Look To The Stars News: Children

Jackie Chan Attends Operation Smile Event In Vietnam

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Jackie Chan continued his current charity work by taking part in Operation Smile Vietnam’s 20th Anniversary celebration, “Twenty Years of Smiles: A Journey of Miracles,” on November 4.

Chan is an Ambassador for Operation Smile, and visited children with cleft palates at the Vietnam-Cuba Hospital, accompanied by Miss Vietnam 2006 Mai Phuong Thuy.

The charity provides free reconstructive surgery to tens of thousands of children and young adults in 25 developing countries and the United States, bringing them new hope and new lives.

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,” 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!”

Giving Back Fund Releases 2009's Top Celebrity Givers

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Look To The Stars is proud to announce that our partners at the Giving Back Fund have announced their third annual Giving Back 30, a list of celebrities who have made the largest donations to charity according to public records.

Readers may have been surprised to learn that Paul Newman replaced Oprah Winfrey as the most generous celebrity of 2008. Oprah had occupied the number one spot by a wide margin for the first two years of the list.

Before his death, Newman made a donation of nearly $21 million to his self-named Newman’s Own Foundation. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were second with a $13.5 million donation to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which distributed $6.4 million to charity, including a $2 million grant to The Global Health Committee for an Ethiopian clinic project, a $1 million grant to the Make it Right Foundation founded by Pitt, and $500,000 to the Armed Services YMCA USA.

“Our hope is that celebrities will begin to become more comfortable sharing information about their charitable giving - perhaps not disclosing everything they give, but sharing enough to enable them to serve as role-models to their peers and fans,” said Marc Pollick, President and Founder of The Giving Back Fund.

Also on the list: Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Mel Gibson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurie and Larry David and Drew Barrymore. Several authors made the list this year, along with representatives from the NBA, NFL and NASCAR. To see the complete list visit The Giving Back Fund’s web site at www.givingback.org.

HOW IT WAS COMPILED
 To compile the most accurate rankings, The Giving Back Fund culled media reports of charitable giving by sports and entertainment professionals; reviewed PF-990 tax-forms; contacted more than 250 publicists, attorneys, agents, agencies, and managers for information about their clients; polled more than 150 charities known for their celebrity associations; and contacted all of the major sports leagues.

The Giving Back Fund did not include grants made by foundations in the list so as to avoid counting the same funds twice - once when the donor gave money to a foundation and again when the donor decided on a beneficiary for that money. The Giving Back Fund did not calculate giving as a percentage of the celebrities’ income because there are no public records documenting income. Re-directed income from sponsorship and merchandising deals to charity made by a celebrity was also not reported as it is not available to the public.

 Donations to private foundations are disclosed in public documents. However, donations to public charities are not publicly disclosed and therefore may not be reported in the Giving Back 30.

UPCOMING: CELEBRITY CHARITIES’ DISTRIBUTION TO CHARITY
 The Giving Back Fund will be releasing a second list in early 2010 reporting on the dollar amount distributed to charities by public and private celebrity foundations, respectively. Charities may submit their 2008 990 reports for review to The Giving Back Fund at GivingBack30@givingback.org.

Aishwarya Rai To Bring Smiles To Children

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Ritu Mal & Poonam Srivastava

Aishwarya Rai, former Miss World and one of Indian cinema’s top stars, recently became the goodwill ambassador for Smile Train, an organization that works towards providing medical assistance for children with a cleft lip and palate.

In Aishwarya’s words, “God has given me plenty of reasons to smile and I feel it’s time to spread it around….. if I can make a difference in their lives, it will certainly make me feel honoured and blessed.”

Aishwarya will work with the organization in creating awareness in 75 developing countries including India. In India alone, over one million children require cleft surgery – and of these, a large number are either ill-educated about this condition or are unable to afford the medical treatment and care required. One such case assisted by Smile Train was the subject of the 2008 Oscar winning film Smile Pinki (Best Documentary Short).

