Look To The Stars News: Poverty

Madonna’s Malawi Efforts Get Multiple Recognition

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Malawi is awarding Madonna with citizenship in honor of the work she’s done through her charity, Raising Malawi, for AIDS orphans of the impoverished country.

However, Malawi’s government offices aren’t the only ones noticing Madonna’s work. Michael Moore asked to show her new film, I am Because We Are, at the Traverse City Film Festival and for her to attend the showing in person.

“She said she’d be thrilled to come here and be part of the film festival,” said Moore. “We were pleasantly surprised.”

The documentary, written, produced and narrated by Madonna, follows her through Malawi, a country devastated by poverty and AIDS, exploring the lives of the orphans. The message, though, is optimistic: there is hope. No child without vision has a future – this future exists when children believe “they are their own potential.”

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton, activist Jeffrey Sachs, Archbishop Desmund Tutu and various experts are also interviewed.

“When I saw it, I thought, ‘Wow, it’s like she’s been making these films for years,’” said Moore. “She takes the viewer through a very personal journey and tries to connect us, living here in the U.S., giving us a window into the way it is for other people in the world. You understand very clearly why she’s devoted so much of her life to the people of Malawi.”

“The film is a labor of love and I am happy that I can bring it home to my roots,” Madonna told The Associated Press. “I am also honored that the film will be screening at this particular festival arranged by Michael, as he is a genius and I am a huge fan.”

The Traverse City Film Festival will run July 29 through August 3. Madonna will introduce I am Because We Are, playing at 8:00 p.m. August 2 at the State Theatre, and take questions from the audience afterwards. Proceeds of the $25 tickets will go to the Raising Malawi foundation.

Pearl Jam Raises Millions For Robin Hood

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rockers Pearl Jam have raised $3 million for charity after a gig in New York City on Monday night.

The band played an impressive 26-song set during a private show at the Big Apple’s 2,800-capacity Beacon Theater and raised the cash for the Robin Hood Foundation’s poverty fighting initiatives, bringing the Seattle-based band’s current tour to a successful and charitable close.

The show – to which some fans forked out $2,250 for a ticket – followed the band’s announcement last week that they are to back a campaign to raise money for patients fighting health insurance companies for payouts. A pre-concert fundraising party was held before the band’s concert in Connecticut on Friday, organized by Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness leader Jennifer Jaff.

The band were made aware of the plight of patients by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, who has battled Crohn’s disease – a bowel disorder – for the last 25 years.

“Jennifer Jaff is one of the best advocates for patients I have ever seen,” said McCready. “It’s super-important for her to fight against the insurance companies that will deny people any kind of coverage for their pre-existing conditions. The work she does is justified, and I just love it. We live in the greatest country in the world, and I have lived here my entire life, but we need to invest our money back into things that look at a broader scope, not just things that are going to make us money. If people are going to die because some legislation didn’t go through, that, to me, is abhorrent. That’s not what America means to me.”

Bono Sings The Praises Of Music For Charity

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Bono’s (RED) charity has announced a new music delivery system as their latest way to raise money for AIDS sufferers in Africa.

Internet users can pay $5/month to use the service, and will receive a weekly installment containing an exclusive song from one of the world’s top artists, a song by an emerging artist, a piece of non-music content called a “Crackerjack surprise,” and stories of how (RED) funds are being used to combat the deadly disease.

“The world’s best brands created (RED) products that have generated over US$110 million,” said Don MacKinnon, (RED) President of Content. “What we are doing now is applying the (RED) model to music. Every week you will receive great music from amazing artists and people living with AIDS in Africa will receive lifesaving antiretroviral medicine.”

Half of each month’s membership fee will go directly to the Global Fund, and just five subscribers will generate enough money annually to provide a person living with HIV with antiretroviral treatment for one year.

“Don MacKinnon just might be the penicillin the ailing music business needs,” said Bono. “He is an innovator by nature and I have no doubt that some of the music software we are working on at (RED) will help change the way music is received, as well as changing the lives of Africans who will die without the AIDS drug that (RED) can provide.”

