Look To The Stars News: Economic/Business Support

Reese Witherspoon Launches Global Partnership To End Violence Against Women

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:30:00 -0000

Reese Witherspoon joined forces with Avon in 2007 to help end violence against women and has continued to support the cause. On March 10, 2010, Witherspoon – along with the CEO of Avon – joined the State Department and Vital Voices to launch the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women during a breakfast meeting in the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Room.

The Global Partnership was formed to assist women that have been, or will be, affected by violence at some point in their life. This conference focused on the three most pervasive crimes against women: domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. A global action plan was developed, which included the advocacy campaigns being started in India and Argentina.

Annie Lennox To Walk The Bridge For Women

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:30:00 -0000

To honor the resilience of millions of women survivors of war around the world, Women for Women International is hosting a global campaign called Join me on the Bridge on International Women’s Day: March 8, 2010.

  Singer Annie Lennox will join thousands of people at 10am on Monday, March 8, at Victoria Embankment Gardens in London, where they will walk to the Millennium Bridge. There will be a women’s festival along the embankment and, at 12:00, they will join together on the Millennium Bridge. Along with other bridge events happening around the world on the same day, this event will be filmed and featured in a viral video to be produced and widely released following the campaign.  

The event will take place in many cities around the world, click here to find the event closest to you and take part in a global movement that says NO! to war and YES! to peace and hope.  

Visit www.womenforwomen.org to find out more.

Preity Zinta Becomes A Voice For Widows and Children

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta became a brand ambassador for The Loomba Trust earlier this month in order to bring global attention to the plight of millions of widows and their children, something she feels is long overdue.

“I fully understand and empathize with the problems faced by widows,” said Zinta. “My mother was widowed when I was only thirteen.”

Social discrimination, financial instability, human trafficking and physical and mental abuse are some of the concerns for women who have become disadvantaged and marginalized through the loss of a spouse. The Loomba Trust has been running programs in India, South Africa, Kenya, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to provide support and assistance to widows through various means, including literacy education, training and employment.

“Development programs with specific focus on widows and their children are vital for the improvement of women’s status in society,” says Zinta, “and of their protection against the worst cases of exploitation and abuse.”

Campaigning in support of the creation of an International Widows Day, The Loomba Trust says, “There is hope that interest in widows and their plight will trigger gender sensitive reform of national laws and policies and help in eradicating anti-widow superstitions, traditions and social practices which should have no place in today’s world.”

“The recognition would be instrumental in encouraging emancipation of widows,” says Raj Loomba, founder and chairman, “and also draw the attention of governments to their challenges.”

Chelsea Clinton Spins Her Wheels For Haiti

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Susan Fredricks

Chelsea Clinton has joined the very generous and growing list of celebrities who are donating their time to help the people of Haiti after the recent catastrophic quake that, at last count, killed over 150,000 people.

Chelsea, in partnership with SoulCycle in New York City, organized a 90-minute spin class in which participants donated anywhere from $100 to $1,500 to attend the event. The charity spin class hosted by Ms. Clinton generated $66,810 in which 100% of the proceeds will go to Haiti via the Clinton Foundation.

Chelsea came up with the idea of the spin class for Haiti when she and her dad, former President Bill Clinton, travelled to the devastated country. “The day after the earthquake struck, the international community fed 3,000 people. Today, people have fed 100,000 people and we actually need to be feeding a million people,” said Chelsea. “This demonstrates how much we’ve done but how much more work we have to do. We need a lot of money to do that.”

Television stars, Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos attended the charity event, and opened their hearts and their checkbook to donate to the cause.

Chelsea expressed to the participants: “Thank you all for being here to support this effort. I hope you all continue to support Haiti over the months and years to come”.

Diesel Founder Gives To Wyclef Jean's Yéle Haiti Foundation

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Renzo Rosso, the founder and president of Diesel clothing company, announced today the donation of $250,000 to the Yéle Haiti Foundation, the foundation that Grammy-Award winning musician, producer and social entrepreneur Wyclef Jean started to change lives in this desperately poor but optimistic nation.  

 Wyclef and Rosso have a long standing friendship. Wyclef has performed at several Diesel events over the years and is scheduled to perform also at Rosso’s 55th birthday celebration later this year.  

Renzo says, “I was deeply moved by the horrible tragedy in Haiti. I wanted to do something for the people and support the important work that Wyclef and his foundation have done and are doing for the island nation”.

Rosso, a self-made businessman, has always believed in giving back and that’s why in 2008 he founded The Only The Brave Foundation, which will officially launch in the next few months. The Only The Brave Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that aims to mobilize and empower youth to end poverty, supports projects on economic development, education and health sectors in disadvantaged communities.

This donation, which will benefit specifically the victims of last week’s earthquake, will add up to another pledge that the Only The Brave Foundation contributed to Yele Haiti to start an Only The Brave/ Yéle Haiti music studio in Cité Soleil, with the goal to use music and video production as a tool for social development.

