Look To The Stars News: Literacy

Exclusive Photo Feature: Olympians' Hearts of Gold

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:34:00 -0000

We have witnessed the amazing physical feats of the US Team in the Olympics, and now the Olympians want to share some of the other wonderful ways they use their time and strengths. Look To The Stars is honored to bring you news of their charity work, with thanks to NBC/USOC for providing the images.

Chad Hedrick (Long Track Speed Skating – won a bronze medal)
Competes on Friday and Saturday, February 26th & 27th

Chad hosts an annual golf tournament for to benefit the TX Special Olympics.

“I’m a very proud supporter of Texas Special Olympics!”

Angela Ruggiero (Hockey)

Former Director: New York Islanders Project Hope
Athlete Advisory Board Member: Women's Sports Foundation
Athlete Ambassador: Right To Play
Athlete Advisor: Momsteam.com
Member: 350.org

Rachael Flatt (Figure Skating)

“I have partnered with Reading is Fundamental (RIF), which is the nation’s oldest children’s literacy organization. It is a blend of two of my passions…education/reading and volunteering. I hope that I am a good example of the phrase ‘student-athlete’ and that it is possible to combine the two and be passionate about both! I have also found more opportunities to volunteer in the past two years and I feel that it is very important to give back to the community at large."

Johnny Spillane (Nordic Combined)

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Todd Lodwick (Nordic Combined)

Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (Todd’s son, Finn, was diagnosed with epilepsy at 5 months)

Julia Mancuso (Alpine Skiing – won 2 silver medals)

WWF Climate Change

Don’t miss the following athletes, appearing in the Figure Skating Exhibition on Saturday, February 27th!

Evan Lysacek (Figure Skating – won a gold medal)

Celebrity board member for Ronald McDonald House

Co-produced and hosted a skating show that raised $90K for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and a memorial fund for a friend who died of cancer.

Meryl Davis & Charlie White (Ice dancing – won a silver medal)

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
American Cancer Society
March Of Dimes
The Humane Society

Hannah Teter (Snowboarding – won a silver medal)

Hannah started a maple syrup company, Hannah's Gold. The proceeds of the maple syrup sales provide water to a Kenyan village and helps AIDS afflicted mothers and children acquire land. She also donates the prize money she wins from racing to the village and visits often.

Emily Cook (Freestyle Skiing)

Emily is very involved with Right To Play, an international humanitarian organization that uses sports programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.
She traveled to Amman and Aqaba, Jordan with the organization in April, 2009.

Gretchen Bleiler (Snowboarding)

Gretchen works with ‘Climate Project’ and the NRDC on building awareness around environmental issues. Her Oakley signature line of clothing is eco-friendly, and she works with all her sponsors to create eco-friendly sponsors when possible.

Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto (Ice Dancing)

Created a fundraising ice show, “Tanith & Ben: Home for the Holidays,” which benefits the American Cancer Society, and an ice show, “Skate-Aid,” which raised over $40K for the American Red Cross tsunami relief.

Steve Nyman (Alpine Skiing)

Helped build an orphanage in Haiti (Steve was involved with aid in Haiti before the earthquake), and is involved with Team Darfur & A Child's Hope Foundation.

Erin Pac (Bobsledding – won a bronze)

Race for the Cure (Susan G. Komen for the Cure)

Johnny Weir (Figure Skating)

Elton John AIDS Foundation
Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity
UNICEF

Noelle Pikus-Pace (Skeleton)

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Lindsey Jacobellis (Snowboarding)

ASPCA – Started her own effort to benefit the ASPCA, called Hats 4 Hounds. She knit 101 hats to sell, and all the sales proceeds went to the ASPCA.

You can continue to show your support for the US Olympians by helping to support their causes and charities, and you can find a wealth of information on the athletes at NBCOlympics.com or TeamUSA.org.

And, don’t forget, the US Olympic Committee is a 501©(3) organization and needs continuous support in order to keep sending the best athletes to the Olympic Games!

NFL and TV Stars Play GameStop Battlefield Bracket Challenge

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:13:00 -0000

The lines have been drawn for the GameStop Battlefield Bracket Challenge, and it’s time to visit www.GameStop.com/BattlefieldBC2 to pick your winners and enter for a chance to win prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000.