Although the new system doesn’t come online until Autumn, you can pre-register at www.joinred.com.

Jackie Chan Urges Non-Violence In Timor

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

UNICEF Ambassador Jackie Chan visited East Timor last week to spread a message of non-violence to the country’s youth.

The visit aimed to curb a culture of “martial arts gangs” – groups of youths that have been involved in street fighting that led to an outbreak of violence that killed 37 people and caused thousands to flee their homes less than two years ago.

“If you use martial arts to help somebody, you’re the hero,” said Chan. “If you use martial arts just on the street to fight somebody, even if you win you’re not the hero – you’re nobody.”

During the visit, Chan met Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and led a choreographed martial arts display in front of over 5000 young people at Dili’s national stadium. He hopes his presence will help gangs realize their art is a discipline, not a weapon.

“It does not matter what school of martial arts we are from as long as we are united,” he said. “Training for martial arts helps you to strengthen your eyes, your mind and your body. When you have a good body and mind, let’s help people. Don’t harm them.”

You can watch a video of Chan’s visit here.

Wyclef Jean Pushes For Economic Change In Haiti

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hip hop artist Wyclef Jean spent five days in his native Haiti last week to further his humanitarian efforts in the impoverished Caribbean nation, and used the visit to call for serious economic change.

The 35-year-old rapper – born in the Haitian village of Croix-des-Bouquets – stated that the country needs foreign investment and assistance with sustainable development to help its people beat the poverty and food shortages that are crippling its economy, not just charity and handouts that could cause Haiti to become even more dependent on other nations than it is now.

“I understand that there is a food crisis that needs to be addressed urgently, but at the same time donors need to inject funds in projects likely to bring sustainable results,” Jean told Reuters. “Charity will never solve Haiti’s problems. Haitians want jobs, they want to develop their agriculture to produce food, not to everlastingly receive food assistance. To solve the economic crisis, we need investments and to have investments we need security. To have security we have to start addressing the social problems in the most vulnerable and underprivileged neighborhoods.”

Jean, who was appointed as a roving ambassador for the country by President Rene Preval last year, has been working tirelessly to help Haitians in their day-to-day struggle to survive. He established the Yéle Haiti Foundation in 2005 to make a difference in education, health, environment and community development, and in May he launched an initiative to raise $48 million to expand food distribution and provide assistance to farmers. He has also urged Haitians to cut their high crime rate to make foreign investment more secure.

“Social and economic change will remain a utopian dream if we remain divided,” he said.

Jolie-Pitt Foundation Donates To War Children

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have donated $1 million to support the education of war-affected children through their Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

The Education Partnership for Children of Conflict will distribute the donation to four organizations working with children who have lost parents and homes in Iraq, and children in the United States who have lost parents in the conflict will also benefit.

“These educational support programs for children of conflict are the best way to help them heal,” said Jolie, who co-chairs the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.

“We hope to encourage others to give to these great organizations,” added Pitt.

$500,000 will go to the Armed Services YMCA Operation Hero Program, which will provide educational tutors and counseling to 2,500 children affected by the war in America. The remainder will be split between three organizations operating in Iraq: Women for Women International, which provides books, school supplies and other basic necessities to Iraqi women and children; the International Rescue Committee, which will repair three schools and offer classes for more than 2,500 students; and www.NineMillion.org – a UNHCR campaign – which will donate learning materials to more than 2,000 displaced Iraqi children.

Aid will also go to refugee children and school rehabilitation programs.

New Zealand All Blacks Announce Charity Partnership

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

They may have bowed out earlier than expected in last year’s World Cup, but New Zealand’s national rugby team, the All Blacks, have proved that they are still at the top of their game after two wins against England in the last two weeks, and a veritable annihilation of Ireland the week before that. And now the world famous squad – who are well known for their charity work – have announced their official charity for the next three years.