Through Yéle Haiti, Wyclef uses music, sports and media to reinforce projects that are making a difference in education, health, environment and community development. In practical terms this translates to over 3,000 new jobs, close to 7,000 children being put in school, more than 8,000 people a month receiving food and approximately 2,000 young people a month learning about HIV/AIDS prevention.

Visit Diesel.com for more.

Hope For Haiti Now Breaks Charity Records

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:45:00 -0000

Friday night’s Hope for Haiti Now telethon, organized by George Clooney, has so far raised more than $57 million for the earthquake relief effort in Haiti.

Besides setting a record for the most money raised by a disaster relief telethon, the charity’s Hope for Haiti album – featuring performances on the telethon — became the largest one-day album pre-order in iTunes history.

Performers included: Robert Pattinson, Christina Aguilera, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Taylor Swift, Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Keith Urban and Madonna among others.

The money will be split between 8 organizations: Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, Yéle Haiti Foundation and the Clinton-Bush Haiti Foundation.

Hope for Haiti is accepting donations for the next 6 months online at hopeforhaitinow.org, by phone at 877-99-Haiti or by texting GIVE to 50555.

George Clooney Brings Hope To Haiti Tonight

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:30:00 -0000

It will be a big night for charity tonight, as George Clooney's Hope For Haiti telethon hits TV screens across America and around the world.

Hosted by Clooney, Wyclef Jean and Anderson Cooper, the show will feature performances from Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder and Taylor Swift in New York, as well as Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, Sting, Keith Urban, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow in Los Angeles. There will even be performances from Coldplay, Bono, Jay-Z, The Edge and Rihanna in London.

All performances will be available for download on iTunes for 99 cents on Saturday. The two-hour program will air commercial-free across ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT on Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The special will also air on PBS, TNT, Showtime, Comedy Central, Bravo, E! Entertainment Network, National Geographic Channel, Oxygen, G4, Centric, Current TV, Fuse, MLB Network, Epix, Palladia, SoapNet, Style, Discovery Health and Planet Green, as well as Canada’s CTV, CBC Television, Global Television and MuchMusic. It will also air internationally on BET International, CNN International, National Geographic and MTV Networks International, available in 640 million homes worldwide. “Hope for Haiti” will be the first U.S.-based telethon airing on MTV in China. Facebook and Twitter are the official social media partners who will help to drive donations and tune-in to the telethon.

All donations will directly benefit Oxfam America, Partners in Health, Red Cross, UNICEF and Wyclef’s Yéle Haiti Foundation. Facebook and MySpace have signed on as official social-media partners to help steer viewers to the telethon and drive donations.

Additionally, the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and World Food Programme have joined the list of relief organizations that will benefit from the show, with proceeds to be split evenly among each organization’s individual Haiti relief funds.

“Hope For Haiti Now” will be the most widely distributed telethon in history, internationally and across media platforms, including live streaming globally on sites including YouTube, Hulu, MySpace, Fancast, AOL, MSN.com, Yahoo, Bing.com, BET.com, MTV.com, and Rhapsody, and RightCelebrity.com will be streaming the show live with a donation of 1 cent to the American Red Cross for every person who joins their live blog. The telethon is also available on mobile via Alltel, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and FloTV.

Stars Added To MusiCares Person Of The Year Charity Event

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:00:00 -0000

Ben Harper and Lucinda Williams have been added to the all-star lineup for the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Neil Young on Jan. 29 in Los Angeles.

They join other performers Jack Black, Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Sheryl Crow, Everest, Patty Griffin, Josh Groban, Emmylou Harris, Elton John, Norah Jones, Lady Antebellum, KD Lang, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Ozomatli, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Leon Russell, James Taylor and Wilco. The dinner co-chairs are Warner Bros. Records Chairman Emeritus Mo Ostin, Lookout Management President and Founder Elliot Roberts, and Warner Bros. Records Chairman/CEO Tom Whalley. Two-time GRAMMY-winning producer Don Was will be the evening’s musical director.

Neil Young’s philanthropic work is as renowned as his musical legacy. He was one of the original founders of Farm Aid in 1985, and continues to be an active member on the organization’s board of directors. Each October, he and his wife Pegi organize and host the Bridge School Concerts, a benefit for the Bridge School that he and Pegi helped found. The school ensures that children with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of assistive technology and the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative educational strategies. These weekend concerts have drawn an international array of musical artists and have raised significant resources for the school.

The 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year gala is co-presented by AEG, ELS and Acura. The evening will begin with a special reception and silent auction that will offer an exclusive and unparalleled selection of luxury items, VIP experiences and one-of-a-kind celebrity memorabilia for bidding guests. The auction will be followed by a gala dinner sponsored by MasterCard, an award presentation and a star-studded tribute concert. The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Week. Proceeds from the annual GRAMMY Week gala dinner and concert honoring Young will provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn to in times of financial, medical and personal need.

