Look To The Stars News: Women

Bon Jovi Donates to Oprah's Angel Network

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 15:17:40 +0000

Jon Bon Jovi stunned Oprah in September with a $1 million donation to Oprah's Angel Network in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Celebrity Donations To Katrina Relief Efforts

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 15:50:00 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

A list of what some celebrities have done to help Katrina victims:

Steven Spielberg, $750,000 to the American Red Cross and $750,000 to the Bush Clinton Fund
Nicolas Cage, Diddy, George Clooney each donated $1 million.
Oprah donated $1 million through her charity, Oprah's Angel Network
Hilary Duff donated $250,000.
John Travolta delivered supplies using his private plane.
Sean Penn rescued people using an occasionally leaky boat.
Michael Jackson offered a song, “From the Bottom of My Heart”.
Jamie Foxx raised $600,000 with a celebrity auction.

Diane Lane's Hair Appointment

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:22:49 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

This July, Diane Lane will be given a new look on live TV by a celebrity stylist. Her locks will then be donated to make wigs for women suffering from cancer.

As the spokesperson for Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths campaign, Diane hopes to encourage Americans to get involved and give a means of beauty and self-esteem to cancer patients.

Charging For Charity

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:51:17 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Bono and Elle Macpherson are the faces behind the (RED) American Express Card, which Bono was proud to launch yesterday.

The card donates one percent of all funds charged on it to fighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

The U2 frontman feels that getting everyone working together, including big companies, will go a long way towards curing the disease and improving the world.

Treats From Sugababes

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 20:00:26 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Sugababes are offering treats to their fans through an eBay auction. The auction is in celebration of their newest release, “Red Dress”, and fans can bid for handwritten lyrics from the album. Other items up for grabs are autographed albums, concert tickets and a phone call from the band.

All proceeds go to their favourite UK charity, Breast Cancer Care.

Bono Launches Charitable Mobile Phone

Tue, 16 May 2006 07:04:42 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Bono’s AIDS charity (RED) is set to benefit from an arrangement the singer has made in conjunction with Motorola and the UK’s Carphone Warehouse.

Each sale of a £149 handset from Motorola will be met with a £10 contribution to the charity from the electronics giant, and 5% of subsequent call charges will also go directly to the charity.

Bono has helped (RED) build similar partnerships with Gap, American Express, Emporio Armani and Converse.

Streisand Stages Comeback for Charity

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:49:50 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Six years after a sell-out farewell concert, Barbra Streisand has announced that she will stage a 20-show charity tour of the United States in October.

Via her own Streisand Foundation, the singer plans to donate millions of dollars to environmental, education and women’s health organisations.

Her previous two scheduled concerts in 2000 at Madison Square Garden grossed over $14 million.

Explaining her return to the limelight, Streisand said, "The increasingly urgent need for private citizen support to combat dangerous climate change, along with education and health issues was the prime reason I decided to tour again.

“This will allow me to direct funds and awareness to causes that I care deeply about.”

Charlize Theron Hosts Children's Benefit Auction

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 13:23:03 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Charlize Theron hosted an auction on June 27th to raise money for children in her native South Africa. The event in Los Angeles drew the support of other Hollywood celebrities, and raised $140,000 to help families in need.

The auction was attended by stars such as Lindsay Lohan, and items up for auction included a jacket from Will Smith, signed DVDs from Tom Hanks and an original Scarface poster donated by Al Pacino.

The Charlize Theron African Outreach Project benefits Oprah's Angel Network and helps support vulnerable children in rural South Africa.

Kidman Designs T-Shirt For Breast Cancer Charity

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 20:24:11 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Hollywood beauty Nicole Kidman is continuing her support for the UK charity Breast Cancer Care by designing a T-shirt for their Little Tee Campaign.

Commenting on her design she said, “I first worked with Breast Cancer Care about a year ago and saw what remarkable and effective work they did. To me this image represents the power and importance of support, comfort and care, so crucial to those with breast cancer and their families.”

Shirts and vests designed by a variety of celebrities including Sienna Miller and Sharon Osbourne are on sale at 600 Dorothy Perkins stores as well as at the Dorothy Perkins website. The shirts cost £15 each, with £5 going directly to Breast Cancer Care.

“After raising an incredible £1.3 million for Breast Cancer Care last year, we are delighted that Dorothy Perkins is continuing to support the charity in 2006,” said Murray Lindo, the charity’s director of fundraising.

Kidman’s mother successfully fought off breast cancer when Nicole was young.

Diane Lane Chops Hair for Charity

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 19:37:58 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Following up on an article listed here in February, award-winning actress Diane Lane has had her hair cut live on NBC’s Today Show.

