Look To The Stars News: At-Risk/Disadvantaged Youths

Thirty Years Of Prince's Trust

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 13:49:31 +0000

Celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan and Joseph Fiennes will join the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Prince's Trust.

The Celebrate Success Awards will be handed out today in recognition of exceptional achievements of young people, and as thanks to those who support young people and help them towards a positive future.

Olympic Charity

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 21:47:00 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Olympic athletes are helping children around the world through generous donations to Right To Play.

Gold medal winner Clara Hughes has pledged to give $10,000, all that she has in her savings account, to help the disadvantaged children that Right To Play supports.

Joey Cheek has donated the winnings from his two medals, a gold and a silver, totalling $40,000.

Cheek’s generosity inspired Yang Yang to donate the $10,000 prize from her bronze medal.

Winslet To Act As Patron Of Family Charity

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 11:08:52 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Kate Winslet has agreed to be the patron of small UK charity The Family Haven, which helps vulnerable families by providing services ranging from a nursery to counselling and parenting classes.

Winslet’s own daughter Mia is now 5 years old, and the charity helps less fortunate families on her doorstep. The actress said, “I am happy to support a local charity and to see so many families benefiting from the charity’s commitment and involvement.”

Ozzy Headlines Prince Charles Charity Gig

Sun, 21 May 2006 10:44:28 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

An all-star music concert was held in London yesterday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Prince's Trust charity.

Leading the line-up was veteran rocker Ozzy Osbourne, and other music acts included the Bee Gees, Lionel Richie, Annie Lennox, Ronan Keating, Pink and Embrace. Illusionist David Blaine also appeared.

Thanks to the Prince’s position, the 2000-strong audience was able to enjoy the concert in a unique setting: the grounds of the Tower of London.

The Prince's Trust helps disadvantaged children reach their potential.

Jackie Chan Meets UNICEF Painting Competition Winner

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 11:27:00 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Action star and UNICEF Ambassador Jackie Chan took time out of his hectic schedule to visit with the winner of the 2006 UNEP International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment.

The winner, Lau Tsun Ming (age 9) from China, said: "My "picture “:http://www.jackiechan.com/news_view?cid=371 shows two contrasting scenes of Earth. One is desertified and the other can keep its natural beauty. If people continue to ruin the environment, our surroundings will become dull and nasty.”

As environmental protection is very important to Chan, he was pleased to see that children are also concerned about taking care of the planet.

Children in the U.S. have been brightening Chan’s year with the Build a School for a Dollar Campaign.

In July, Chan toured poverty stricken areas of the Guizhou Province to visit more than a dozen schools built by his Dragon's Heart Charity. During his travels he delivered warm coats and school supplies, led an auction which generated over $125,000, visited a rehabilitation center, and met with business associates to plan future philanthropic missions.

After reading about Jackie’s efforts to help poor children in remote areas of China, many kids wrote to him asking how they could help. Jackie’s Kids Corner shows how kids have started helping by drawing pictures of a school using a dollar bill as the centerpiece.

It costs only $9 a year to send a poor child to school in China.

Priceless Piano on Auction at the David Foster and Friends Charity Gala

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:44:29 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Over 60 superstars have signed David Foster's one-of-a-kind Yamaha grand piano, which will be auctioned live and via the internet during the 2006 David Foster and Friends Gala.

The piano has been used in dozens of major performances including shows in Las Vegas, a recent performance at David’s home by Barbra Streisand, Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night to benefit the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, and Andre Agassi's Grand Slam for Children benefitting underprivileged and abused children through the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation.

Some of the celebrities who have signed the piano are Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Sting, Tim McGraw, Robin Williams and Donald Trump.

Foster says, “My favourite songs have been performed on this piano by the original artists. It has been with us for some truly great events at some spectacular venues. I am thrilled that its legacy will help improve the lives of families and children in need.”

The piano will be on public display at the River Rock Casino Resort in Vancouver until September 10, the night of the gala. All proceeds go the the David Foster Foundation and will benefit families of children in need of organ transplants.

Eminem Designs Shoes For Charities

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 19:39:55 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Eminem has created eight different looks for 64 pairs of limited edition Nike Air Max to be auctioned for charity.

The multi-platinum rapper’s own charity, the Marshall Mathers Foundation, and ninemillion.org will benefit from the auction of the numbered and autographed sneakers.

Ninemillion.org aids refugees around the world, and the Marshall Mathers Foundation helps disadvantaged youth in Eminem’s home state of Michigan. All proceeds will be split evenly between the two charities.