More info can be found at the MusiCares website.

Wyclef Jean And Rihanna To Join Oprah For Haiti TV Special

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Wyclef Jean has just returned from Haiti and is to appear on the Oprah Show today, January 20, with his eyewitness account.

Jean will bring first-hand footage of the devastation on the streets of Port au Prince, and will talk about how his Yéle Haiti Foundation plans to use the funds raised so far.

CNN’s Dr Sanjay Gupta, who is still currently in Haiti, will also talk about what is happening in the country. Rihanna and Maxwell will perform on the show and lend their voices to relief efforts.

This is an important show that needs to be seen. Check your local listings for the time the episode will air, or click here.

George Clooney Announces Haiti Telethon Stars

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

George Clooney has revealed some of the big names he has recruited for this Friday’s Telethon for Haiti.

The show will be broadcast around the world on January 22, and will be hosted by Clooney in LA, Wyclef Jean in New York, and CNN’s Anderson Cooper in Haiti. Donations will go to Oxfam America, Partners in Health, Red Cross, UNICEF and Wyclef’s Yéle Haiti Foundation.

The line-up so far includes U2's Bono, Alicia Keys, Sting, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and many more yet to be announced.

“We’re doing a telethon on all the channels, every network in the country and international as well,” said Clooney. "It’s an unbelievable show. Bono’s written a song for it and songs are going to available on iTunes that night.

“People in Haiti have absolutely nothing. There are times when, as bad as it is for many people in this country, people also realise how much worse it is for them and they are very compassionate.”

Malaak Compton-Rock To Talk For Charity In Kentucky

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Susan Fredricks

The Welcome House in Northern Kentucky has announced its annual fundraising benefit, ‘Home is Where the Heart Is’, will be held on January 30 at The Madison Grand Ballroom, Covington, Kentucky. Featured special guest speaker is Malaak Compton-Rock, philanthropist, author and wife of entertainer Chris Rock.

Compton-Rock is founder of The Angel Rock Project, an e-village promoting everything to do with service, humanity, peace, equality, social responsibility, and sustainable change. She is also involved with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and has founded the non-profit company, StyleWORKS, which provides a wide range of grooming services for women transitioning from welfare to the workplace. Compton-Rock was also a judge on Oprah Winfrey's ‘The Big Give.’

Welcome House of Northern Kentucky Inc. was founded in 1982 to work with the community by providing assistance for families and individuals who are homeless or who may become homeless.

All proceeds from this charity event will go directly to Welcome House of Northern Kentucky. Tickets are $50 for individuals, $80 for couples and tables of ten seats are also available for $500. Tickets may be purchased in advance at www.welcomehouse-heart.com or by calling 859 431 8717.

Celebrities’ Quick Response To Haiti Disaster

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Here’s what some celebrities are up to, in response to the earthquake disaster that has destroyed Port-au-Prince and devastated Haiti:

Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt: "The people of Haiti are in desperate need of help. Our organization, Not On Our Watch, will do whatever it can and we know the international community will as well." Not On Our Watch has donated $1 million in emergency response funds to provide medical services to victims of the disaster.

Wyclef Jean: "Yéle Haiti Foundation has pulled together a group of like minded organizations and first responders in order to help coordinate the delivery of emergency services and materials needed by victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Each of the organizations will undertake their own fundraising and on-the-ground operations, but have agreed to share resources, collaborate when it makes sense and avoid duplication." Four airlifts of medical and emergency supplies and food have already gone out. ONEXONE, one of the like minded organizations, has also already shipped medical supplies, water and blankets for on-the-ground support.

Associated Press reports that George Clooney will also host a multi-network telethon on Friday from Los Angeles, while Wyclef Jean will co-host from New York, to raise money for Jean’s Yele Haiti Foundation, UNICEF, Oxfam, Partners in Health and the Red Cross relief efforts. Anderson Cooper will host segments live from Haiti.

Lenny Kravitz: “Visit SaveHaitiSaturday.com and let’s support Project MediShare’s doctors. They’re out there saving lives in Haiti. I know these people personally. They’ve been working in Haiti for over 20 years. They go there on a regular basis. And they’re all down there on the ground right now, trying to save lives. Time is of the essence.”

Alyssa Milano, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, wrote to the Huffington Post, “I cried, and then I did the only thing I could do…I wrote a check to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF for $50,000.” Now she has issued a challenge on Twitter for corporations to match her donation.

Ben Stiller: “Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, which will make their recovery from this disaster extremely difficult.” His Stillerstrong charity has been working with Save the Children to build a school in Haiti, but to address the disaster will redirect all donations to UN agencies in order to provide emergency relief as quickly as possible.

Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Eddie Izzard, Angelina Jolie and Madonna have also made generous donations to various charities playing major roles in the emergency efforts.

A Weekend Of Celebrity Giving To Haiti

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Sandra Bullock is the latest star to give big to Haitian earthquake relief over a weekend defined by donations of time and money.

The star has matched last week’s donation of $1 million from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

“I wanted to ensure that my donation would be used immediately to meet the needs of the Haitian people affected by this catastrophic event,” she said. Her donation went to Doctors Without Borders.

She has been joined over the weekend by Madonna, who gave $250,000 to Partners in Health.

“My prayers are with the people of Haiti,” she said. “I can’t imagine the terrible pain and suffering they are experiencing. Sadly the depths of the tragedy are just becoming known and the need for our support grows more urgent with every passing moment. I have given a donation of $250,000 to assist Haiti’s earthquake victims through Partners in Health, one of Haiti’s leading healthcare providers. I urge all of my friends and fans around the world to join me collectively to match my contribution or give in any way you can. We must act now.”

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen also dipped into deep pockets for the cause, handing over $1.5 million to the Red Cross.

“I am heartbroken by the catastrophic events of the past six days in Haiti. It is important in times like these that we come together and find ways to help in any way we can,” she said.

Meanwhile, Wyclef Jean and Anderson Cooper will co-host George Clooney's MTV telethon this Friday – Clooney will be in LA, Jean in New York, and Cooper will be live in Haiti. Donations will go to Oxfam America, Partners in Health, Red Cross, UNICEF and Wyclef’s Yéle Haiti Foundation.

“I’m going to be doing the thing that George [Clooney] is organizing; the telethon,” said British actress Emily Blunt. “But I think, really, it’s just about everyone — everyone — needs to jump in. Everyone needs to get involved in whatever way they can. So, I think I’m just going to research the best way to help.”

Joe Jonas from the Jonas Brothers is taking his giving one step further – he plans to visit the country and help out.

“[I can get there] either this Tuesday or, like, two or three weeks from now,” he said. “I can’t promise I’m going to go, but I’m going to try,” he insisted. “I really want to be able to support in any way I can; I was going to go to Haiti before, to do similar work there. But now it’s obviously a completely different thing and my heart goes out to those people there and the families and everything. I just pray that everybody’s all right, and I’m going to try and do my best by getting there. And I would definitely say, if anyone can give money or support, it’s the perfect way to do it.”

John Travolta has also dug deep to help the relief efforts: “I have arranged for a plane to take down some volunteer ministers and some supplies and some medics. I hope that inspires others as well. It’s needed.”

Actress Kerry Washington has put her efforts into helping struggling mothers in Haiti through V-Day: “We have a safe house in Haiti for women who are survivors of domestic violence. Our president just asked [George] Bush and [Bill] Clinton to come together for a fund.”

Sports stars are also lining up to lend a hand – tennis star Roger Federer has organized a massive tennis event featuring stars such as Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams and Samantha Stosur to take place at the Australian Open.

“The entry fee is a minimum donation of $10,” he said. "This should be fun and it’s for a great cause.

“I think it’s something as a tennis family we’re very happy to do. I know it’s on the eve of the first Grand Slam of the season, so for some it’s not so easy maybe mentally to separate a few things — but I think it’s a great initiative.

“The devastating earthquake which hit Haiti on Tuesday measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale and has left tens of thousands of people dead. The United Nations has launched an appeal for hundreds of millions of dollars to try to help around three million people in need.”

90210 star AnnaLynne McCord was volunteering in Haiti in December, and has opened a Twitter page to appeal to fans to give.

“Okay everybody!” she wrote. "Time to get busy! Haiti needs our help, desperately! I was there 3 weeks ago volunteering with Artists for Peace and Justice. Please donate to them!"

Lady Gaga has also made use of Twitter to encourage fans to give to the cause – she announced that she will use her January 24 concert as a fundraiser.

“Jan 24th is GAGA FOR HELPING HAITI day,” she wrote. “Go to www.ladygaga.com on the 24th + 100% of all merchandise purchased goes to earthquake relief. Monies will be donated immediately, spread the word around the world so we can raise as much money as possible.  ”Little monsters attending the Monsterball on the 24th: all ticket + and merch/cd profit will be donated. Save your money. Help save a life."

The concert is at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

LookToTheStars.org will keep you updated with all celebrity charity news relating to the Haitian earthquake as it comes to hand.

Natalie Portman Writes Urgent Message About Haiti

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Natalie Portman has posted an urgent message on the FINCA website about the Haitian earthquake.

“The earthquakes that devastated Haiti this week only further the urgency of aid needed by this already-challenged nation,” she wrote. "Haiti is a place where small loans can make a big difference.   