The partnership with KidsCan was announced at a special event at a South Auckland school earlier today that saw team member Ali Williams handing out raincoats to raise school attendances.

“We are really proud to have KidsCan as the official charity of the All Blacks,” said team captain Richie McCaw. “The team is keen to support organizations that help more New Zealand kids be healthy and happy.”

The charity – founded three years ago by Julie Helson and Carl Sunderland after their research project showed that wet weather gear, good shoes and a lack of food were the main factors that stopped children from attending school – replaces Save the Children as the team’s official charity. KidsCan said they hand out over 240,000 meals to low-decile New Zealand school children every year.

“The association with the All Blacks will raise the profile of KidsCan so that every household in New Zealand is aware of how significant the issue of child poverty has become,” said Helson. “There are thousands of Kiwi kids going to school cold and hungry and this has a major impact on their ability to learn. There are too many children in New Zealand who are missing out on basic needs we take for granted. For us as a charity it’s what we do – it’s about giving them a hand up.”

The charity hopes the All Blacks’ endorsement will help them expand and meet the needs of the 17,000 children on their waiting list.

A Chance To Buffet With Buffett

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fancy having lunch with one of the richest men on the planet? Now could be your chance, with an auction being run this week offering the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dine with Warren Buffett.

The auction opened on Sunday and has already reached bids of over $77,000, with the final proceeds going to the Glide Foundation, a nonprofit in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district that offers programs for the poor, hungry and homeless. The 77-year-old billionaire investor started donating the private lunches to charity in 2000, and last year’s winner forked out more than $650,000 to enjoy a buffet with Buffett.

And there’ll certainly be no embarrassing lapses in conversation at the table – you can take up to seven friends to enjoy the meal, which will be held at Manhattan steakhouse Smith & Wollensky.

Earlier this year, Forbes magazine estimated Buffet’s net worth at being around $62 billion, and the investor has already pledged most of that to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in his will.

The auction can be accessed via eBay and ends this Friday (June 27).

Bill Clinton Refocuses On Charity

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:36:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Former US president Bill Clinton is fueling a new charity drive for both the corporate world and the community at large.

World wide poverty, climate change and health care – all issues of his own Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) – were on the agenda as Clinton spoke in Manhattan last week. CGI, a project of the Clinton Foundation since 2005, aims to link global leaders with real solutions to world problems.

Already this year CGI has several projects under way. Visa Inc has committed to small business development and literacy for 10 million people over five years; the Energy and Resources Institute has committed to bringing solar light to millions of rural Indians who normally rely on kerosene lanterns after dusk; Fundación Paraguaya is to provide education for sustainable agriculture in developing countries over the next 10 years; Standard Chartered Bank maintained its commitment to microfinance African and Asian institutions to benefit millions of farmers and negotiated a hydro-power project in Uganda to reduce emissions and decrease power costs; and Action by Lizzy Dupont has produced practical, instructional health videos in sign language for the deaf in Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Morocco.

Clinton said, “Health care problems are profound, many people go to bed hungry every night, one in four deaths every year are claimed by AIDS, TB, malaria and infections related to contaminated water.”

Besides endorsing the current US policy of both distributing food to the needy as well as cash to famine-area farmers, Clinton also made mention to his New York audience of issues specifically affecting Americans at home.

“In this decade we’ve had the biggest increase in income inequality in America in 80 years… Income is 1,000 dollars lower today than the day I left office, while health care costs have doubled. At any given time in the year about 100 million will be without health care and the cost of a college education is up 75 percent. The average debt of a college graduate is 50 percent higher than it was at the beginning of this decade. You see that there is a fair amount of inequality problems in America and climate change affects us all.”

Lindsay Lohan Wants You To Swap Clothes

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Lindsay Lohan wants to swap her clothes… for charity.

The 21-year-old star of Mean Girls, Herbie Fully Loaded, Just My Luck, and The Parent Trap is encouraging shoppers in the UK to swap their unwanted clothes at the Visa Swap Shop store in Covent Garden, London, in support of TRAID – Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development.