“We’re always looking for new ways to try to raise money and awareness for the foundation, so when Nike approached us we jumped at the chance,” explained Eminem. “When we got the info on ninemillion.org, it made even more sense. Who wouldn’t want to design their own line of Nikes? And to do it for charity makes it that much better.”

The shoes will be available for bidding on eBay and at select Nike stores over a period of four weeks, beginning with an event at NikeTown London on August 31.

Brooke Shields Helps Launch Million Toy Drive

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 07:54:50 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

In its annual preparation for the Christmas season, US charity Toys for Tots has found a powerful ally in Toys “R” Us and a vocal supporter in actress Brooke Shields.

The retailer launched its Million Toy Drive on November 3rd, aiming to raise $4 million through in-store and online donations and to collect one million toys in retail locations across the country. All money and toy donations received in Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores will help needy children in the local communities where the donations are made.

Brooke Shields helped to launch the initiative, saying, "As a mom of two small children, it breaks my heart that so many kids go without even one toy at Christmas time.

“By working with Toys ‘R’ Us and Toys for Tots, I hope to encourage parents to teach their kids about the importance of giving back to their communities, while motivating everyone who can to make a donation to this incredibly worthy cause.”

Toys “R” Us customers may donate a new, unwrapped toy at any Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us store across the US until Wednesday, November 22nd. To ensure the company reaches its toy drive goal, Toys “R” Us will match each donation, toy for toy, up to one million toys.

Since its inception in 1947, Toys for Tots has touched the lives of more than 160 million children nationwide by ensuring America’s neediest children have a present to unwrap on Christmas morning.

The Magnitude of Fortitude - When Parkinson’s Patients Feel Their Lives Are Crumbling, The HollyRod Foundation Provides Stability

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:08:00 +0000

Written by Jill Marie Elliott

It is a tremor that will send shockwaves through nearly 60,000 families in the U.S. this year. However, it will not be registering on the Richter scale; the shift in their world will be caused by the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. They will join the estimated 1.5 million afflicted Americans, along with their loved ones, who feel the reverberations of a disorder that leaves physical destruction, emotional devastation and financial ruin in its wake. Out of this rubble, a resolve emerges to research and fund a cure amongst the chaos.

For many, the first rumblings of Parkinson’s Disease are noticed in slurred speech, muscle stiffness, a shuffling gait; for actress Holly Robinson-Peete, it was noticing her dad walking with a limp while dropping her off at college in 1982. Upon returning home for Christmas of that year, Holly was told of his Bell’s Palsy, a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. At the age of 46, this was the onset of his diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease.

His name may not sound familiar, however many know Matt Robinson as the man who swept our cares away. His role playing the original Gordon on Sesame Street endeared us to this gentleman who would go on to write and produce for some of televisions best-loved comedies, including Sanford & Son, Eight is Enough, and The Cosby Show.

“When my father got sick, our whole world fell apart,” expressed Holly in a 2002 iParenting.com interview.

Even though Matthew had a successful career in the entertainment business, there was a substantial financial strain created by the medical needs of the disease. Fortunately Holly and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and the rest of Matthew’s supportive family alleviated that stress. Moved by so many patients they encountered who did go without the physical, emotional and financial support, the Beverly Hills humanitarian husband and wife team were determined to create an organization that dealt straight-on with these issues. The HollyRod Foundation for Help and Hope was founded in 1997 in honor of Matthew T. Robinson, Sr.

The HollyRod Foundation joined forces in 2002 with the Center for Parkinson’s Research and Movement Disorders at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, in establishing The HollyRod Compassionate Care Program. This partnership enables HollyRod to provide individual patients with financial and medical assistance, along with other services and care as needed.

HollyRod is a lightning rod for charitable celebrities. The foundation presents two annual phenomenal fundraisers to raise money and awareness throughout the year. The star-studded DesignCure and Gridiron Glamour Celebrity Fashion Show & Brunch feature haute ensembles and cool entertainment!

Decked out in dynamic fashion designs from ESCADA, models took to the catwalk, delighting DesignCure 2006 invited guests such as Chris Rock, Star Jones Reynolds, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Angie Harmon and Samuel L. Jackson. The auction this year included a set of three guitars autographed by members of U2, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin! Boxing legend and three-time host of DesignCure Sugar Ray Leonard had the distinction of joining former honoree, famed fighter Muhammad Ali,
when he was presented with the HollyRod Foundation Humanitarian Award for his knockout charitable efforts. The summer evening ended on a high-note with a musical performance by Grammy winner Jill Scott. In its eight years of existence, DesignCure has raised over one million dollars.