“FINCA Haiti has always held a special place in my heart. Small loans make an enormous impact on the lives of Haitian women currently living on less than $3 a day. And now, more than ever, Haitian women need these capital inputs to help themselves recover from this tragedy in a sustainable way.”

FINCA, the Foundation for International Community Assistance, provides financial services to the world’s lowest-income entrepreneurs so they can create jobs, build assets and improve their standard of living. Portman has been an ambassador for the organization since 2004.

“As FINCA’s Ambassador of Hope, I am asking for your help,” she wrote. "Please help FINCA Haiti provide the resources to our Village Banking clients so they can begin to get back on their feet and build anew. There has rarely been a more urgent need for generosity.

“Please give what you can, and I thank you for your continued support of FINCA programs around the world.”

To make a donation, click here. Natalie’s full message can be found on the FINCA website.

Wyclef Jean Asks For Donations For Haitian Quake Victims

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Wyclef Jean is asking for help on behalf of victims of yesterday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Details of damage in the country are still sketchy, but the singer wasted no time in using his Twitter page to ask for donations.

“Please text ‘Yele’ to 501501 to donate $5 to YELE HAITI,” he wrote in the hours following the quake. “Your money will help with relief efforts. They need our help… please help if you can.”

Donations will go to the Yéle Haiti Foundation, an organization established by the singer that uses music, sports and the media to reinforce projects that are making a difference in education, health, environment and community development in his native Haiti.

“Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced,” Jean told The Insider. "The magnitude 7.0 earthquake — and several very strong aftershocks — struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince.

“I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.

“President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.”

Akon Raises Konfidence For Thanksgiving

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Last week, Look to the Stars reported that Atlanta recordings stars Akon and Ludacris united their charitable organizations’ annual Thanksgiving community programs and called upon friends and colleagues to extend a helping hand to those that are less fortunate this holiday season.

The Konfidence Foundation's 2nd Annual Turkey Giveaway program and The Ludacris Foundation's LudaCares Thanksgiving program teamed up to give back by donating 2,000 holiday turkeys to help metro Atlanta flood survivors and low-income families in need. Each family received a fresh holiday turkey, along with two side items – sweet potatoes and collard greens.

On Tuesday, November 24th, Akon and Ludacris joined their foundations and sponsors to distribute 2,000 holiday food packages to residents from Cobb, Douglas, and Pauling Counties, many of whom were impacted by the Atlanta floods. This private charity event was held at South Cobb High School and the recipient families were pre-selected by 20 partnering community-based organizations including: Cobb Schools Foundation, United Way, Cobb Disaster Recovery, and Christian Aid Mission Partnership (C.A.M.P.), among others.

Contributions and support on behalf of the Konfidence Foundation came from Akon’s longtime friend and business partner Darrick “DeVyne” Stephens on behalf of his youth focused charity DeVyne Intervention; Akon’s brother Bu Thiam, Def Jam VP and founder of record new label BuVision; Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of SONY/ATV Music Publishing; Antwan “Big Boi” Patton on behalf of his charity Big Kidz Foundation, Publix, and Sam’s Club.

The Ludacris Foundation received help from sponsors including Straits Restaurant, and celebrity Chef Ashley Clay of The Elegant Experience who prepared 40 cooked meals for Cobb County homeless and senior citizens.

In addition, the Konfidence Foundation donated 100 turkeys and sides to Hosea Feed The Hungry & Homeless for their 40th Annual Thanksgiving dinner at Turner Field.

Founded in 2006, by multi-platinum selling, Grammy-nominated artist/producer Aliaune “Akon” Thiam, the Konfidence Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of the conditions in Africa and providing underprivileged African youth with access to learning and recreational environments equipped with modern technology, educational materials, recreational resources, and health and wellness services.

The Konfidence Foundation’s vision is that their concentrated efforts in Senegal will one day serve as the international platform to empower individuals, communities, and nations with the tools needed to build the Africa of tomorrow.

In 2008, the Foundation broadened its philanthropic reach to the United States to help local communities in need during the holiday season by providing nutritious meals for Thanksgiving and toys for underprivileged youth. For more information, please visit: www.konfidence.org.

Ludacris And Friends Hand Out Thanksgiving Turkeys

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Ludacris, Akon, Big Boi and a host of hip hop stars handed out turkeys to flood affected families in Atlanta this week as a special Thanksgiving treat.

Over 1000 Thanksgiving turkeys, greens, and sweet potatoes were handed out to metro Atlanta families who were impacted by the flooding in early October. In addition, The Ludacris Foundation, supported by Chef Ashley and Straits restaurant , prepared 40 cooked meals for Cobb County homeless and senior citizens.