“I am so excited to be involved with this year’s Visa Swap event,” said the actress. “The concept of swapping clothes, getting something for nothing and refreshing your wardrobe appeals to everyone. Ethical stories continue to dominate the news agenda and it’s great when fashion projects benefit charities.”

It is the second year the initiative – which involves people swapping their old clothes for points on their Visa card – has been run, and Lohan has already taken part in a photo shoot for the program. Last year’s campaign was headed by Mischa Barton.

“I had such a great time at the Visa Swap campaign shoot,” said Lohan. “The clothes I wore were all vintage designer pieces which you just don’t see every day!”

More information on how to get involved can be found on the TRAID website.

Celebrities Raid The ARK In Charity Auction

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A role in the next film made by Uma Thurman, a Damien Hirst painting, a Fiat 500 decorated by the artist Tracey Emin, and a private jet tour of the Château Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem wineries were all up for auction on Wednesday night to raise money for ARK.

The event was the annual ARK Charity Dinner, and was held at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London. A host of celebrities attended the function, including Sarah Ferguson, Jemima Khan, Elizabeth Hurley, and Simon Cowell, each paying up to $98,000 for a table of 10.

The 1,000 attendees were entertained by a special performance by Stevie Wonder and a speech from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Over £25.5 million ($50.23 million) was raised this year, coming close to meeting the success of last year’s £26.6 million ($53 million) event. A downwards trend is currently being seen across the board – the Robin Hood Foundation in New York raised $56.5 million for charity in an evening last week, $15 million less than a year earlier.

ARK, or Absolute Return for Kids, is an international charity whose purpose is to transform children’s lives. Founded in 2002 by a group of senior figures in the alternative investment industry, the organization works to pool the skills and resources of the industry to improve the life chances of children.

Robin Hood Gets Merry For Charity!

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The stars came out for the Robin Hood Foundation’s annual fundraising gala last week, in an evening that shone, sparkled, and made the charity millions of dollars.

About 4,000 people gathered at the event held at the Javits Center in New York, including rapper Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, Tom Brokaw, Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein, and American Idol winner David Cook. The proceeds from the event, which included an auction, will go to more than 240 poverty-fighting programs in the city, including Abraham House in the South Bronx, which offers social services to relatives of prison inmates; the Children’s Defense Fund, which seeks better access to health care for poor children, and Broadway Housing Communities, which provides shelter for the homeless or the mentally ill.

The auction was co-hosted by Conan O’Brien, and the evening also featured performances by Shakira, Sheryl Crow, and John Legend.

“Every single penny raised tonight goes to help people claw their way out of poverty and build better lives for themselves and their families,” said David Saltzman, Robin Hood’s executive director. “Despite what’s going on in the economy, people who are in a position to help others step up, and during tough times they step up even more.”

Pearl Jam To Play Charity Gig

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:36:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rockers Pearl Jam are to play a one-off charity gig next month.

The band, formed in Seattle in 1990, will play New York’s Beacon Theatre on July 1 to raise money for the Robin Hood Foundation, an organization that targets poverty in the city.

The band is well known for their social campaigning at gigs, with singer Eddie Vedder often changing lyrics of his songs to attack political issues.

Tickets for the gig come with a price – attendees must first donate $100 to the charity, and then purchase tickets starting at $250. The event is expected to raise $3 million for the Foundation.

Wyclef Jean Forms Partnership For Haiti Food Crisis Help

Fri, 23 May 2008 10:52:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Musician Wyclef Jean announced on Tuesday that his Yele Haiti Foundation has formed a partnership with two other charities to help address the growing food crisis in Haiti.

Rising food and fuel costs have left the Caribbean island nation’s poor unable to afford food, resulting in widespread hunger and even rioting. Haitian native Jean, who first made his name as a member of The Fugees, is joining forces with the United Nations World Food Programme and the Pan American Development Foundation to form Together for Haiti.