LTTS Exclusive - The Caudwell Children Butterfly Ball

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Richard Barker

Look To The Stars’ UK Correspondent, Richard Barker, attended the Caudwell Children Ball last weekend and filed this exclusive report.

As a photographer and a journalist, I am fortunate enough to have many unique experiences, and I’m pleased to say that on Friday night was one of the best!

Archant London hosted a Press Ball for Caudwell Children. The Butterfly Ball at the Landmark Hotel in London’s Regent Park was attended by some truly inspiring people. Archant London’s Managing Director, Enzo Testa, welcomed the guests telling them though financial conditions were tough, he was confident that by their very presence, their generosity would produce a wealth of cash for the children, and so it proved.

  Archant London publishes 29 weekly newspapers and 28 local community websites. With this sort of pulling power it’s not surprising that the auction prizes were donated by Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and a one off designer dress from Jenny Packham. The top raffle prize was a diamond encrusted Rotary watch.

  Caudwell Children, founded in 2000 by entrepreneur John Caudwell, has so far raised more then £10 million. Every penny has gone straight to the children! John picked up the tab for the administration, which is one of the reasons the charity was chosen by Enzo Testa.  

He said: "Caudwell Children helps children with terminal illnesses who need support. Every penny we raise goes directly to helping Caudwell do just that. That is why I chose this worthy cause as Archant London’s focus for our Butterfly Ball.

“  To achieve the total, a team from Archant London spent a full year organising and collecting prizes and gifts.  

Actress Lucinda Rhodes and X Factor singer Andy Abraham donated their time and provided the cabaret with popular broadcaster Mike Read hosting the evening. Other celebrities to attend included Miss England 2009 Rachel Christie, Miss Galaxy International 2010 Hayley Mac, Lynne Franks of I’m a Celebrity Get me out of Here fame and leading PR expert, Lisa Voice self made music and property millionaire and girlfriend of the late 50’s rock legend, Billy Fury, Esther McVery presenter, Karen Millen designer and performer Sonique.  

The dress donated by designer Jenny Peckham went for £1,400 and a signed Michael Jackson display containing a platinum disc went for £1,500. Mohamed Ali’s signed boxing trunks were sold for £2,100. The top prize of the night was a lithograph by legendary artist Pablo Picasso from his Sketchbook collection that eventually sold for £3,000.

I sat with Hayley Mac (Miss Galaxy 2010). She told me that it was a pleasure to be supporting such a worthy cause. She’s very passionate about her charity work. Hayley said that she was really pleased that we were raising funds for the kids. She also said that she would love to meet them. We both agreed that there wellbeing is incredibly important.

  Chief Executive of Caudwell Children, Trudi Beswick thanked Enzo Testa and Archant London for their commitment and for organising the event. She also thanked the many sponsors of the evening by highlighting some of the individual cases where the charity has brought life and fulfilled ambitions.  

Many children they help are terribly afflicted by disease and life threatening illnesses, and the charity supplies the means to achieve their ambitions and restore dignity to illness devastated young lives.  

She emphasised that every penny goes to helping them achieve ambitions such as just walking or going on a family holiday.  

She said: “I am looking forward to meeting Daniel. He is only 10 and suffers from Leukaemia. He was not given much hope of survival and indeed suffered a stroke from which he was not expected to live through. But against all the odds Daniel fought back and has survived, and in November his ambition will come true. We are taking him and his family to Disneyland in America. His life expectancy is very short, but we are pleased to help fulfil this determined young man’s wishes.”

  The battle to help these children continues and as Archant London’s chosen charity, readers can make their own donation on www.justgiving.com/archantappeal or by posting a cheque to Archant Appeal, Media House, 539 High Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 1UD. For more details speak to Claire Evans – 020 8477 3939 claire.evans@archant.co.uk

To date Caudwell Children has donated over £10 million to thousands of children with 160 medical conditions. The Charity is committed to changing the lives of children by providing individual donations of specialist equipment, treatment and therapy as well as its annual Destination Dreams holiday for families coping with a child’s terminal illness.