Each of the 16 teams in the GameStop Battlefield Bracket Challenge is captained by a different celebrity or athlete, two Major League Gaming professionals serving as team sergeants and two amateur gamers selected by Electronic Arts. These 16 teams will compete in a bracket-style tournament in the Squad Rush multi-player mode until only one team is left standing (Squad Rush is available exclusively for 30 days to GameStop customers who pre-order Battlefield: Bad Company 2 before March 2). To the victor belong the spoils, as the winning team gets bragging rights as well as a $25,000 donation by Electronic Arts to the team’s charity of choice.

The official team names, captains, charities and the pro gamer team members (as identified by their gamertags) for each of the four brackets are as follows. Complete team profiles and bios can be found at www.GameStop.com/BattlefieldBC2. Online bracket selection closes March 4.

First Bracket:
· Team O-H-N: Captain Chad Ochocinco (NFL star), playing for Feed the Children, pro gamer team members Jet Steele and Soldi3R187
· Team Philly Eagles: Captain DeSean Jackson (NFL star), playing for a cure for pancreatic cancer, pro gamer team members Problem and Big Tymer
· Team 28 Guns: Captain Marshall Faulk (NFL legend), playing for MF Foundation, pro gamer team members Bestman and SK
· Team Can’t be Faded: Captain Andre Berto (WBA Welterweight Boxing Champion), playing for Berto Dynasty Foundation, pro gamer team members Totz and Predator

Second Bracket:
· Team Numero Uno: Captain Matt Cassell (NFL star), playing for Shadow Buddies, pro gamer team members Tsquared and Fearitself
· Team Operation Killers: Captain Patrick Willis (NFL star), playing for Yéle Haiti Foundation, pro gamer team members Killa and Elamitewarrior
· Team PA All Stars: Captain Donnie Edwards (NFL star), playing for Jump 4 Life, pro gamer team members Victory X and Neighbor
· Team Keibler’s Elves: Captain Stacy Keibler (actress, Dancing with the Stars, former wrestler), playing for UNICEF, pro gamer team members Maniac and Legend

Third Bracket:
· Team McNasties: Captain Matt Lanter (actor, 90210 star), playing for the Alzheimer's Association, pro gamer team members Tizoxic and Destin
· Team Cross Fighters: Captain Shaun Sipos (actor, Melrose Place), playing for the American Red Cross, pro gamer team members Defy and Clutch
· Team ZERO 1: Captain Hal Sparks (comedian), playing for the Lili Claire Foundation, pro gamer team members Walshy and Sharpshot93
· Team Buck Shots: Captain AJ Buckley (actor, CSI: NY), playing for Operation Smile, pro gamer team members Flamesword and Snipedown

Fourth Bracket:
· Team Charlie Angels: Captain Charlie O’Connell (actor, the Bachelor), playing for Reading is Fundamental, pro gamer team members Hysteria and Ghostayame
· Team Winona Ryders: Captain Perez Hilton (gossip columnist/TV personality), playing for Lambda Legal, pro gamer team members Cloud and Strongside
· Team YOWZA!: Captain Greg Grunberg (actor, Heroes), playing for the Epilepsy Foundation, pro gamer team members Cpt. Anarchy and Lunchbox
· Team Little Monsters: Captain Tristan Wilds (actor, 90210), playing for Yéle Haiti Foundation, pro gamer team members Legit and Rambounit

Vote For This Year's Read For The Record Charity Campaign Book

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:30:00 -0000

Last year, Jumpstart's Read for the Record 2009 campaign officially set a new record for the world’s largest shared reading experience – on Oct. 8th, adults across the globe read Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar to 2,019,752 children! And now the charity wants you to choose the official campaign book for 2010.

Last year’s campaign featured a host of celebrities, including Justin Bieber (pictured), Nelly Furtado, Meredith Vieira, Lo Bosworth, Mary-Louise Parker, Tiki Barber, Vince Vaughn and many more.