The eight inches of her hair, as well as eight inches of hair from each of 50 volunteers across the country, will be put to use in free wigs thanks to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campaign. The charity helps women suffering from cancer-related hair loss.

Diane comments, “This simple act of cutting my hair is going to make a profound difference to a woman who is fighting to regain both her health and sense of self.”

My dream is that every woman who hears about Pantene Beautiful Lengths will become inspired to grow her hair and donate a natural resource that only she can give."

McConaughey's Corvette on eBay

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 21:32:58 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Matthew McConaughey has put his 1971 Chevy Corvette up for auction on eBay to help with the ongoing 2005 hurricane relief efforts.

The actor is donating 100% of the auction’s proceeds to Oprah's Angel Network to aid those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

He says, “I admire and enjoy this car, but it’s a luxury that I’m willing to relinquish at this point because I am fortunate enough to have everythin I need, and the sale of it will help so many with the necessities in life.”

The auction for the Mediterranean Blue Stingray, which McConaughey has affectionately called ‘Mako’ during the 7 years he has had it, ends on July 27.

How a trip to Africa changed Michelle Wright's life

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:16:14 +0000

Written by Greg Hitchcock

Canadian-born Michelle Wright's latest record Everything and More is clearly one of the happiest, most filled-with-gratitude country-ish albums you’ll hear.

Ironically, it came together when the 45-year-old singer and
songwriter, who has sold more than two million records, gave up her ambition to become an even bigger country star after getting involved with World Vision in 2002, when she went to Zambia and saw the AIDS crisis first-hand.

In June of 2002, Wright traveled to Zambia to film a television special for World Vision, the child sponsorship organization. It was a life-changing experience for her; Zambia is one of the poorest countries in the world, and in some areas over 60 percent of the Zambian population is HIV positive.

“It’s changed my life. I saw first-hand how privileged I am,” Wright says on her mobile just outside Saint John, NB.

“For a long time, all I could focus on was my career, fighting the good fight by selling a million records, paying the mortgage and the good people that work with me,” she said.

Wright said all that changed for her after she went to the African
relief camps and saw massive suffering on an unimaginable scale. After that experience, she said she had to rethink her whole mission in life.

“I still have a lot of responsibilities here but now what is really
important to me is coming from a different place in my heart,” Wright said.“It’s so important, I usually have a World Vision sponsorship table at all my concerts.”

Wright followed up her Zambian experience with a trip to Honduras for World Vision in June 2004. She now sponsors both a Zambian child and a Honduran child, and continues to help out World Vision whenever and wherever she can.

Wright is no stranger to charity. She was the Honorary Chairperson for “Operation C.A.T. Scan”, a fundraising campaign that raised almost two million dollars for St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham, Ontario (the hospital where Wright was born). The campaign raised money for the hospital to purchase its first C.A.T. Scan machine.

She was also Celebrity Spokeswoman for the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games and contributed to the Power of Peace CD celebrating the 50th anniversary of CARE.

The Hollywood Cookbook Launch Party

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

Written by Charles Harder

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kevin Bacon Launches “SixDegrees.org”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thompson And Newton Help Raise Funds For Breast Cancer Charity

Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:56:06 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Film stars Emma Thompson and Thandie Newton were among the stars at the Lavender Trust Speakeasy event in London on Wednesday night.

The Lavender Trust is an initiative of the UK charity Breast Cancer Care which raises money for young breast cancer sufferers. Its lively 1920s-inspired Speakeasy event spurred Thompson, Newton and others to take to the stage and sing. Model Sophie Dahl performed two songs with jazz singer Jamie Cullum, while Sting was among other celebrity attendees.

The event raised £200,000, a quarter of which came from a fundraising auction.

Geena Davis, Role Model and Advocate for Our Children

Thu, 03 May 2007 20:19:29 +0000

Written by B. Todi

Geena Davis was celebrated for her work off screen – founding and promoting the See Jane program of Dads & Daughters – in Beverly Hills, California on May 1, 2007 at the USA TODAY Hollywood Hero Awards.

The evening, hosted by Kevin Nealon and Natasha Henstridge, began with a silent auction to benefit the See Jane program. It then moved onto a dinner and numerous speakers praising Ms. Davis for her genius starting the program (after the birth of her first child, a girl), her ability to inspire others, and for her passion advocating for all our children. Craig Moon, President and Publisher of USA TODAY, and father of one boy and four girls, spoke generously of Ms. Davis at the ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel, saying she was rewriting the very definition of the word “hero”.

Peter Coyote, actor, activist and single father of a grown daughter, wished the See Jane program had existed sooner. Though he joked, he hadn’t done too badly since his daughter is now a PhD and has a daughter of her own.

Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment and long-time friend, stressed the importance of the See Jane program because “the media is where young girls get their first role models”. She also said of Ms. Davis “you are my blessing”.