The Gridiron Glamour fundraiser fuses fashion & football together in an event held during Super Bowl week. In the past, the event has showcased the top fashion designs from Saks Fifth Avenue couture collection. The hottest trends & threads were worn by a team that included supermodel and hostess Niki Taylor, singing sensations Patti LaBelle, Kelly Rowland and Marc Anthony, sport stars Rick Fox, Serena Williams and Jason Sehorn and Hollywood personalities Daisy Fuentes, Nancy O'Dell & Carmen Electra!

The 2007 Gridiron Glamour Celebrity Fashion Show & Brunch will be held in Miami, Florida on February 3rd. In addition to money raised for the HollyRod Foundation, the fundraiser bestows a non-profit organization in each Super Bowl city to serve as local beneficiary of the event. The 2007 recipient is The Honey Shine Foundation, a non-profit mentoring program providing positive experiences that nurture the mind, body and soul of girls 6 to 18 years old in at-risk situations.

Mr. Robinson passed away from Parkinson’s Disease in August 2002, twenty years after being diagnosed. His spirit lives on in HollyRod’s ever-strengthening commitment to fostering help & hope to Parkinson’s patients, and their families and caregivers.

That’s one wave of compassion we can all roll with.

The Hollywood Cookbook Launch Party

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 20:32:59 +0000

Written by Charles Harder

Stars and food converged at Kitchen Academy in Hollywood last night for a party launching The Hollywood Cookbook — a beautiful 271-page hardcover collection of sumptuous recipes, each accompanied by a large photo, from the personal kitchens of 20 celebrities and 6 world-class chefs. Five dollars from each purchase benefits 20 important charities dear to the hearts of the celebrity contributors.

The cookbook covers the spectrum of food and beverage, from appetizers, soups and salads, to main courses, desserts, and even cocktails. Michael J. Fox's Barn Dance Chicken, and Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford's Savory Fall Stew are just two of the 107 creative and simple dishes that can be duplicated in any kitchen regardless of culinary skill level. Chefs Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Joachim Splichal, Nick Stellino, Michael Cimarusti and Rocco DiSpirito also contributed recipes to the book.

At the event, the students of Kitchen Academy prepared and served 20 recipes featured in the cookbook, each one tastier than the last. This reporter’s favorite: Door Knob Sweet Potato Balls (an appetizer) from designer Paige Hemmis of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Yum!

Chef Jamie Gwen’s movie-star looks and talk-show host’s presence kept attendees laughing and entertained as the event’s emcee. The evening included a cooking demonstration by actor Greg Grunberg, and an informal awards ceremony. Eric Close of TV’s Without a Trace gave a heartfelt tribute to his charity, Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, which pairs abused children with rescued horses and adult leaders at 24 wilderness ranches around the U.S. and Canada, to help restore the heart, soul, mind and strength of the kids.

Written by screenwriter Jackie Zabel and actress Morgan Most, and published by Silverback Books, The Hollywood Cookbook is a perfect holiday gift (retails for $35, but presently is featured at Amazon.com for only $23). The event was co-sponsored by Maurice Le Croix Swiss Watches and The Kitchen Academy.

Celebrities & Charities: Thora Birch (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation), Michael Chiklis (The Children's Lifesaving Foundation), Eric Close (Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch), Mark Dacascos (Reel Angels), James Denton (Cure Autism Now), Michael J. Fox & Tracy Pollan (The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research), Afton Fraser & Brendan Fraser (P.S. ARTS), Greg Grunberg (Pediatric Epilepsy Project), Anne Hathaway (Lollipop Theater Network), Paige Hemmis (Habitat For Humanity), Ron Howard (Boys' and Girls' Clubs of America), Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford (Clothes Off Our Back), Esai Morales (TreePeople), Don Most (City of Hope), Bob Saget (Scleroderma Research Foundation), Marlo Thomas (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital), Kerry Washington (Step Up), Treat Williams (Save the Children), Alicia Witt (The Art of Elysium), and Kelly Wolf & Scott Wolf (Camp Heartland).

"Modfather" Paul Weller Launches Guitar Campaign

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 12:21:00 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Former Jam singer Paul Weller has launched a campaign to build giant guitars for charity.

The Gibson GuitarTown exhibition will build 30 guitar sculptures across London by next summer, ready for 12 weeks of display beginning on 1st June 2007. Each sculpture will be designed and endorsed by famous musicians, including Queen guitarist Brian May.

All 30 Gibson Les Paul guitars will later be auctioned off for The Prince's Trust, Nordoff Robbins and the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Speaking about the campaign, Weller said: “I am proud to be associated with the Gibson GuitarTown London campaign as it combines my passion and appreciation for the guitar, whilst raising money and awareness for three very worthy and deserving charities.”