Choose one of the following children’s book titles – Blueberries for Sal, Make Way for Ducklings, Peter’s Chair, and The Snowy Day – and it could become the official campaign book for 2010. Voting closes on February 28. The book that receives the most votes will be announced in March and will become the centerpiece of Jumpstart’s fifth annual record-breaking campaign!

To vote, click here.

Robbie Williams Donates Song To Charity

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British singer Robbie Williams is to donate his next single to Sport Relief.

Morning Sun has been chosen as the official song for the charity’s 2010 campaign, and will be released on March 8 in the UK.

“I am very happy to donate my time to help Sport Relief and I thank my co-writers for doing the same,” he said. “Please join us in helping this very worthwhile cause.”

The singer joins David and Victoria Beckham in supporting the campaign.

Sport Relief is a fundraising initiative between Comic Relief and the BBC. Money raised goes towards a number of relief programs in the UK and around the world.

Beckhams Design T-Shirts For Sport Relief Charity Campaign

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:30:00 -0000

David and Victoria Beckham are spearheading this year’s Sport Relief campaign.

The whole Beckham family have created a series of one-off designs with the hope of inspiring the nation to rise to the challenge for Sport Relief 2010– and they’re about to fly off the shelves at Sainsbury’s and TK Maxx where they’re now exclusively on sale.
As part of the series of T-shirts, David took a distinctive self portrait showcasing his renowned football skills. Even Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz joined in the creative process, armed with spray cans and a blank canvas, to create a unique one off Beckham family collaboration.

Speaking about his family’s involvement in the campaign, football Legend David Beckham said: “‘Victoria and I are excited to be involved with Sport Relief again this year. Our family had a great time designing the T-shirt range and we hope it will raise much needed funds for many important causes. The most important thing is that the money raised will make a genuine difference to people’s lives.”

The T-shirts are all made with 100% Fairtrade Certified cotton and all net profits from the sale of the t-shirt range will go towards helping people living unimaginably tough lives both across the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

Also taking part in this year’s campaign will be David Walliams, who will cycle the length of the UK, The One Show’s Christine Bleakley, who will be water-skiing across the English Channel, and Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton, who will attempt to become the first woman to sail the Amazon river in a kayak. James Corden will host a BBC TV special on March 19, and other stars involved in the campaign include Jenson Button and Fearne Cotton.

To find out more, visit the Sport Relief website.

David Beckham To Get Oiled Up For Charity

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

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Comedian James Corden is about to get up close and personal with David Beckham.

Corden – in character as Gavin And Stacey’s Smithy – will give the soccer icon a massage for charity. And Beckham will return the favor afterwards – in a sketch to be broadcast in March on BBC One’s Sport Relief.

“The sketch is hilarious, they couldn’t be more different – the pair of them massaging each other will be a sight to behold,” a source told The Sun.

This is the second time Corden and Beckham have appeared together, last year they were featured in a Comic Relief skit where Smithy gate-crashed an England football team meeting and gave the players a pep talk.

Corden is also filming sketches with other sport celebrities such as Formula 1 champ Jenson Button, cricketer Andrew Flintoff, tennis ace Andy Murray and diver Tom Dale.

Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

Little Britain Star To Get On His Bike For Charity

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British comedian David Walliams is planning to cycle the length of the UK for charity.

The Little Britain star is well known for his charity stunts – in 2006 he swam the English Channel, and in 2008 he swam the Strait of Gibralter. Both swims were to raise money for Comic Relief and Sport Relief – as is his planned cycle ride.

The actor will be joined on his 875-mile trip from John O’Groats to Land’s End – to take place in March – by Jimmy Carr and Miranda Hart, as well as TV hosts Fearne Cotton and Davina McCall.

Money raised goes towards a number of relief programs in the UK and around the world.

Eddie Izzard Encourages Good Health And Fitness

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British actor/comedian Eddie Izzard is using his recent award for the 43 marathons he ran for charity earlier this year to encourage people in the UK get fitter.

The star was presented with a special award at the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year event on Sunday, December 13, for his effort, which saw him run 1,100 miles in 51 days for Sport Relief. The run raised over US$300,000 for the charity, which is part of Comic Relief.