Caudwell Children was registered in March 2000 and is widely recognised as one of the country’s fastest growing children’s charities. Since its inception the charity has doubled every pound raised, achieved through supplier partnerships, which means every pound donated works even harder.

The Charity was founded by entrepreneur, John Caudwell, whose vision was to create a sustainable children’s charity that offered benefactors’ transparency and piece of mind that 100% of their donation was being used to directly change children’s lives.

By donating the cost of the Charity’s annual management and administration overheads, John has guaranteed an efficient way for individuals and businesses to change the lives of thousands of sick and disabled children living in the UK.

John Caudwell remains the Charity’s largest benefactor and sits as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The Charity’s ambassadors include Hollywood actress and author, Joan Collins, actress Elizabeth Hurley, Rod and Penny Stewart, Bruce Forsyth and singer Robbie Williams.

Guitarists Sign Cards For Charity Auction

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Some of the greatest guitarists in the world have taken the time to sign cards for a new charity auction starting this week.

StarCards.org will auction a collection of signed Great Ormond Street Hospital playing cards by legendary & renowned guitar players from the 5th November 2009, including Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Steve Vai, Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Phil Hilborne, Neil Murray, Paul Carrack, Joe Brown, Scott Mckeon, and Ramon Diaz.

The highlight of the auction is a Fender Stratocaster Mark Knopfler signature model guitar donated by Fender UK and Bonnersmusic.co.uk of Eastbourne with a hard case as well as a unique display cabinet donated by Wallsoffame.co.uk. The Fender will be signed and personalised by Mark for the winning bidder and will be on display at Bonners until the 15th November.

The auction starts on the 5th November and finishes 10 days later on Sunday 15th November. To take part in the auction, click here.

LTTS Exclusive - Dannii Minogue Lights Up Harrods For Charity

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Richard Barker

Look To The Stars’ Richard Barker was lucky enough to be invited to a very special celebrity charity event in London last week and filed this report.

I have a confession… I love Christmas! It is my favourite time of year. One magical part of this celebration are the lights. I was fortunate enough to be invited to Harrods this year to watch ‘The Emerald Lights Switch On’. Dannii Minogue and the Harrods Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed transformed the World’s Most Famous Department Store into the Emerald City for Christmas.

This Christmas, Harrods has teamed up with Warner Brothers to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the iconic film The Wizard of Oz – and as part of the celebrations is helping to raise £300,000 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Harrods has transformed itself into The Emerald City as 11,500 bulbs that decorate the store’s famous façade turned from white to a glittering green. International singing and television star Dannii Minogue and Harrods Chairman Mr Al Fayed switched on the lights to make the store’s dazzling transformation.

Dannii and Mr Al Fayed were accompanied by ten year old Dominic, a patient of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Dominic was born with foetal alcohol syndrome, a condition which meant he underwent major heart surgery at three years old and has continued to be a regular visitor at the hospital.

As part of its Wizard of Oz Christmas season, Harrods is helping to raise £300,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity to fund 3 bedrooms in the new kidney unit, which will make a real difference to the lives of the patients and families.

Customers are invited to lend a hand in Harrods Emerald Palace switch-on by visiting Harrods.com and donating to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, to help make the holidays special for the less fortunate. Visit Harrods.com to make a minimum donation of £10 to benefit Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Children from GOSH met the Harrods Chairman and opened the exclusive Ruby Slipper Boudoir. Limited numbers of the magical shoes are on sale priced from £19.95 and available in a junior size 4 to an adult size 8, and 10% of the fee from each pair sold will go to GOSH.

I would highly recommend that you pay Harrods a visit this Christmas.

Richard Branson Rocks The Kasbah For Charity

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Richard Branson hosted his annual star-studded Rock The Kasbah charity event in Los Angeles last week.

The event attracted an amazing array of celebrities, including Lindsay Lohan, Sharon Stone, Paula Abdul, Daisy Fuentes, Jenna Elfman, Kristin Cavarlli, Matt Goss, Natasha Bedingfield, Gavin Rossdale and many others.