[Update: the website for the campaign is www.londonguitartown.com]

Iconic Eveningwear Up For Auction

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 23:25:21 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Trademark pieces worn by two of film’s most famous characters are to be auctioned off for charity in the first half of December.

British auctioneers Christie’s will sell the classic black dress worn by Audrey Hepburn's character, Holly Golightly, in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and a live auction for UK charity ChildLine will feature the tuxedo worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale.

Hepburn’s Givenchy dress will sell as part of Christie’s annual film and entertainment sale in London on the 5th of December. The lot is expected to raise £50,000-£70,000 (around $99,000-$140,000) for underprivileged children in India through the City of Joy Aid charity.

Hepburn’s wardrobe for the film was designed by Hubert de Givenchy, and the renowned designer has donated key pieces from his collection to raise money for disadvantaged children around the world in an attempt to continue the spirit of Audrey Hepburn’s work for UNICEF.

The famous black dress was given to Monsieur and Madame Lapierre to raise money for their City of Joy Aid charity. A meeting with Mother Theresa prompted the Lapierres to found the charity in 1981, which helps the poorest of the poor through a network of clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers and hospital boats.

The dress is currently available for viewing at Christie’s in London.

Daniel Craig’s dinner suit was donated to ChildLine, which is marking its 20th anniversary by auctioning off over 30 prizes, including a part in Desperate Housewives, lyrics for the hit song Angels handwritten and signed by Robbie Williams, and a signed Michael Schumacher limited edition print. The live auction will take place at the ChildLine Ball on Saturday 9 December, though fax and email bids can be made up until 7th of December.

ChildLine is striving to raise £20m (around $40m) to extend by 1,000 the 2,500 children it currently helps each day. The charity has brought abusers to justice, and has helped nearly two million children through counselling and support.

Hepburn Dress Nets £467,200 ($914,000) For Charity

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 21:33:21 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

The winning bid for Audrey Hepburn's “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” dress surpassed all expectations and resulted in a windfall for charity City of Joy Aid.

UK auctioneers Christie’s had forecast a sale price of £50,000-£70,000 ($98,000-$137,000) for the trademark black dress, but the final sum of £467,200 ($914,000) has set a new world record for a dress made for a film.

Designer Hubert de Givenchy donated the dress from his own collection to City of Joy Aid founder Monsieur Dominic Lapierre, for the purpose of raising funds for the charity at sale.

Lapierre said, “There are tears in my eyes. I am absolutely dumbfounded to believe that a piece of cloth which belonged to such a magical actress will now enable me to buy bricks and cement to put the most destitute children in the world into schools.”

Matthew McConaughey’s Name Means Big Money

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:08:11 +0000

Written by Jill Marie Elliott

Actor Matthew McConaughey is helping make Gulf Coast holiday dreams come true. He is lending his name to Communities In Schools of New Orleans, Inc. for an ebay.com charity auction benefiting the organization.

Winning bidder will receive the following autographed items:

Signed Cover of People Magazine with Matt as “Sexiest Man Alive”
Signed Failure to Launch Movie Poster
Signed Failure to Launch DVD
Signed J.K. Livin T-shirt
Signed J.K. Livin Wristband
Signed J.K. Livin Sticker
Signed J.K. Livin Coozie

The mission of Communities In Schools of New Orleans is to champion the connection of needed community resources with public schools in New Orleans to help young people learn, stay in school, and prepare for life.

The current bid at press time was $1,025. The auction runs through December 21st, 18:00 PST.

To make your bid or check status on the auction, click here.

2007 Princess Diana Charity Concert Sells Out - For Now

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 20:24:10 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Earlier this month, Princes William and Harry announced that they would hold a charity concert in 2007 to commemorate what would have been their mother’s 46th birthday. Taking place at London’s famous Wembley football stadium, all available tickets for the concert have now sold out.

Performers including Elton John, singer Joss Stone, Diana’s favourite band Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry, the English National Ballet, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams will appear at the event on 1st July.

Speaking for himself and his brother, Prince William said, “We both wanted to put our stamp on it. We want it to represent exactly what our mother would have wanted.”

Proceeds from the concert will benefit a number of charities that received support from the princess during her life, and two of the princes’ own charities, Centrepoint and Sentebale.

Sir Elton John said: "I applaud Princes William and Harry for choosing to honour their mother with this concert. I am absolutely thrilled to be performing at this great event.

“Diana was a personal friend and someone I greatly admired for her tireless and enthusiastic work for charity.”

More tickets for the event are expected to be released in 2007, and will be available from www.concertfordiana.com.