And now the star is urging the people of the UK to follow his lead and get fitter.

“We’ve got the Olympics less than a thousand days ahead and I want to encourage people to take something they used to do when they were a kid and start doing it again,” he said. “We’re all living to about 100 now – unless you want the last 30 years of your life to be going really downhill, get healthy, get fit. Then we can encourage our athletes going into the Olympics to be able to have the fittest country [supporting them],”

The star acknowledges that keeping fit is not easy, but insists that it would be a good idea – especially as Britain’s obesity and diabetes problem gets worse. One in five primary school children in the country are now classed as overweight, and 67,000 deaths in the UK every year can be linked to weight problems.

“I’m no athlete,” Izzard said while accepting his award. “Not like everybody here tonight. It was really tough. Everything was painful. People asked me if I enjoyed the running but I enjoyed the stopping! I staggered, I ran and I crawled.”

Coldplay To Rock For Mencap

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Coldplay have confirmed that they will play a charity concert benefiting Mencap on December 19 as part of the charity’s Big Noise Sessions.

“We’re proud to support Mencap and, for me, it’s exciting to play my hometown,” said singer Chris Martin. “We haven’t played there since 2000. It’s going to be really, really special.”

The show – which will also feature Lily Allen – will take place at Exeter Castle in the UK, with tickets costing £50. Tickets will be made available in three batches: the first batch will be offered to subscribers on the Little Noise Sessions website on December 8, with the second batch being sold at HMV Exeter on December 10. The final batch will go on general sale through HMV on December 11.

Mencap works with people who suffer from learning disabilities, as well as with their families and carers. They fight to end discrimination and prejudice, and provide a wide range of services.

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.”

Stars Pushing the Envelope for Literacy

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:25:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Today is the final day to bid on celebrity-designed, one-of-a-kind envelopes while helping to transform lives through literacy.

Over 100 celebrities, including Zoë Wanamaker, Sir Ian McKellen, Sadie Frost, Amir Khan and Dame Shirley Bassey have decorated envelopes for the Pushing the Envelope campaign in association with Pitney Bowes and the National Literacy Trust.

Dame Helen Mirren’s envelope

Over the last six years, the campaign has raised £65,000 ($107,000) to support literacy programs across the UK, helping people with poor reading and writing skills gain confidence and a chance for better employment and opportunities.

Some of the other celebrities taking part this year include Dame Helen Mirren, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Fearne Cotton, Samantha Fox and Frederick Forsyth.

To view the all of the designs, visit the Pushing the Envelope website. The auction is being held on eBay.co.uk.

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.

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 .

Matt Damon Announces 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser In San Francisco

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0000

ONEXONE – the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally – along with Academy Award-winner Matt Damon, will host their 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

The evening will feature keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America, along with a special headline performance from Snow Patrol, who is coming off their highly successful solo tour in the U.S. and recent sold-out tour with U2. Additional speakers and entertainment include Carlos Santana on behalf of The Milagro Foundation, Spencer Day, a local jazz vocalist from San Francisco, and Ethan Bortnick, the 8-year old pianist and composer. ONEXONE will also welcome back Jay Bilas for his second year as Master of Ceremonies.

In addition, the annual fundraiser will announce details surrounding the organizations latest program in partnership with ONEXONE Ambassadors Matt Damon and Mia Hamm, and Academy-Award winner Charlize Theron and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project. The partnership between ONEXONE and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project pools their resources and combines their dedications in a new and unique charitable initiative that will be unveiled at the October 22 fete.

“We feel lucky to be able to bring this event back to San Francisco after such a successful launch last year,” said Marc Joubert, President of ONEXONE U.S. “It’s a great city and the people of San Francisco are so generous, they genuinely care about the issues and are committed to helping make a difference. We’re also excited to come back and unveil a brand new initiative that will make this year’s event even bigger and better than last year’s.”

The ONEXONE event in San Francisco focuses not only on raising funds and awareness for the issues, but also on producing a top-notch show that entertains and educates the audience at the same time. Last year’s inaugural event to celebrate the launch of their U.S. operation, and the international charity’s first American home, did just that while raising more than $1 million for the organization. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle Berdugo Adler, and has raised more than $7 million for children around the world since that time.