The programme hopes to raise $48 million, with which it will provide targeted food distribution, employment in agriculture regeneration programmes, and micro-enterprise grants.

At the Manhattan launch of the partnership, Wyclef Jean stressed the importance of helping the Haitian poor to help themselves:

“How can you make people in a poor economy entrepreneurs? Well, if you give these families five chickens and you give them food for these chickens and give then a cage they automatically become entrepreneurs. Because, they can eat now and they can raise the chickens and sell chickens.”

Together for Haiti is a natural extension to Jean’s Yéle Haiti Foundation, the goal of which the musician says is “to restore pride and a reason to hope, and for the whole country to regain the deep spirit and strength that is part of our heritage.”

For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.togetherforhaiti.org. Just 25 cents can buy a school meal for a hungry child.

David Beckham to Climb Kilimanjaro

Wed, 21 May 2008 10:39:17 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

How persuasive is U2 front man / humanitarian Bono? He’s recently asked the world’s most recognizable soccer star, David Beckham, to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for charity, and Beckham has agreed.

Beckham decided to undertake the intense six-day climb to raise money for UNICEF after being asked by Bono, but no date has been set yet for Becks’ big climb.

A source close to the LA Galaxy player told Britain’s The Sun newspaper: “The 19,340ft peak is a bit outside of David’s normal comfort zone but he is absolutely set on making the climb. No date has been fixed yet because David is very busy with his LA Galaxy commitments, but he is absolutely set on doing it.”

Victoria Beckham to Sell Spice Tour Outfits for Charity

Tue, 20 May 2008 10:12:37 -0000

Written by Linda Burton

Victoria Beckham wants to help you add a little “spice” to your wardrobe. Six of the dazzling outfits that Posh Spice wore during the recent Spice Girls reunion tour will soon be available to the highest bidder.

Posh is auctioning off six Roberto Cavalli designs, including a “diamond-dress” hand-stiched with thousands of Swarovski crystals, in hopes of raising one million pounds for the The Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust, which helps underprivileged children. Victoria’s mother, Jackie Adams, manages the trust.

Victoria, 34, said “ I love all the outfits – for the memories they hold and for how beautiful they are,” she told the Sunday Mirror.

“But there has been a lot of interest in them and I want to harness that for charity.”

A spokesperson added “It’s time for any high rollers out there to get their checkbooks out.”

Shakira and Latin Singers Unite Against Child Poverty, Again

Tue, 20 May 2008 10:12:26 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

The ‘Concert For The Children’ was staged last weekend, simultaneously in Mexico and Argentina, free to the over 300,000 expected viewers.

Packed with Latin stars including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Alejandro Sanz, Chayanne, Diego Torres, Juanes, Maná and Miguel Bosé, the concerts’ goal was to raise funds that charity ALAS will use to help the millions of children living in poverty throughout Latin America, and where an estimated 350,000 children die from poverty every year.

“People are condemned to poverty because there are no exits or choices,” Shakira said. “And children who don’t receive an opportunity end up as adults being involved with things that they never imagined they would be doing in the first place, like drug trafficking or being recruited into criminal groups. Imagine what Latin America could achieve if we invest in developing the potential of these children.”

ALAS, founded in 2006, has been bringing artists, intellectuals and entrepreneurs together to address the social emergency, and focuses on improving nutrition, health and education for children.

32 out of 54 million children in Latin America under the age of five live in poverty.

Shakira, who performed at the Buenos Aires venue, secured $200 million in donations for the performance. Ricky Martin played at the other venue at Mexico City’s main plaza, Zócalo.

“The funny thing is that Latin America produces three times what it needs to feed its population. So, it is doable, we can really eradicate poverty,” Shakira said. “What’s very inspiring is to see Latin America for the first time in charge of its own issues.”

Legend, Doolittle Honor Sachs and Soros

Mon, 19 May 2008 10:56:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Millennium Promise and Malaria No More Annual Benefit took place last week at The Tent at Lincoln Center, raising over $2 million for the fight against extreme poverty and disease. The event honored the charities’ founders, Raymond G. Chambers, Peter Chernin, Professor Jeffrey Sachs and George Soros.