Kevin Bacon Launches “SixDegrees.org”

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:02:12 +0000

Kevin Bacon has launched SixDegrees.org, a new web site that builds on the popularity of the “small world phenomenon” to create a charitable social network and inspire giving to charities online.

Bacon started the network with celebrities who are highlighting their favorite charities – including Kyra Sedgwick (Natural Resources Defense Council), Nicole Kidman (UNIFEM), Ashley Judd (YouthAIDS), Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek (Clothes Off Our Back), Dana Delany (Scleroderma Research Foundation), Robert Duvall (Pro Mujer), Rosie O'Donnell (Rosie's For All Kids Foundation), and Jessica Simpson (Operation Smile) – and he encouraged everyone to be celebrities for their own causes by joining the Six Degrees movement.

“SixDegrees.org is about using the idea that we are all connected to accomplish something good,” said Bacon. “It is my hope that Six Degrees will soon be something more than a game or a gimmick. It will also be a force for good, by bringing a social conscience to social networking.”

The game, ‘Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,’ made the rounds of college campuses over the past decade and lived on to be a shorthand term for the small world phenomenon.

Bacon created SixDegrees.org in partnership with the nonprofit, Network for Good, AOL, and Entertainment Weekly. Through SixDegrees.org, which builds on Network for Good’s giving system for donating to more than one million charities online and AOL’s AIM Pages social networking service, people can learn about and support the charities of celebrities or fundraise for their own favorite causes with their own friends and families. Bacon will match the charitable dollars raised by the top six non-celebrity fundraisers with grants of up to $10,000 each.

“People give to charity because someone they know or respect asks them. So charities are increasingly looking to their supporters – not just themselves – to raise awareness and money online. That means both celebrities and everyday people can make an enormous difference for people in need,” said Bill Strathmann, CEO of Network for Good.

SixDegrees.org harnesses two important online trends: the exponential growth of social networks and the increasing interest in using the web for raising money for charity among family and friends. Through SixDegrees.org, people can upload their own photos and stories and fundraise for the charity of their choice with their own charity badges and AIM Pages.

To kick off the launch of SixDegrees.org, Bacon will attend opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT, where he and other celebrities will be encouraging charitable giving. Entertainment Weekly is celebrating SixDegrees.org and Kevin Bacon at its third annual Sundance Festival Opening Weekend Party on January 20 at Jean Louis in Park City. At the party, guests will be able to learn more about SixDegrees.org and celebrities will be encouraged to donate their “swag” to benefit charity. Items will later be listed on eBay using eBay Giving Works.

There will also be a representative from SixDegrees.org in Entertainment Weekly’s Main Street photo studio throughout the week so that when celebrities come to be photographed for the magazine, they can learn more about the organization and find out how they can get involved. Bacon will also be feted at an AOL reception where he will tape an episode of Moviefone.com’s Unscripted with Bradley Whitford, a SixDegrees.org participant and star of “An American Crime” premiering at Sundance.

“AIM Pages and Six Degrees are the perfect pairing as the immense popularity of social networking and the importance of individual giving converge. We look forward to building an important network of good-deed-doers via AIM Pages to benefit the scores of charities associated with Six Degrees,” according to Marcien Jenckes, VP/GM, Instant Messaging & Social Media, AOL.

Alicia Keys Offers Scholarships

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:23:38 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Alicia Keys is showing her dedication to educational causes by offering scholarships of $5,000 to four students in need of financial assistance.

“We’re just looking for standout students who are definitely college-bound and need a little bit of help financially to really achieve their dreams,” Keys said.

Students from four cities, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Atlanta and New York City’s Harlem neighborhood will be selected to receive the funds.

The scholarships are given through the Open Doors Scholars Program, part of Frum Tha Ground Up, a charity started by Keys’ road manager, D.J. Walton. Keys is a member of the charity’s board.

For more information or to apply, visit www.OpenDoorScholarship.com. Applications must be postmarked March 1 or earlier. Frum Tha Ground Up’s selection committee will decide the four winners and notify them by mid-May. Only the first 200 applicants will be considered.

Jamie Oliver Gives Recipe to Prince

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:02:17 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has offered the Prince of Wales the use of one of his recipes for charity.

The recently-created gingerbread recipe may become part of Prince Charles' Duchy Originals range of foods, the profits from which go directly to the Prince's Trust charity.

Oliver made the offer at a reception hosted by the prince at Clarence House for the cooks and headteachers of 60 schools. The event aimed to stress the importance of giving pupils healthy meals — the topic of Oliver’s “Jamie’s School Dinners” TV show and associated campaign.

The UK government have pledged to improve school meals following the campaign, and Oliver said, “In a a year or so we will review what’s happened.”