For more information on ONEXONE please visit www.onexone.org.

Kanye West Takes To Stage At Charity Event

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

The Common Ground Foundation held its second annual “Common & Friends” concert at the famed Hollywood Palladium on Saturday night. The show raised funds for the foundation, created by Grammy-Award winning hip-hop artist and actor, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, best known as Common.

The concert featured live performances from Common, The Roots, Nas, De La Soul, Ludacris, Queen Latifah, Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Heavy D, while Freddy Rodriguez, Garth Trinidad, Rasual Butler, Toccara Jones, Serena Williams, Amber Rose, Erica Hubbard, Alyssa Milano, Eva Amurri and Ian Ziering were all in attendance to support the Common Ground Foundation.

“I am very grateful and thankful to all who attended and supported the 2nd annual Common Ground Foundation event. To all the gifted artists that participated – I thank you for giving your time, energy, and creativity,” said Common. “To all the sponsors, thank you for your ongoing commitment to the progress of the future of our youth. God bless… Love.”

The Common Ground Foundation continues to show support through partnerships, events and programs reaching many dynamic groups. Recent initiatives have included being the recipient of Cartier’s LOVE Charity program; the Chicago White Sox’s “Be in the Game” day at Cellular Field; and the Emmy-award nominated “A Minute” campaign. Last year’s inaugural event, “Start the Show & Bowl” featured will.i.am, Lupe Fiasco, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Bilal, and Marsha Ambrosius.

Eddie Izzard Completes 43 Marathons For Charity

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard has completed his massive charity marathon challenge.

The actor set out in August to run 1000 miles and raise money for Sport Relief – a part of Comic Relief – and the 47-year-old finished his odyssey across Britain on Tuesday when he crossed the finish line at London’s Trafalgar Square.

“I feel dead!” he said as the London rain fell around him.

The challenge saw Izzard run 43 marathons in 52 days, a feat that Comic Relief founder Richard Curtis described as “amazing.”

“What I so admire is the length of it,” said Curtis. “He’s been doing it for so long, every single day. [These celebrities] are really putting themselves on the line for these issues. People in schools and at home think ‘Well, if Eddie can do that, then I can certainly do something to raise money and help people’.”

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.

Double Donations For Eddie Izzard's Epic Charity Run

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:35:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Comedian Eddie Izzard is running over 1000 miles around the UK for charity, and an anonymous donor is helping every last mile count double.

Eddie’s running his 39th almost-consecutive marathon today in support of Sport Relief, and with only five more marathons remaining before he reaches his destination in London on Tuesday 15th September, a donor has promised to match up to £43,000 ($71,000) in donations made by midnight on Sunday 20th September.

In exhausted breaks between his full days of running, Izzard has been sharing via twitter how significant even a small donation can be:

“£6 ($10) could pay for enough school books for a whole year for an 8-year-old street child in Bangladesh.”

“£15 ($25) could provide essential drugs so 20 Ugandan children with malaria survive until they reach hospital.”

“£10 ($16) could pay for an hour’s counselling for an older person who has been abused.”

Sport Relief is a fundraising initiative for the UK Comic Relief campaign, harnessing the power and passion of sport to change lives for the better.

Donating online takes just a few moments, and your donation will now provide twice the help; just click here.

UK residents can also donate by simply texting EDDIE to 66609; they’ll be charged £5 plus the standard network rate, of which at least £3.37 goes to Sport Relief. Click here for more information, or donate online.

Ludacris To Reunite With Tommy Lee For Charity

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Motley Crue drummer and former husband of Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee, and rapper Ludacris will reunite this Saturday, August 29, for a special culinary charity event.

The event will be held at Ludacris’ restaurant, Straits, in Atlanta for a fund-raiser benefiting his Ludacris Foundation. The Foundation was created to inspire youth to take responsibility for their future, build stronger families and foster community economic development in the community. The Ludacris Foundation is committed to helping youth help themselves.