The Thanksgiving turkey giveaway is a part of the Foundation’s LudaCares Initiative. The LudaCares program provides families with nutritious food during the Thanksgiving holiday. Each Thanksgiving the Ludacris Foundation chooses a different community to bring the program. Previous Atlanta area communities for LudaCares Thanksgiving include, Bankhead, College Park, DeKalb County, Hollywood Homes, Morrow GA, Gwinnett County, Marietta, Cobb County, Roswell, Southwest Atlanta, Fulton County, Jonesboro, Clayton County.

“This holiday season our focus is on helping the families impacted by the Atlanta flood,” said Ludacris. "Last month when T.I. and I reached out to our friends in the hip-hop and entertainment community they did not hesitate when we called. We received over $80,000 in less than eight hours and raised over $110,000 to support flood survivors in the Atlanta area. As a result of these efforts we were able to provide over 1,000 coats to youth last week.

“For Thanksgiving we are providing those flood impacted families with food baskets and for Christmas we will provide toys to these children. I am especially proud that TI and our group of friends could lend a hand up to families looking to get their lives back.”

“Our major focus is youth – during the holidays we uplift youth by uplifting the family” stated Roberta Shields, President of The Ludacris Foundation. The Foundation helps people year around through our LudaCares Program. “We want to do something to help these families have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day – Hopefully we help these families get a little piece of normal back into their lives – that’s what we are striving for.”

Wyclef Jean And Bono Receive ‘Ripple Of Hope Award’

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer Wyclef Jean, and (RED) founder/U2 front man Bono, were honored this week at a ceremony thrown by The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, where each were awarded the ‘Ripple of Hope’ Award.

“As champions of justice, Bono and Wyclef have brought the national spotlight to human rights violations, empowered local activists, and transformed the lives of millions of people living in poverty from Port-Au-Prince to Darfur,” said Kerry Kennedy, founder of the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights. “Their efforts evoke the spirit of my father and we are honored to recognize them.”

Jean was honored for his work to inspire change in his native country of Haiti through his Yéle Haiti Foundation.

“It is an honor to receive this award for so many reasons,” said Jean, who was also the evening’s musical performer. “The Kennedy Family and Robert F. Kennedy have represented and fought for the rights of people around the world, and have paid the ultimate sacrifice for it. I am humbled by their work, and use it as an example in the work I continue to do in Haiti, the United States, Africa and around the globe. I look forward to working closely with Kerry Kennedy and the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights in Haiti as a part of our Yéle Center.”

Bono was recognized for his efforts in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particular in Africa with the ONE Campaign, DATA and (Product) RED.

“Though we’re not usually that partial to Royals, growing up in Ireland in the 70s, the Kennedy family felt like an Irish royal family. Bobby Kennedy was a super-hero, an Irish scrapper who didn’t see any contradiction between hard-headed pragmatism and an idealism that challenged all of us to change the world. That’s why the Ripple of Hope award means so much. RFK was the blue print for our activism in the ONE campaign,” Bono said. “The image of Bobby that will forever be in my mind is of a man with his sleeves rolled up, hard at work and showing a hint of muscle. His life is an enduring challenge to all of us to do more, get beyond ourselves and send out our own ripples of hope to the world.”

The event was emceed by actor Peter Gallagher, and guests included: Matthew Modine, Matt McCoy, Joey Pantoliano, Gloria Reuben, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Governor Jon Corzine, Harry Belafonte, Martha Stewart, Bill O’Reilly, Ana Ortiz, Aasif Mandvi, Liya Kebede, Earl Graves, Terry Kinney, Rebecca Minkoff, Charles Nolan, Richard Plepler, Tom Freston and Orin Kramer.

The evening ended on a high note as Bono joined Wyclef on stage for a rendition of “Redemption Song,” after which Wyclef performed “Carnival” and brought the entire crowd of over 800 people – including Ethel Kennedy – to their feet singing and dancing.

Hard Rock Serves Up John Lennon For Charity

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Last week, Look To The Stars brought you the news that Yoko Ono had donated John Lennon’s Give Peace A Chance to charity. Now we can reveal that she has also donated another of the singer’s songs to another charity campaign.

The World Hunger Year (WHY), along with Hard Rock Cafe, has released Serve4, the latest in their series of albums designed to fight hunger around the world. Yoko Ono has donated John Lennon's Gimme Some Truth to the album.

“This is a beautiful step towards world peace,” she said. “By imagining there’s no hunger, like what John sang in his song, we express our strong desire to bring a world in which children will never again suffer from hunger or poverty. Let’s come together and help spread this message around the world. John would have loved the fact that so many illustrious and good meaning partners and organizations have stood up to make this effort together.”

It is the second time Ono has donated one of Lennon’s songs to Hard Rock’s Imagine There’s No Hunger campaign and Serve CDs.