Proceeds from the evening went to Virgin Unite’s domestic and international programs, including the Eve Branson Foundation, set up by Sir Richard’s mother to help women in Morocco generate their own incomes to support their families.

Madonna Promises Electricity To Village

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

During her visit to Malawi last week, Madonna promised electricity to a village that has never been able to have power.

“I know you work in darkness,” she told villagers in Mphandula. “I will bring you electricity.”

The singer was in the country – one of the poorest in the world – to oversee the start of construction of a new girl’s school her charity, Raising Malawi, is building.

The organization has already donated $500,000 for a child care center in the village – a facility that now feeds and educates 3,000 orphans.

Stars Flock To Vanessa Redgrave Charity Performance

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Meryl Streep, Harvey Keitel, Christine Baranski, Mandy Patinkin and Lauren Bacall were among the more than 1,000 people who gathered to watch Tony Award-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave reprise her starring role from the 2007 Broadway play The Year of Magical Thinking at a special benefit performance at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street), Manhattan, on Monday, October 26th at 8:00 PM.

The benefit raised more than $200,000 for programs run by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide support to the children of Gaza and southern Israel.

The show was rescheduled from April, following the death of Vanessa’s daughter, Natasha Richardson.

Matt Damon’s Persistent Efforts To Supply Africa With Clean Water

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Taking a break from promoting his latest film at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, Matt Damon squeezed in a side-line interview on completely different subject – charity – with the Toronto Star.

Toronto seems to be an annual escape for Damon. He is, after all, the most famous face regularly attached to ONEXONE, a Canadian charity that works to improve the lives of children around the world. Keen to make a difference in the lives of the impoverished, Damon says that since he is finally in a position to do so, for him there is no question.

“[Growing up], we had a magnet on our refrigerator,” he told the Star. “It was a quote from Gandhi: ‘No matter how insignificant what you do may seem, it is most important that you do it.’ I was raised to believe that and I still do. It’s incumbent on us as citizens of the world to do the best we can within our sphere of influence to effect positive change.”

Recalling a recent trip to Ethiopia, he was disturbed to see children drink water that was so dirty it looked like chocolate milk. The alternative, though, would have been for them to not drink, and die faster.

“That kind of deprivation isn’t even on our radar in North America,” said Damon, “but in Africa it’s the central pre-occupation of many people’s lives. Every 15 seconds a child dies because of lack of clean water. There’s two and a half billion people in the world without any toilet facilities.”

Although he says he enjoys spending his time on these projects, such experiences are deeply affecting for Damon: “When I get back from one of these trips, I sit with my wife and finally, after hours and hours of silence, I’ll start talking about what I’ve just seen and experienced. You see the need. You feel it. And it does mark you.”

Stars Gather For Annual Bridge School Benefit

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Veteran musician Neil Young was surrounded by a plethora of stars at his annual Bridge School Benefit Concert on Saturday night.

The concert benefits a non-profit educational institution in Northern California for children with physical disabilities and severe speech impediments. It was co-founded by Young’s wife, Pegi, in 1986, after three of the couple’s children were born with cerebral palsy and epilepsy (their two sons have cerebral palsy and their daughter – like Neil – has epilepsy). Young organized the first Bridge School Concert in 1986, and with the exception of 1987, has hosted the event every year since.

Appearing at Saturday’s show at Mountain View in California were Gwen Stefani, Sheryl Crow, Wolfmother, Gavin Rossdale, Adam Sandler, Chris Martin from Coldplay and many more.

Bridge School ensures that children with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative & alternative means of communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) applications.

Bridge School has established an outreach program to share what is developed at the school with parents, professionals and users of AAC/AT across the world.

Jennifer Garner Makes Time For CHANGE

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Jennifer Garner is the new spokesperson for Save the Children’s Make Time For CHANGE campaign.

The charity’s CHANGE program (Creating Healthy, Active, and Nurturing Growing-up Environments) has teamed up with Frigidaire to donate $1 to every pledge made on the official website to raise funds to help at-risk children in need in the United States.