“We will study where the money’s gone. As usual with politics there’s a lot of detail involved. It has captured the public’s imagination and lots of good stuff’s happened.”

Idol Gives Back $60m

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 19:25:00 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Fox has announced that $60m has been raised so far by the two-night “Idol Gives Back” special, with donations continuing to flow in.

Viewers cast over 70 million votes following Tuesday night’s performances; Fox’s parent company News Corporation had pledged 10 cents for each of the first 50 million votes, and its donation was matched by AllState and ExxonMobil. Further corporate donations came from Ford, Coca-Cola, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, ConAgra Foods and AT&T.

During a two-hour results show on Wednesday, viewers pledged money via a toll-free number and Idol’s website, while host Ellen DeGeneres gave $100,000 and judge Simon Cowell made a “significant six-figure donation”.

Celebrities pre-recorded appeals for donations, including Madonna, who was in Malawi, and Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, who was in Uganda where he filmed “The Last King of Scotland.”

U2's Bono also sent a pre-recorded message, saying, “People say you can’t be the generation that ends brutal, stupid poverty, but we can and we will,”

The money raised will be administered by the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF), a new charity aiming to battle extreme poverty in America and Africa.

In Africa, the Fund will use the Idol money to support The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Malaria No More, Nothing But Nets, Save the Children, and The U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

In America, CPEF will use the money to boost Save the Children, Feeding America, Boys' and Girls' Clubs of America, and Children's Health Fund.

Mark Shriver, VP of U.S. programs for Save the Children, told Reuters, “They took a risk by using their show to raise issues of poverty and asking people to contribute, and that is a huge accomplishment. The American Idol format is hugely successful and they introduced starving, dying children in Africa and children struggling with poverty in the United States, and brought that to prime time television.”

Fans can still contribute directly via the Idol website, or visit the iTunes Store to buy for-charity recordings of the night’s performances by the contestants and celebrities including Céline Dion, Josh Groban, Annie Lennox, Earth Wind & Fire, and Il Divo.

Oprah Tops Celebrity Philanthropy A-List

Sat, 12 May 2007 08:24:00 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

A list of the 30 largest public donations made by celebrities in the past year puts Oprah in the top spot.

The Giving Back Fund, which encourages and advises on celebrity philanthropy, compiles its list each year. President Marc Pollick said, “Encouragement-by-example is the main reason for the Giving Back 30 list.”

Oprah gave $58.3 million to Oprah's Angel Network and her recently-opened Leadership Academy.

Of the other celebrities high on the list, Barbra Streisand was in fourth spot, having given $11.75 million through her Streisand Foundation.

Tiger Woods took fifth place, giving $9.5 million to organisations including the Tiger Woods Learning Center funded by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Giving Back’s Marc Pollick praised an increasing trend in celebrity donations, saying, “Ten years ago when Slate magazine first published the Slate 60 reporting on the most generous American philanthropists, the last donor on their list gave $5 million. This year the last donor donated $30 million to charity. This is the type of growth we are hoping to inspire within the sports and entertainment community. One cannot help but be influenced by the generosity of his or her peers.”

The full list and information about how it was compiled can be found at givingback.org. This site has previously reported on many of the list’s featured celebrities and their donations; a comprehensively linked version of the list appears below:

Position	Celebrity	Donation	Cause(s)
1	Oprah Winfrey	$58,300,000	Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, Oprah's Angel Network, and other groups
2	Geoffrey Beene	$44,000,000 (bequest)	Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
3	Jack and Marie Lord	$40,000,000 (bequest)	Hawaii Community Foundation
4	Barbra Streisand	$11,750,000	Streisand Foundation, numerous civil liberties, environmental, and civil rights organizations “dedicated to democratic values”
5	Tiger Woods	$9,500,000	Tiger Woods Learning Center, Earl D. Woods Sr. Scholarship Fund, and other Tiger Woods Foundation programs
6	Rosie O'Donnell	$5,700,000	Katrina Relief efforts including Renaissance Village (a temporary shelter for Katrina victims), day care centers, a rehabilitation center in San Antonio, and a Habitat For Humanity sub division in Baton Rouge
7	Martha Stewart	$5,000,000	New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital for a center on healthy aging
8	Carmelo Anthony	$4,282,000	CAF Youth Center in Baltimore, AAU Basketball, Syracuse University Recreational Center, and other charities
9	Pat Boone & Shirley Boone	$3,000,000	Pepperdine University for the Graduate School of Education and Psychology Center for the Family
9	LeRoy Neiman	$3,000,000	The School of the Art Institute of Chicago to support a Master’s class in figure drawing
11	Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt	$2,415,000	School and Community Center in Swakopmund in Namibia, Daniel Pearl Foundation, Namibian hospitals, Doctors Without Borders, Global Action for Children and others
12	Nicolas Cage	$2,000,000	Amnesty International for a fund to help child soldiers
12	Dwayne Johnson (“The Rock”) and Dany Garcia Johnson	$2,000,000	University of Miami to name new Alumni Center living room
12	Paul McCartney	$2,000,000	Adopt-A-Minefield
12	Arnold Palmer	$2,000,000	Pledged to the Arnold Palmer Foundation ultimately to benefit the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
16	David Geffen	$1,600,000	David Geffen Foundation
17	Susan Saint James and Dick Ebersol	$1,300,000	The Gunnery to help pay for a new dormitory in memory of their son Teddy killed in a plane crash
18	Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg	$1,250,000	Boston University to renovate facilities
19	Andre Agassi	$1,070,000	Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation
20	Tiki and Ronde Barber and family	$1,000,000	University of Virginia to support the McIntire School of Commerce, the Virginia Athletics Foundation, Childrens Hospital, a scholarship fund for African-American students, the Young Alumni Council, and to challenge young alumni to participate in the capital campaign
20	Bob Barker	$1,000,000	Georgetown University to endow a fund at its law school that will focus on the study of animal rights
20	Gloria Estefan	$1,000,000	The Miami Project
20	Dr. Phil McGraw & Robin McGraw	$1,000,000	Dr. Phil Foundation
20	George Steinbrenner & family	$1,000,000	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for Boshamer Stadium for baseball
20	Tony Stewart	$1,000,000	Victory Junction Gang Camp
20	Denzel Washington	$1,000,000	Save Africa's Children
27	Mike Sexton	$560,000	Special Olympics, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, Children, Inc., Wounded Warrior Project, Ohio State University, and other charities
28	Lance Armstrong	$500,000	Lance Armstrong Foundation
28	Dolly Parton	$500,000	Fort Sanders Medical Center
28	Elizabeth Taylor	$500,000	New Orleans AIDS Task Force to purchase mobile medical unit for AIDS sufferers in New Orleans

Athletes and Actors Tee Up For Charity

Sun, 13 May 2007 10:47:25 +0000

On Wednesday, the Chill Foundation hosted its annual charity golf tournament to aid disadvantaged youths ages 10 to 18. Professional snowboarders, surfers and celebrities teed off to an afternoon of golf and evening of dinner while raising funds for the Foundation’s program which provides snowboarding opportunities to at-risk inner city youth.

Participants in the event included athletes Rob Machado, Keir Dillon, Jussi Oksanen, Dave Downing, Timmy Curran, Benji Weatherley and actors Josh Henderson and Lou Giovannetti.

Chill was founded by Jake Burton and the Burton snowboard company in 1995 to bring snowboarding to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity. Since its inception, Chill has touched the lives of over 12,000 underprivileged kids.

Each winter, in 14 different cities across North America, Chill takes 170 kids to the slopes once a week for six weeks and provides them with everything they need to learn to ride: lift tickets, lessons, transportation, and head-to-toe gear. Chill uses the vehicle of snowboarding to help kids accomplish goals they never thought they could, while teaching them some of the most important lessons of life— patience, persistence, responsibility, courage, integrity, and pride—all through positive adult role models who treat the kids with respect and encouragement. Additional information available at www.chill.org.

Elton John, P. Diddy and Andrew Lloyd-Webber to Celebrate Life of Princess Diana

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:03:21 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

This Sunday, July 1st, music will fill the skies in remembrance of Princess Diana. The event was organised by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry to celebrate her life, ten years after her death.

Concert For Diana will take place at Wembley Stadium in London, and is showcasing a wide variety of musical styles, from Andrew Lloyd-Webber to P. Diddy. Legends Elton John, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones will be joined by the likes of Joss Stone, Nelly Furtado, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and James Morrison.

Many more performances will take place during the 8-hour-long event, including those by Duran Duran, Take That, Lily Allen and the English National Ballet.

Proceeds of the event go to charities which were supported by the Princess, and to charities of which her sons are now Patrons. These include: The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, Centrepoint, Sentebale, National AIDS Trust, The Leprosy Mission, the Royal Marsden Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital and the English National Ballet.

Tickets cost £45, but those who cannot make it to the concert can view it online at the Concert For Diana website.

Bond Actor Adds Voice To Children's Charity

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 13:51:14 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

James Bond actor Daniel Craig has lent his voice to a new children’s charity campaign launched on Jun 26.