Grammy-winner John Legend presented an award to Jeffrey Sachs. Sachs’ book, The End Of Poverty was a catalyst in Legend’s forming of the Show Me Campaign. American Idol’s Melinda Doolittle presented an award to Peter Chernin, and performed “Amazing Grace” as part of the evening’s entertainment. Ann Veneman, the Executive Director of UNICEF, and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank, presented awards to Ray Chambers and George Soros, respectively.

Millennium Promise is on a mission to end extreme poverty by 2025. They have begun by taking steps to achieve the eight globally-endorsed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa by 2015.

Malaria No More is actively taking steps to end deaths due to malaria, by providing bed nets and raising awareness about this disease, which kills 3,000 children every day.

For more information on how you can get involved, visit the Millennium Promise and Malaria No More websites.

Time's 100 - Tony Blair By Bill Clinton

Mon, 19 May 2008 10:54:57 -0000

President Bill Clinton wrote a tribute to Tony Blair’s philanthropic achievements for this year’s Time 100 list.

“When my friend Tony Blair stepped down as U.K. Prime Minister last year, I advised him to take some time off with his family and make a list of the issues he felt passionately about and that he could continue to pursue. It was the least he had earned after a decade of modernizing his country’s economy, making the U.K. one of the few nations to reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions more than required to meet their Kyoto target and leading the G-8 to historic commitments to support Africa and fight global poverty.

Tony listened to my advice graciously but ignored it completely by immediately accepting a new job as Middle East envoy for the Quartet. I have always admired Tony’s willingness to wade into troubled waters. Ten years ago, he did a masterly job in helping to end 30 years of sectarian violence and broker a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. Now he is demonstrating the dedication and intensity to promoting economic opportunity in the Middle East, learning from his Irish experience that showing the concrete benefits of peace can play a crucial role in making a just and lasting peace possible.

Tony, 54, also knows that even the benefits of an enduring peace in the Middle East and the dramatic reductions in terrorism it would bring could be wiped away if we don’t save the planet from the worst consequences of global warming. So he has taken on another big challenge: shaping a new global agreement to cut carbon emissions. Because my foundation is involved with projects to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in more than 40 large cities on six continents, I know how important and difficult Tony’s work is, and I look forward to the visionary leadership he will bring to it. As his friend, I hope Tony finds fulfillment in advancing the public good as a private citizen. As a member of our interdependent global community, I thank him for not taking a day off when we need him the most.

Bill Clinton, the 42nd U.S. President, started the William J. Clinton Foundation, to work towards ending poverty and AIDS. This organization also funded the Clinton Global Initiative, which focuses on environmental issues.

Time's 100 - Peter Gabriel By Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:57:52 -0000

Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu wrote about Peter Gabriel’s contributions to humanity for this year’s Time 100 list:

“I did not know Peter Gabriel from a bar of soap when I met him for the first time on his friend Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Virgin Islands. But within moments, he had charmed me. I heard him sing his Biko, which still moves me to tears each time I hear it, as we stood round the piano he was playing. He volunteered to give me my first swimming lessons and was a great hit with two of my grandchildren who met him there.

“What is his secret? He has a heart—in our part of the world, we would give him our highest accolade and say, “He has ubuntu.” It is that marvelous quality that speaks of compassion and generosity, about sharing, about hospitality. Peter founded WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance), presenting 50 festivals in more than 40 countries and conducting workshops in schools around the globe. He is a passionate human-rights advocate who participated in the 1988 Human Rights Now tour, and he co-founded Witness, which provides cameras and computers to activists.

“In 2007 he and Branson co-founded the Elders, which Nelson Mandela and his wife Graça Machel launched in Johannesburg on Mandela’s 89th birthday. With our world battered by so many problems—ethnic conflict, oppression of women and children, climate change—their idea was that a group of eminent people would serve as Elders for our global village. A dozen of us—including Kofi Annan, President Jimmy Carter and Fernando Cardoso (with an empty chair for Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma)—have accepted their offer and challenge.