100% of net proceeds from Hard Rock’s campaign will directly benefit WHY and its grassroots partners around the globe, that have developed ways to feed children worldwide who are victims of poverty and also teach them farming and entrepreneurial skills for the future. Proceeds will be donated directly to WHY to benefit local charities, including the Common Ground Foundation and Pathfinder Academy both located in Kenya, the Pattanarak Foundation located in Thailand, City of Joy located in India, the Yéle Haiti Foundation located in Haiti, Hope North located in Uganda, Roots and Shoots located in China, Project Bona Fide located in Nicaragua and Sentabale located in Lesotho.

“Hard Rock has been a longtime supporter of WHY, and I’ve seen firsthand how the organization helps to make a difference around the world,” said Hamish Dodds, President and CEO, Hard Rock International, and Global Ambassador for WHY. “We are proud to continue to support WHY’s life-saving efforts, in hopes that one day, we will have a world without hunger and poverty.”

The track list of Serve4 is as follows:

John Lennon “Gimme Some Truth”
O.A.R. “Lay Down”
Brandi Carlile “If There Was No You”
Starsailor “Listen Up”
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint “The River In Reverse”
Earth, Wind & Fire / Chicago “You”
Eric Hutchinson “OK, It’s Alright With Me”
The Low Anthem “Home I’ll Never Be”
Arno Carstens “Heartbreak Monday”
Brett Dennen “Heaven”
Toby Lightman “One Day”
moe. “Wicked Awesome”
The Raveonettes “Oh I Buried You Today”
Uncle Kracker “Smile”

In addition to SERVE4, beginning November 9th, Hard Rock locations around the globe will offer IMAGINE THERE’S NO HUNGER merchandise, including a limited-edition bracelet and pin to benefit WHY.

A charity event held in New York to launch the CD last week attracted a plethora of famous supporters, including Ringo Starr.

“You get so many invites every day to do stuff,” said Starr. “When I read the statistics of this, it just blew me away. So I thought, why not? How hard is it to do something? Because it is of some value, you give your name to great causes.”

The 14-track Serve4 is available as a download card at Hard Rock locations and at hardrock.com and as a download with five bonus tracks at Amazon ($8.99 or 99 cents a track). Cafe patrons who add a $1 donation to a meal tab receive an Imagine bracelet.

Emily Deschanel To Hold Q&A For Charity

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

The Screen Actors Guild will present a special screening of the hit TV show Bones in Los Angeles tonight, followed by a Q&A session with actress Emily Deschanel.

An actress with talent and poise, Emily Deschanel has built an impressive list of credits in her career, challenging herself with each new role.
 
An animal rights activist passionately involved with the charity Farm Sanctuary, Dechanel works to end cruelty to farm animals and promotes compassionate living through rescue, education and advocacy. She is also involved with The Humane Society and Women for Women International.  Deschanel was born in Los Angeles and received her B.F.A. in Theater from Boston University.

The Screen Actors Guild encourages interest in acting and improving the acting skills of interested persons though educational seminars, workshops, tapes and films.

This event starts at 7pm tonight, October 27, at the SAG Foundation Actors Center at 5757 Wilshire Avenue. For more information, click here.

Sopranos Star Rocks The Hard Rock For Charity

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sopranos star Vincent Pastore will host a special event for World Hunger Year (WHY) tonight, October 22.

WHY Guys Rock The Hard Rock will kick off the 2009 Hungerthon at the Hard Rock Cafe on Times Square with a huge number of bands and performers. From 6pm till midnight the stage will be quaking with bands such as Gary US Bonds, Willie Nile, Jackie Martling, La Dolce Vita with Michael Imperioli, Joe D’Urso and Stone Caravan, Tom Chapin, Jen Chapin, Big John Wallace, Chris Brown and Bookends, Kate Taylor, and The Bada Bing Boys with Vin Pastore himself … plus some surprise guests.

WHY was formed in 1975 by Bill Ayres, a radio talk-show host, and singer/songwriter Harry Chapin. Chapin’s daughter, Jen, who features in tonight’s concert, said that her father “saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America”. Many of his concerts were benefit performances for the 82 charities he was known to support, and the sales of all his concert merchandise were donated directly to WHY. At the time of his death in 1981, it was discovered that Chapin had donated almost all of his personal fortune to charity. Today, WHY is an international non-profit organization that connects grass roots charities to funding expertise and publicity.

Tickets are $50 for general admission.

Ludacris Calls For Community Philanthropy

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Multi-platinum-selling artist and actor Ludacris (real name Chris Bridges) will make a call for individuals to take an active role in community philanthropy at a National Press Club luncheon on Friday, October 23, 2009.

The entertainer created the Ludacris Foundation in 2001 to increase leadership through education, healthy lifestyles and community engagement. The luncheon precedes the Foundation’s annual Benefit Dinner, to be held for the first time in the nation’s capital on October 24 at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center.