There will even be an after-party for the event, which will take place from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. after Lee’s final encore with Motley Crue at the Aarons Amphitheater at Lakewood.

Ludacris and Tommy Lee first collaborated as part of Discovery Network’s Planet Green popular “Battleground Earth” eco-centric series.

Tickets are available here.

Ludacris Joins Common For Charity Hip Hop Concert

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

The Common Ground Foundation has announced the second annual “Common & Friends” concert to be held at the famed Hollywood Palladium on September 26, 2009.

The show will raise funds for the foundation, created by actor and hip-hop artist, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, best known as Common. Tickets are available through Live Nation, and the show will feature live performances from Common, Ludacris, Nas, The Roots, De La Soul and many special guests. Tickets are $100 for general admission and $200 for VIP Balcony seating. All proceeds will benefit the Common Ground Foundation.

“For the second year in a row Common and the biggest artists in hip-hop will come out and lend their support for the Common Ground Foundation,” said Executive Director, Jodie Blum. “With proceeds from this amazing event, we are able to raise much needed funds to empower youth in the United States.”

Eddie Izzard Runs For Sport Relief

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Comedian Eddie Izzard has just set out from London for a 1000-mile run to raise money for Sport Relief, which supports Comic Relief, a charity that helps vulnerable people in need both at home in the UK and abroad.

Izzard’s effort is a serious marathon challenge with comedic results, at least when reading the Press Association’s report: Running 30 miles per day, Izzard achieved a blister and bandaged leg by day two, following a damaged hamstring and shin problems during his mere four-week training period. “He is not a runner,” says Izzard’s publicist.

The pay back, however, is more than honking horns from passing fans in recognition of his daily run. It’s in getting kids with behavioural problems into team sports, child labourers in Bangladesh into school, abused children off the streets of Brazil and finding homes and care for AIDS orphans in Zambia.

Support for Izzard’s run can be made at www.eddieizzard.com, and twitterers can follow him at www.twitter.com/eddieizzard.

Ted Danson To Lead Young Storytellers Festival

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Ted Danson, Henry Winkler, Zachary Levi, Anthony LaPaglia and a host of other stars will host a special outdoor festival to encourage literacy in September.

Storypalooza is a festival featuring children’s storytelling games, musical guests, and a live performance of scripts by an all-star cast. The festival is being organized by the Young Storytellers Foundation, a Los Angeles based non-profit organization dedicated to developing literacy, self-expression and self-esteem in elementary school students through the art of storytelling. The Foundation offers a uniquely engaging and effective arts education and youth development program to targeted elementary schools in Los Angeles where students are at-risk and have little or no access to the arts. Twice a year at more than 30 schools, the program pairs 10 students from 4th or 5th grade with 10 mentors. The mentors volunteer one lunch hour a week for seven weeks to guide and encourage the students as they imagine and develop their own short screenplay. In the eighth week, professional Hollywood actors perform the students’ scripts for a live audience.

Storypalooza – which also features appearances by Ben McKenzie, Tate Donovan, Josh Radnor, Mary Steenburgen and many more – will take place on September 26 at Crossroads Elementary School in Santa Monica. More info can be found here.

Chicago White Sox Team With Common Ground

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:44:00 -0000

The Chicago White Sox are once again teaming with hip-hop superstar, actor and children’s author Lonnie Rashid Lynn – better known as Common – and the Common Ground Foundation this season for a night at the ballpark to help serve Chicago youth.

On Friday, July 17 at 7:11 p.m., the White Sox will play Baltimore at U.S. Cellular Field. A portion of every ticket purchased on behalf of the Common Ground Foundation when using the special promotion code of “CGF” will go toward the organization.

The Common Ground Foundation was created by Common to serve as an inspiration for equality, opportunity and hope among youth in underserved communities. The Foundation is committed to empowering youth in urban neighborhoods and providing life skills needed to achieve their dreams.

“I am thrilled to again partner with my hometown Sox to help build awareness for the Common Ground Foundation and do something special for young people in Chicago, as well as communities across the nation,” said Common, who is a South Side-native. “We invite everyone to support us on this special night.”