“I grew up in West Virginia, which is a state that has struggled a lot,” Garner told PEOPLE.com. “It needs so badly the exact kind of support that Save the Children offers, which is helping kids perform better in school … because they are healthier and not worrying about food.”

For more than 75 years, Save the Children has been helping children survive and thrive by focusing on early childhood education, literacy and physical activity and nutrition programs.

Save the Children created the CHANGE program (Creating Healthy, Active, and Nurturing Growing-up Environments) to promote healthier lifestyles for children living in poverty by providing nutritious snacks and regular opportunities for children to be physically active.

“The main realization that I had is that every mom wants the best for their kid,” she says. “Some of us may have more opportunities with time or financial cushions than others so it’s important that we just spend a minute of our time to help other kids in our own country.”

To make a pledge or find out more, visit the official website here.

Charity Thanks Boyzone Fans For Donations

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

The head of a national British charity has spoken out in praise of the thousands of fans who have made donations in memory of the late Boyzone singer, Stephen Gately.

Trudi Beswick, Chief Executive of Caudwell Children, for whom Stephen was a Goodwill Ambassador, said: “Everyone at the Charity is deeply touched and grateful for the overwhelming volume of fans and well wishers who have made donations in memory of Stephen.”

“This outpouring of kindness truly reflects Stephen as a person, someone who always wanted to help and please others. With heartfelt tributes and donations continuing to come into the Charity, Stephen’s memory will now live on in the life changing donations we are able to make to children who desperately need our help.”

The national charity, which provides specialist equipment, life saving treatments and therapy for sick and disabled children, was chosen by Stephen’s partner, Andrew Cowles to receive donations instead of flowers following his death.

Since the announcement, the Charity has received over £22,000 in donations from fans, friends and well wishers of the star. Every penny of the money received will be used to pay for donations to children living in the UK.

As a couple, Stephen and Andrew had attended numerous events in support of the Charity and Stephen had been officially named as a Goodwill Ambassador last year in recognition of the work he had done.

The singer, who tragically died while on holiday in Majorca, was also a close personal friend of the Charity’s founder, philanthropist John Caudwell and partner, Claire.

The Charity is now in talks about a potential memorial for the singer and has confirmed that he will remain a Goodwill Ambassador for the Charity in memory of his work.

Mrs Beswick continued: “My heartfelt thanks go to everyone, right across the World, who has sent a message of support or donation to the Charity. It is a fitting tribute to a remarkable man.”

For more information about the work of Caudwell Children visit www.caudwellchildren.com or telephone 0845 300 1348.

LTTS Exclusive - The 2009 ChildLine Ball

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Richard Barker

I joined the ex-King of the Jungle Christopher Biggins Thursday night as he hosted the “I’m a Celebrity…” ChildLine Ball, a unique event that raised £265,000 for ChildLine.

Other “I’m a Celebrity” stars in attendance included Esther Rantzen, ex-King Joe Swash, Carly Zucker and David Van Day. A champagne reception was followed by a three course dinner and a live bush tucker trial.

During the auction, guests made bids for a first class trip to France to experience a flight in a Breitling fighter jet by French ex-military display pilots, and Season 10’s Big Brother Diary Room chair. Other prizes included escapes to South Africa, Egypt and Greece as well as weekend breaks, a luxury cruise and a private yacht for a day.

This year, the event was sponsored by Character Options Ltd, Hasbro UK Ltd, Bandai UK Ltd and MGA Entertainment.

ChildLine founder and president Esther Rantzen CBE said: "What a brilliant night! It brought back fond memories of our ordeal in the jungle, and we are thrilled that it raised so money for ChildLine. We would like to thank all the sponsors for their generous donations. ChildLine is a vital service for desperate children who have nowhere else to go. It has provided trusted and confidential support for lonely and isolated young people for 23 years saving precious young lives and protecting children from pain.