Ludacris previewed the topic of his speech by saying, “In today’s world we have new issues and new challenges. The old way of looking at these issues and challenges have not rendered the outcomes we want. Logical thinking, while necessary is not sufficient – we need lateral thinking (thinking outside our current frame of reference). We need a new type of leadership.”

Ludacris, 27, was discovered as a young rapper by industry giants Jermaine Dupri and Timberland. In the fall of 2000, he signed a deal with Russell Simmons' Def Jam Records and built his own label and production company, Disturbing the Peace. He has translated his success in the music industry to projects in movies and fashion. Ludacris starred as “Taj” in the feature film 2Fast 2Furious and “Anthony” in the Oscar-winning film Crash. He is currently developing a clothing line.

In December 2001, Ludacris founded the Atlanta-based The Ludacris Foundation, dedicated to advocating for youth and giving both time and money back to the community. Since its founding, the organization has donated more than $500,000 to support grassroots organizations that work to help the nation’s youth and has invested more than 3,500 hours in devoted service to young people around the country.   The National Press Club luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Ludacris’ remarks will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session. Advance reservations should be made by telephoning (202) 662-7501. Cost of the luncheon is $17 for National Press Club members, $28 for guests of members, and $35 general admission.

The National Press Club is located at 14th and F. Streets, NW, one block west of Metro Center. More information about the Club and its programs is found on its Internet website: www.press.org .

Farm Aid 2009 Hits Missouri

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Farm Aid 2009 was held in Missouri on Sunday, October 4, and featured performances by Farm Aid board members Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews and John Mellencamp.

Held at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Maryland Heights, it was the first time the annual event has been held in the state.

“Family farmers are the first rung of the economic ladder in this country,” said Willie Nelson, president and founder of Farm Aid. “Against all odds, they have persevered and found ways to stay on their land, growing good food for all of us and creating strong communities. It’s time now for policy to rise to meet their needs with fair prices and support for their innovations.”

Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family-farmed food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised nearly $36 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

Wyclef Jean Gets His Boots On For Charity

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Wyclef Jean has teamed up with outdoor clothing brand Timberland to launch a range of eco-friendly footwear to aid the redevelopment of his native Haiti.

The new collection features 16 different designs, and $2 from the sale of each pair will go to the musician’s Yéle Haiti Foundation to help with reforestation. Jean founded the charity in 2005 to make a difference in education, health, environment and community development in his native country.

“I really think that we’re going to sell a whole lot of boots and I really think we’re going plant a whole lot of trees in Haiti,” said Jean.

A line of T-shirts designed by Haitian children will also be sold at the singer’s concerts, as well as organic shirts and headwear.

“We thought there was a strong connection or opportunity to connect based on our shared values,” said Margaret Morey-Reuner, Senior Manager for Values Marketing at Timberland. “The campaign will be top-heavy on social and digital media and PR versus traditional advertising. There’s a benefit to taking that approach because Wyclef has such a strong fan-base, and we have a strong consumer base.”

To find out more about the boots, which will be launched in 2010, click here.

John Legend To Speak Charity At University

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer John Legend will speak in Goldstein Auditorium at Syracuse University in New York on September 23 to inspire students to get involved with charities.

Legend will perform songs and talk about his work with the Show Me Campaign, an organization he created to encourage social, economic, personal and educational growth of individuals, families and communities.

“John is hired as a speaker, so the event will be closer to a speech than a concert,” said Drew Sullivan, the performing arts director for University Union. “But he knows people love his voice and his music, so he will be performing songs throughout the evening.”

In 2008, Legend joined Dr Jeffrey Sachs for a tour of universities all over the US to encourage social, economic, personal, and educational growth. Called the Poverty Action Tour, the sessions challenged people to support the fight against poverty, and promote the charities and groups that champion the cause.

Tickets for this event are $10 for students and $20 for faculty and staff. They are available at the Schine Box Office.

Ludacris Gives Away Cars To The Needy

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rapper Ludacris and his Ludacris Foundation gave away 20 used vehicles to several deserving Metro Atlanta area residents during his LudaDay weekend last week.

The rapper wanted those people struggling to make ends meet to write a 300 word essay on his website, and over 4,000 people took up the challenge. The winning essays included those from the homeless and even a Sudanese refugee: “That’s one of those stories that really had me like, man, I thought I had faced some adversities in life. But I’ve not faced adversities at all compared to what he’s been through. I cannot imagine going through what he’s gone through and still be that strong.”

A video of the event can be viewed here

“My foundation’s LudaCares Initiative is dedicated to supporting youth and families in need”, said Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges.

“Our major focus is youth and supporting the family structure” stated Roberta Shields, President of The Ludacris Foundation. “The Foundation helps people year around through our LudaCares Program. This year we want to do something to help youth and families manage during these tough economic times. Having a vehicle to get back and forth to work and daycare can make the difference in getting and keeping a job.”

A list of winners can be found here.

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