“Peter, 58, has received many awards, including the Man of Peace award given by Nobel Peace laureates. He has ubuntu, and he deserves this latest accolade richly.”

Bishop Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, and founded the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre support and promote peace throughout the world.

Stars Call for Action on Disaster Relief

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:48:24 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Compassion is showing itself to be a universal language, as people from around the world are taking steps to help victims of the recent natural disasters in Asia. Celebrities are flocking to support the desperate nation of Burma/Myanmar, with Not On Our Watch, the charity started by Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, George Clooney and Jerry Weintraub, donating $500,000 towards rescue operations.

The group will use $250,000 for its own relief efforts, and has donated $250,000 of that amount to Save the Children, who, with UNICEF, are two of the few relief organizations currently deployed due to the military government’s reluctance to allow aid workers into the country. According to Britain’s Department for International Development, the country needs at least 10 times the amount of aid that the ruling junta leaders are currently allowing in.

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden have just released a PSA made in support of UNICEF’s work towards helping the victims of May 2nd’s cyclone, asking people to give what they can to help the survivors of the disaster which has left tens of thousands dead, and hundreds of thousands suffering.

Queen Elizabeth II has also made a “significant” personal donation to the efforts. While the amount of the donation was not disclosed, it is believed that the donation went to Britain’s Disasters Emergency Committee. The first British relief flight left Dubai on Monday, carrying shelter material for 43,000 families.

Organizing aid for victims of Monday’s 7.9 earthquake in China is Jackie Chan, who donated $1.4 million with charity-fund partner Emperor Entertainment Group chairman Albert Yeung. The earthquake, which has killed 12,000 people, was felt as far away as Thailand.

To make donations to help cyclone victims in Burma, visit the Save the Children, UNICEF and the Disasters Emergency Committee websites, and to help victims of the earthquake in China, visit Jackie Chan’s donation page, and choose “China Earthquake Fund”.

Berry, Selleck Run/Walk For Women

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:05:05 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

Look to the Stars is very proud of our own Crystal A. Johnson , who took part in the weekend’s Revlon Run/Walk.

The 15th EIF Annual Revlon Run/Walk in Los Angeles took place Saturday Morning, kicked off by Halle Berry, Tom Selleck and Dancing With the Stars’ Carrie Ann Inaba strapping on their shoes for a great cause. The charity raises money to help in the fight against breast cancer.

However, I was not prepared for how touching it would be to see an ocean of walkers sporting tags or shirts dedicated to the memory of a loved one. Immediately, one is stricken with the gravity of the mission. Coverage of this event was double duty for me because I participated as a walker for the first time. My grandmother, Josephine Wilson had a mastectomy in the 60’s and was a proud survivor until a ripe old age. At the completion of the race, walkers and runners entered the LA Colliseum. By the time many of the walkers finished, 80’s classic group the Go Go’s were on stage performing hit tunes. Belinda Carlisle was looking great and still has the beat. Jesse McCartney also performed. Other stars such as Days of Our Lives’ Deidre Hall and actor Jonathan Hensley also showed their support.

The EIF Revlon Run/Walk happens annually in New York and Los Angeles.

Picture: Alexandra Wyman, WireImage.com

Halle Berry, Jonas Brothers Support Revlon Run/Walk For Women

Wed, 07 May 2008 09:59:14 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Pop-Rock band Jonas Brothers, took time out during a recent guest appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to sign an Epiphone guitar, courtesy of Gibson Guitars in support of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Revlon Run/Walk For Women. The guitar, along with the pen Kevin, Joe and Nick used to sign it, is currently available on CharityFolks.com.

The Revlon Run/Walk for Women takes place annually in New York and Los Angeles, with the 15th Annual Entertainment Industry Foundation Revlon Run/Walk for Women Los Angeles taking place this Saturday, May 10. Our own Crystal A. Johnson is set to take part in this celebrated event. The New York Run/Walk took place on May 3rd.

