted the Spike for HOPE! Celebrity Volleyball match as part of the 2009 avp crocs slam bud light hermosa beach open presented by Virgin America.

In 2009, AVP named PADRES its Charity Partner for their 2009 avp crocs slam bud light hermosa beach open presented by Virgin America. Through the partnership, AVP and its sponsors committed to a fundraising effort throughout the duration of the 2009 tour to help raise awareness about childhood cancer within the beach community and also to raise funds for PADRES program and services. To date the AVP relationship has raised approximately $20,000.00.

Taking the sand were AVP Players Priscilla Lima, Tatiana Minello, and Nancy Mason. Notable and formidable celebrity players included L.A. Lakers basketball star Jordan Farmar, Kevin Nealon of showtime’s hit series Weeds, Cristian de la Fuente, Walter Perez of the upcoming new release of the Fame remake, Jenn Brown of showtime’s Inside the NFL, Camilla Belle, Scott Elrod, along with Days of Our Lives cast members Galen Gering, Mark Hapka, James Hyde, Casey Deidrick, Alison Sweeney, Taylor Spreitler, and Molley Burnet. Other players included Jay Johnson, Josh Henderson, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Rottman, Robert Adamson, Yancey Arias, Adrian Bellani and Angelica Castro.

“The smiles of both seven year old cancer patient Joao Rodriguez and six year old Genesis Castillo expressed the success of this celebrity match. It was a perfect day. We appreciate the tremendous support of AVP and all our celebrity friends who played hard to raise awareness about childhood cancer, and how our organization PADRES is helping families win their children’s battle against this terrible disease,” states Elvia Barboa, Chief Executive Officer of PADRES.

Terry Wogan To Return To The Lost City For Children In Need

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0000

For the third year running, Sir Terry Wogan is to return to Leicester, the place he once famously dubbed the ‘lost city’, for the annual TOGs’ (Terry’s Old Geezers/Gals) convention.

The convention will be the fifth time the TOGs have returned to Leicester, and the slogan for this year’s meeting is TOGs 2009 AUSTRALIA (‘All Up Standing TOGs Rally AT Leicester In August’).

Sir Terry will attend a champagne reception and lunch at the University of Leicester on Friday 21st August 2009, joining more than 90 TOGs at their three-day convention, held at the University’s Stamford Hall. He will be welcomed by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Robert Burgess.

During his visit Sir Terry will launch the 2010 BBC Children in Need TOGs’ Celebrity Calendar, which to date has raised more than £800,000. Celebrities featured in the 2010 edition include Sir Roger Moore, Midge Ure, Rob Brydon, Alan Carr, Jane Asher, Robert Lindsay and the Wake up to Wogan Radio team.

Back in the 1980s, Sir Terry caused local uproar when he dubbed Leicester a ‘lost city’, due to all the motorway repairs in traffic bulletins. But after visiting the city he revised his opinion, and since then he has given it a number of major references on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, ‘Wake up to Wogan’.

Thanks to Leicester Shire Promotions, Leicester won a Children in Need challenge for UK cities to sell the most Pudsey Paws stickers. The prize was for Sir Terry to broadcast his breakfast show from the city, during which he signed a declaration agreeing never to refer to Leicester as the ‘lost city’ again.

Speaking at last year’s TOGs’ convention, Sir Terry said: "What is memorable about Leicester is the kind of welcome you get from the University of Leicester for the TOGs. That is why they keep coming back. Who else can supply us with the kind of welcome and facilities we get from the University? Everyone here is fantastic.

“I would like to have been a student here – it looks like a really nice campus. I am not being sycophantic, but the University of Leicester has a very good reputation. For students embarking on their careers my advice would be to study something you want to and then go and do whatever you like. But always remember to go to an established university, like Leicester.”

Speaking at the same event, Norman Macintosh, one of the organizers, added: “Terry’s Old Geezers (or Gals) have got together for our tenth convention – this is our fourth one at Leicester. We find the venue the ideal place for our convention and everyone is full of praise for the facilities, the lovely setting within the University grounds and the great service we receive from all the University staff.”

Sir Terry will be joined by other Radio 2 personalities, including producer Alan Boyd, the News and Traffic team, the Lottery ‘Voice of the Balls’ Alan Dedicoat, the ‘Welsh Traffic Totty’ Lynn Bowles, and presenters John Marsh and Charles Nove.

The ‘Pause for Thought’ team from Sir Terry’s program will also be there, including Canon Roger Boyle, Rev Rob Gillian, Rev Ruth Scott, Rabbi Pete Tobias, Lt Col Charles King of The Salvation Army and the Buddhist Dharmachari Nagaraja. BBC Children in Need will be represented by Gareth Hydes, Head of Editorial at BBC Children in Need, and Jodi Saul.

This year’s TOGs’ convention has an antipodean theme and will also include portrait opportunities by artists who are currently taking courses at the University’s Richard Attenborough Centre through its Lifelong Learning program.

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