“While the 0800 1111 telephone number remains a lifeline for children, we have just opened a new ChildLine online counselling service which will give children even more choice in how they seek help. Once again, thank you so much for all your support.”

Dan Gopal, Chairman of the ChildLine Ball Committee said: “We are delighted that the ball raised so much money for ChildLine while entertaining all our guests at the same time. The night was a huge success and we are extremely grateful for all the support we got from our sponsors, table hosts and guests. The entire committee and ChildLine invest so much time into making the ball such an amazing event, and I hope all of our guests will agree it was a triumphant success!.”

Since 1986 ChildLine has provided a vital service for desperate children with nowhere else to turn. All funds raised from the ball will benefit the NSPCC’s Child’s Voice Appeal, which will help ChildLine answer more calls from children and young people worried about any problem.

Here are some facts about ChildLine and the Child’s Voice Appeal:
ChildLine is the UK’s free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people, with trained volunteer counsellors available to comfort, advise and protect. In February 2006, ChildLine formally joined with the NSPCC in a move that will ensure even stronger services and a more influential voice for children of all ages. The ChildLine service, now one of the NSPCC’s listening services, still has the same well known telephone number – 0800 1111 – and children and young people can still call 24 hours a day and receive the same crucial service.

The Child’s Voice Appeal aims to raise £50m so that the NSPCC’s vital helplines can answer many more cries for help. To date the appeal has raised £18.1m. The funds will mean that ChildLine’s volunteers can counsel 500,000 more calls every year; children will be able to choose how they access ChildLine’s help – by phone, online or by text; the NSPCC Helpline can grow by over 60% to counsel 18,000 more adults a year who have concerns about a child; and counsellors can provide personalised help by email to nearly five times as many concerned adults. For more information visit www.childsvoiceappeal.org.uk.

Madonna In Malawi For New Girl's School

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Madonna is in Malawi to lay the foundation stone of a new girls’ school she is building with her charity, Raising Malawi.

“Our vision for the school is to empower girls to become Malawi’s future leaders,” blogged the singer on the charity’s website. "Our goal is to teach them to challenge themselves, serve their local communities and develop their country. We created this vision in partnership with the local Malawian Ministry of Education, and other educational experts from Malawi, Sub-Sharan African and elsewhere around the world.

“We are developing and using innovative educational approaches, cutting-edge architectural design methods, and other modern technologies, which we hope, will become a replicable model for girls secondary school education.”

The school is expected to cost $15 million, and the cause is close to Madonna’s heart. She is a member of Raising Malawi’s Advisory Committee, and helps with the volunteer organisation’s mission to help orphans by providing water, food, medical care and schooling.

“Research proves that young girls throughout the developing world are often left without opportunities to receive a comprehensive education and the benefits that education can provide,” she wrote. "It’s an honor for me to be able to help as many of these girls as I can achieve their dreams.

“I’m also incredibly proud of all the projects Raising Malawi is involved in and I look forward to visiting a number of them during my visit.”

Madonna will also meet President Bingu wa Mutharika during her trip. The ceremony will take place on Monday, October 26 at 3:00 p.m. on the future site of the Academy.

Charlize Theron Kisses For Charity Cash

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

ONEXONE, the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, hosted their 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron, Jeremy Piven, Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, David Arquette, Mia Hamm, Nomar Garciaparra, Laila Ali and more helped raise funds and awareness for charitable causes.

The evening featured keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America, along with a special headline performance from Snow Patrol. Additional entertainment included performances by Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, Spencer Day, the local jazz vocalist from San Francisco, and Ethan Bortnick, the 8-year old pianist and composer who wrote his own song “It’s For the Kids” in honor of the event. ONEXONE also welcomed back Jay Bilas for his second year as Master of Ceremonies.