The “Believe in Children” campaign, run by UK charity Barnardo's aims to change attitudes towards troubled children, and Craig has recorded radio pieces urging people not to give up on difficult youngsters.

In a Barnardo’s poll of over 1,000 adults, a quarter of the respondents thought that disruptive or antisocial children were already beyond help by the time they were just 13. Two-thirds believed that children are more criminal than ever.

Barnardo’s describes these fears as exaggerated, citing a government Crime Survey finding that youth crime had dropped substantially since 1995.

Chief Executive Martin Narey said, “Some children’s behaviour is unacceptable and it has to be challenged. But we must not use that as an excuse to write off a generation.”

The new campaign asserts that all young people can be helped, no matter how difficult, unpleasant or uncooperative.

Barnardo’s says, “The alternative is to dismiss an underclass of children who have nothing to lose and who face nothing more than permanent unemployment, non-achievement and almost inevitably a life of crime.”

Prince Fragrance Raises Funds For Charity

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:34:26 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

On 07/07/07, Prince and Revelations Perfume and Cosmetics are to launch the 3121 fragrance with a surprise in-store concert and 24-hours of charity fundraising.

The philanthropic event begins at 12 am EST, at which point the 30 ml bottles of 3121 will be available for purchase at www.3121perfume.com. The 3121 collection will also be debuting at select Macy’s stores.

The fragrance will retail for $31.21, with 7% of each sale being divided between 7 charities chosen by Prince and Revelations.

“This event promises to be huge as Prince fans worldwide will be able to participate in this exclusive offer”, says Larry Couey, President of Revelations. “Our goal is to raise a half million dollars for charity on 07/07/07.”

“Prince has always been generous and this is an opportunity for the public to join him in giving back in a very large and meaningful way.”

The charities benefitting from the event include City of Hope, Jazz Foundation of America, H.A.L.O., Elevate Hope Foundation, Urban Farming, The Bridge and Edith Couey Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund.

David Banner Takes Kids to Six Flags

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:26:31 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

David Banner provided the opportunity for 80 kids to travel from Jackson, Mississippi to Six Flags in Georgia, as part of the Stewpot Neighborhood Children's Program.

The children, who would rarely have the chance to take any trips, were given transportation and admission to the park, t-shirts and food. Banner has sponsored this annual trip since 2005.

“The children that we serve at Stewpot would not normally be able to go on an ‘out of town’ trip,” said Stewpot Community Services Counselor, Sherry Adams. “Most of the kids in the community have not been out of Mississippi. Because of Banner’s love for our community, he makes it possible for our kids to travel outside of Mississippi, on a fun and exciting summer trip every year. David made it all possible because these kids don’t have to pay a dime.”

The community children’s program offers safe havens after school and during the summer, and provides educational help, self-esteem building and positive role models. Their after-school program and summer camp help over 200 at-risk youths from Mississippi.

Look To The Stars News: At-Risk/Disadvantaged Youths

Thirty Years Of Prince's Trust

Related past articles

Olympic Charity

Related past articles

Winslet To Act As Patron Of Family Charity

Related past articles

Ozzy Headlines Prince Charles Charity Gig

Related past articles

Jackie Chan Meets UNICEF Painting Competition Winner

Related past articles

Priceless Piano on Auction at the David Foster and Friends Charity Gala

Related past articles

Eminem Designs Shoes For Charities

Related past articles

Brooke Shields Helps Launch Million Toy Drive

Related past articles

The Magnitude of Fortitude - When Parkinson’s Patients Feel Their Lives Are Crumbling, The HollyRod Foundation Provides Stability

Related past articles

The Hollywood Cookbook Launch Party

Related past articles

"Modfather" Paul Weller Launches Guitar Campaign

Related past articles

Iconic Eveningwear Up For Auction

Related past articles

Hepburn Dress Nets £467,200 ($914,000) For Charity

Related past articles

Matthew McConaughey’s Name Means Big Money

Related past articles

2007 Princess Diana Charity Concert Sells Out - For Now

Related past articles

Kevin Bacon Launches “SixDegrees.org”

Related past articles

Alicia Keys Offers Scholarships

Related past articles

Jamie Oliver Gives Recipe to Prince

Related past articles

Idol Gives Back $60m

Related past articles

Oprah Tops Celebrity Philanthropy A-List

Related past articles

Athletes and Actors Tee Up For Charity

Related past articles

Elton John, P. Diddy and Andrew Lloyd-Webber to Celebrate Life of Princess Diana

Related past articles

Bond Actor Adds Voice To Children's Charity

Related past articles

Prince Fragrance Raises Funds For Charity

Related past articles

David Banner Takes Kids to Six Flags

Related past articles