The Common Ground Foundation is also hosting a contest to raise funds for the Foundation by selling group tickets to the White Sox game. The person who sells the most tickets by June 19, will get to throw out the ceremonial first pitch with Common at the July 17 game.

Tickets for the foundation’s event are available via a special order form and entering in “CGF” in the special promotion code box. Orders submitted on behalf of the Common Ground Foundation must be received by the White Sox no later than Tuesday, June 30th. Rules and regulations for the contest can be found under news and events.

John Legend Headlines Four Seasons Of Hope Gala

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope, a goodwill program benefiting children and families, held its eighth annual celebrity gala last night at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

“Live with Regis and Kelly” host, Regis Philbin returned for his fifth Samsung gala and was joined by NBC Commentator Bob Costas, who returned for his third gala.

Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope recognizes the charitable efforts of sports, entertainment, and political notables, including former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Wayne Gretzky, Arnold Palmer, Jimmie Johnson, Boomer Esiason and Dan Marino through fundraising programs tied to business partners major retailers such as Best Buy, Sears, and the recently added Lowe’s as well as some of its regional partners.

Grammy-Award winner and philanthropist John Legend gave a special live performance to more than 500 guests in attendance where his Show Me Campaign was one of the benefiting charities from the evening’s event. The Show Me Campaign’s mission is to end poverty through sustainable development, education and service at the individual, family and community levels. Legend also brought along singer songwriter Estelle and his brother Vaughn to help entertain the crowd as both are part of Legend’s new record label, Home School Records.

“All of the charities involved in this event are doing tremendous work and I applaud their efforts, I was excited to be part of this night,” said John Legend following his performance.

Other charities to benefit from the event were the Arnold Palmer Foundation, the Boomer Esiason Foundation to Benefit Cystic Fibrosis, the Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation, the Dan Marino Foundation, the Jason Taylor Foundation, the Michael Strahan Foundation, the Wayne Gretzky Foundation, and the Milagro Foundation.

The event featured a roster of celebrities from the worlds of sports, entertainment, and politics including newly signed New York Jets Quarterback Mark Sanchez and current Quarterback Kellen Clemens, Amani Toomer, New England Patriots Wes Welker, members of the New York Jets – Kerry Rhodes and Darrelle Revis Green Bay Packers Running Back Ryan Grant, former NBA star and current ESPN NBA Analyst Jamal Mashburn, TV Star Molly Sims, “All My Children’s” Chrishell Stause, Shannon Kane, Brittany Allen and Melissa Claire Egan, music artist and producer Swizz Beatz, Recording Artists Kelis and Fabolous; Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton; Rene Fris of Bravo’s “Shear Genius” and the Winner of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 10 Whitney Thompson. An online and silent auction of unique experiences and sports memorabilia also helped raise funds for all of the participating foundations and charities. The online auction will continue through June 25th at www.gocharity.com/samsung.

“Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope is proud to begin its eight year on such a positive note by raising nearly million dollars for the program’s charities and providing an amazing performance by John Legend who is also a true philanthropist,” said CS Choi, president and CEO, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. “It is especially exciting and encouraging to see all of our partners and celebrities coming together to benefit children and families. Even during this difficult economic climate, Samsung looks forward to being able to support these charitable efforts as we continue our corporate philanthropy initiatives.”

To date, Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope program has raised more than $20 million for charity, while winning awards and recognition for its achievements. For more information, visit www.fourseasonsofhope.com or www.samsung.com/newsroom.

Dolly Parton Launches New Charity Partnership

Fri, 22 May 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Country legend Dolly Parton announced this week that her literacy charity will team up with the United Way of America to double the amount of books the program currently provides.

Parton established the Imagination Library in 1996 as part of her Dollywood Foundation, and it now operates in 566 counties across thirty-six U.S. states, as well as in Canada and England. Her idea was simple: to build an organization that sends one book per month to children from the time of their birth until they enter kindergarten.

“This program is one of the most important ways I know to improve the educational opportunities for children,” said Parton. “When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books, and the seeds you plant in your community can grow across the world.”

The new partnership has set a goal of providing free books to one million children each month by 2014.

More information about the program can be found here.

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