Hosting the LA event this year are Halle Berry, Tom Selleck, Beau Garrett and Carrie Ann Inaba. Funds raised help further research into finding a cure for women’s cancers. For more information, visit the LA Run/Walk For Women website.

(Photo copyright ABC)

Charity Folks Help Charity Drives

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:42:02 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Charity Folks takes on the daunting task of organising online auctions for celebrity-driven fund raisers for charity.

Winning bidders acquire celebrity memorabilia or attend various types of events, such as television show tapings, concerts, trips abroad or the opening game, donated by celebrities, musicians, sport stars and high-profile personalities, all to support non-profit organisations.

Right now you can bid on meeting hip-hop icon Ludacris at his restaurant opening and dine with 11 of your friends on a special chef’s menu, your donation benefiting the Magic Johnson Foundation. Or you could bid on meeting Magic Johnson himself. Or two tickets to the new Sex And The City movie to support ACLU of Southern California, front row tickets to a Police concert to benefit Unitus, or tickets to the Broadway production of South Pacific and a backstage tour for Only Make Believe.

Charity Folks arrange the auction from beginning to end, from design, promotion, managing the auction and collecting the payments, and have raised over $6 million for nonprofit organizations around the world to date. Click here to see what else is up for auction this month.

Sean Penn Gets His Hands Dirty In A Charity Caravan

Thu, 01 May 2008 10:51:05 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Sean Penn is on a mission to fight the war in Iraq, poverty, homelessness, and global warming – and he’s using some buses to help him.

The Dirty Hands Caravan is a fleet of biodiesel buses taking 300 people on an 1,800-mile trek across the U.S., ending in New Orleans on May 4. Penn kicked the initiative off at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival last Sunday, where he took his place on stage as one of 125 performers. His mission: to encourage people to “get involved” in any way they feel compelled, whether its by cleaning up parks or neighborhoods, caring for the sick or needy, or speaking out on behalf of issues such as immigration reform.

The project is Penn’s brainchild, and the actor/director appeared on the festival mainstage to invite the audience to join the caravan. Around 150 of the concert goers were inspired to sign up for the week long mission.

“The Dirty Hands Caravan seeks to empower young people to stand up for what they believe in, with its longevity based on inspired individuality and pride,” said the 47-year-old, who has been joined by singer Ben Harper on the road trip. “My generation and those that came before have to recognize the numbing of incentive that we’ve passed on to the change hungry, imaginative, smarter-than-us youth of today.”

Volunteers are encouraged to get involved in a number of ways, including building houses for the homeless, protesting the Iraq war while supporting the needs of veterans and their families, and contributing to their communities in various ways. The caravan will also facilitate people who want to find out more about non-profit organizations in their local areas.

To find out if the Dirty Hands buses are coming to a city near you, visit their website.

Celebrities Send Signitures For Charity Auction

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:19:30 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sometimes, if you really believe in a cause and you want some celebrity help, you’ve just got to ask. That’s exactly what Simon McGuinness, a British teenager who recently got a whole lot of star-power behind his mission to raise money for CAFOD, did.

“The response was overwhelming,” said Simon, who contacted over 50 celebrities and asked for signitures and items to sell in an internet auction.”I had replies and donations from Dr Who’s David Tennant, Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Rowan Atkinson, and even Prime Minister Gordon Brown.”

CAFOD – the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development – is a charity that supports communities abroad by helping provide food, water, education and health care, and McGuinness will stop at nothing in his quest to enlist celebrity help for the cause.

“It was just an idea and I didn’t know what sort of response I would receive so I am delighted and surprised to have made such an impact and to find that celebrities do care enough to respond to a boy’s requests,” said the thirteen-year-old. “My next step is to go for the big one, I mean the Queen, but I don’t know whether she is able to do this sort of thing.”

For more information about the auction, visit the CAFOD website.

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