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron, on behalf of the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, and 2-time World Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Mia Hamm also announced the latest initiative “Home Field Advantage” in partnership with ONEXONE and Academy Award-winner Matt Damon which will bring soccer fields and clean water to the children of South Africa by 2010. The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and the ONEXONE Foundation will work together on this initiative to bolster impoverished rural South African communities with plans to break ground by the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The highlight of the evening came during the live auction when Charlize Theron helped auction off a two-week trip to South Africa for the World Cup plus a kiss from her for $140,000. Jeremy Piven also jumped onstage during the live auction and encouraged two guests to bid $140,000 each for a walk-on roll on the hit HBO show “Entourage” for a total of $280,000.

“The night was a huge success and we’d like to thank the generous people of San Francisco for their continued support,” said Marc Joubert, President of ONEXONE U.S.

The ONEXONE event in San Francisco focuses not only on raising funds and awareness for the issues, but also on producing a top-notch show that entertains and educates the audience at the same time. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle Berdugo Adler, and has raised more than $9 million for children around the world since that time.

Dannii Minogue To Turn On Harrods Lights For Charity

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

X Factor judge Dannii Minogue is set to switch on the Harrods Christmas lights for charity this year.

The world-famous department store will be transformed into the Emerald City to celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Wizard Of Oz, and is hoping to raise £300,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital to fund three bedrooms in the new kidney unit.

“The Wizard Of Oz is one of my favorite movies, so I will click my heels together three times and see you there,” said Minogue. “It’s always a treat to be able to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity – this year will be magical with the transformation of Harrods into the Emerald City.”

Customers can join in the fun and make donations by clicking here. Dannii Minogue will flick the switch at 5pm on October 29 in London.

Stars Flock To T-Shirt Launch For Invisible Children

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

GUESS and Vanity Fair Magazine unveiled special edition organic men’s T-shirts and women’s tank tops to benefit education and economic rebuilding in the war-ravaged African nation of Uganda last Thursday, October 21.

Held at the GUESS store in Beverly Hills, the event was hosted by Kristen Bell, Rachel Bilson and Peter Wentz and attracted stars such as AnnaLynne McCord, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, Rick Foxx, Chris Lowell, Shenae Grimes, Stephanie Jacobsen, Jeff Probst and many others.

The shirts are now available for purchase in all U.S. Guess stores and online at Guess.com. 100% of the proceeds from shirt sales will benefit Invisible Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting youth education and economic development in war-torn regions of Central East Africa.

Invisible Children was created by Jason Russell, Laren Poole and Bobby Bailey – who also attended Thursday’s event – after the release of their 2004 film “Invisible Children: Rough Cut,” a revealing documentary about the child soldiers of Northern Uganda. GUESS first partnered with the organization back in October 2006, when the daughters of Maurice Marciano, Olivia, 16 and Caroline, 18, were inspired to become involved in the noteworthy cause after seeing the filmmakers on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

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.

Carrie Ann Inaba iParticipates At Food Bank

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

ABC’s Dancing with the Stars judge and iParticipate celebrity ambassador Carrie Ann Inaba donated her time – along with 50-plus volunteers – for a day of service at the Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas on Wednesday, October 21.

The event was part of the iParticipate initiative that Look To The Stars reported on earlier this week, in which celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Blythe Danner, Morgan Freeman, Faith Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Simon Baker (CBS’ The Mentalist), Emily Deschanel (FOX’s Bones), Eva Longoria Parker (ABC’s Desperate Housewives), Julia Louis Dreyfus (CBS’ The New Adventures of Old Christine), Masi Oka (NBC’s Heroes), Michael Strahan (FOX’s Brothers), Kate Walsh (ABC’s Private Practice) and Rainn Wilson (NBC’s The Office) have joined with the Entertainment Industry Foundation to encourage people to volunteer for good causes.   

Inaba joined her fellow volunteers in sorting and packaging food for distribution to needy residents of Southern Nevada. Three Square is the only food bank in Las Vegas and prepares more than 8 million meals annually for underprivileged families.

The photo shows iParticipate celebrity ambassador Carrie Ann Inaba, center, and UnitedHealthcare employees Brian Elkjer, left, and Jay Sivasailam at the Three Square food bank in North Las Vegas during the event.

Barry Manilow To Play Concerts For 25 Charities

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Barry Manilow fans listen up: the man himself will be performing in a series of charity concerts in California at the end of the year!

Manilow will perform 5 concerts at McCallum Theatre in Palm Springs in December, with each show benefiting five different charities.

“Being able to give back to my hometown, both in song and charitable support, makes this concert series a very personal and special event for me,” said Manilow. “The 25 recipient charities are invaluable to the Palm Springs community, so extending the holiday spirit of giving to these nonprofit organizations is really a special treat.”

Charities bebefiting from the shows include ACT for MS, Angel View Crippled Children’s Foundation, Animal Samaritans, Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS of the Desert), Boys & Girls Club of the Coachella Valley, Desert AIDS Project, Desert Arc, Desert Samaritans for the Elderly, Desert Paws, FIND Food Bank, Inc., Gilda’s Club Desert Cities California, Guide Dogs of the Desert, Healthy Family Foundation: The Ophelia Project, Joslyn Senior Center, Mourning Star Center, Olive Crest, One Heartland, Pegasus Riding Academy for the Handicapped, Shelter From The Storm, Stroke Recovery Center, Temple Isaiah Fund, The Living Desert, United Cerebral Palsy – Inland Empire, and Variety Club of the Desert.

Tickets will be available by clicking here from October 26. More information can be found here.

LTTS Exclusive - The 2009 Noble Awards

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Michelle Vink

I had the honor of attending “The Noble Awards” on their first annual show honoring charities and their celebrity supporters.

On Sunday, October 18th at The Beverly Hilton, “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush hosted the premiere of this special event honoring Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and a list of celebrity honorees from Brett Ratner to Teri Hatcher.

Guests were treated to live performances from names like Brian McKnight and Benji Madden and the famed 8-year-old piano prodigy, Emily Bear. The night was supported with a star-studded cast of performers, honorees and guests that all believe in using the power of their voice in the name of philanthropy and charity. No detail was too small for this event. The award sculpture itself was the vision of Antonio Banderas and came to life at The Art of Elysium workshop with personal touches from the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.

The Noble Awards was an inaugural awards show that launched the beginning of a perennial movement that will encourage each and every person to give back and take action in the world today.

Each year they will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. Some of this year honorees included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner for DoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds for Stand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children. It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital. A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication. Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much. The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

I was lucky enough to experience the vision of the Founder/Executive Producer, Janeen Mansour, prior to the event and watch it develop from an idea to a reality.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them," she said. "Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

The Noble Awards are a testament to what Hollywood can achieve when it uses its voice to celebrate positive change. This event showcased just a few of the many celebrities and individuals dedicated to making a difference in the world today. It is my hope that it will serve as an inspiration to others to get involved in their charity, community or cause that has meaning to them. Being a volunteer takes less time than your yoga class and can cost you less money than your Latte. But the experience will stay with you a lifetime.

To the children, the volunteers, the unnamed angels, the celebrities, the founders, the team behind this event and to all of the people that donate their time and passion to making a difference on a daily basis, this celebrates you.

Jamie Lee Curtis To Celebrate A Dream Halloween For Charity

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0000

The Children Affected by AIDS Foundation will hold its annual Dream Halloween event in LA this week, and Jamie Lee Curtis will be there to celebrate.

The 16th annual event will be held at the Santa Monica Air Center on October 24, and will feature a whole bunch of your favorite stars – including Jason Priestley, Doris Roberts and Melina Kanakaredes – in weird, whacky, and hopefully scary costumes as they celebrate the season to be frightened.

There will also be a special auction, featuring shoes worn by Candice Wiggins of the Minnesota Lynx and much more.

“World-wide there are more than two million children living with HIV and an additional 15 million who have been orphaned due to AIDS,“ said Joe Cristina, founder of CAAF. “Events like Dream Halloween Los Angeles allow us to raise critical funds to support these children in need. Our gracious sponsors, event attendees, performers and volunteers have helped us to raise more than $30 million since our inception in 1993.”

To find out more about this event, go to the CAAF website.

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