And Kathy Najimy, mother of a ten-year old girl, thanked “Auntie Geena” because “girl-power stories are not easy to find”. In closing, Ms. Najimy was greeted with applause of agreement when in reference to Ms. Davis as a role model in her show Commander in Chief said, “let’s write her name in for ’08”.

Finally, Geena Davis took the stage, thanking everyone for his or her kind words and restating the program’s mission statement “By making it common for our youngest children to see everywhere a balance of active and complex male and female characters, girls and boys will grow up to empathize with and care more about each others’ stories”. Ms. Davis recognized Ms. Najimy as one of the early supporters of See Jane and joked that she couldn’t be the “auntie” since they were the same age.

Ms. Davis also thanked the See Jane program director, Crystal Allene Cooke and Dr. Stacy Smith of USC’s Annenberg School for Communication for the ongoing in-depth research—to paraphrase—proving her instincts were right.

To learn more about the See Jane program and see what you can do to
make a difference, visit the See Jane website.

Oprah Tops Celebrity Philanthropy A-List

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

Written by Steve Purcell

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elton's Charity To Raise AIDS Awareness In India

Mon, 21 May 2007 13:32:12 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Sir Elton John has joined with CARE International UK and other leading international aid agencies to put food at the forefront of the fight against HIV and AIDS in India.

A £500,000 ($1 million) contribution from the Elton John AIDS Foundation is crucial to ensuring the success of the new Balasahyoga project, which aims to improve the quality of life of children infected and affected by HIV and AIDS and their families in India’s Andhra Pradesh state by providing care, support and treatment services.

The project will help 150,000 people affected by HIV and AIDS get better access to food and nutrition, as well as a chance to build sustainable livelihoods.

Sir Elton said, “If we have learned anything from this epidemic over the past 20 years, it is that success is only possible with collaboration. I hope this project will serve as a model for public/private partnership of HIV and AIDS treatment and care in India.”

Geoffrey Dennis, Chief Executive of CARE UK warns that it is almost impossible to fight the HIV virus without effective nutrition. Malnourished people have weaker immune systems and are much more susceptible to infection. To stay strong children infected with HIV can need as much as twice the amount of food that healthy children need.

“The fight against HIV cannot be won using drugs alone. Some anti-retroviral therapies are only effective when taken on a full stomach, so drug treatments must be run alongside programmes which ensure those affected have access to reliable food supplies. The need for food might soon overtake the need for anti-retroviral treatment in some areas of the world”, he added.

The HIV virus has reached epidemic levels in Andhra Pradesh. To fight it CARE International, along with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Family Health International (FHI), the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) have joined forces.

Sir Elton has commended NACO for its vision and leadership in inviting world class partners such as CHAI, FHI and CARE International to join them in Andhra Pradesh in delivering a holistic package of services to those that so desperately need them.

“I am proud that my own Foundation can complement CIFF’s funding of this project by contributing the vital ingredient of sustainable food security”, he said.

Hill, McGraw and More Become Cartier LOVECHARITY Ambassadors

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:29:26 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Djimon Hounsou, and Eva Mendes are among the list of 2007 Cartier LOVECHARITY Bracelet Ambassadors.

The Cartier LOVE bracelet was introduced more than 30 years ago, and has risen to be one of the most coveted jewelry designs in the world. In 2006 alone, more than $1.2 million was donated to eight global charities from the sales of its LOVECHARITY bracelet, spurring the company to create a new LOVECHARITY bracelet for 2007. The goal is to exceed last year’s donations as a number of new celebrities join the endeavor.

The 2007 LOVECHARITY bracelet features an 18K white gold miniature LOVE bracelet graced with the word LOVE and accented with two signature screw motifs. It is set into a knotted silk cord available in various colors, with each cord designating support of a unique cause. The bracelet costs $475 with $100 per bracelet benefiting its corresponding charity.

The complete list of the 2007 Ambassadors and their corresponding charities includes:

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have a chocolate brown bracelet for the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation
Djimon Hounsou has a deep copper bracelet for SOS Children's Villages
Eva Mendes has a navy bracelet for The Art of Elysium
Julianne Moore has a lavender bracelet for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance
Rihanna has a sea foam green bracelet for Believe
Usher has a gold bracelet for the New Look Foundation
Rachel Weisz has a lilac bracelet for The Constant Gardener Trust
Elie Wiesel has a yellow bracelet for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity

The 2006 LOVECHARITY Bracelets will also be available through the year, supporting YouthAIDS (Rosario Dawson) ; the Salma Hayek Foundation (Salma Hayek) ; USA Harvest (Scarlett Johansson) ; Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television Graduate Division / Tisch School of the Arts/NYC (Spike Lee) ; Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (Edward Norton) ; UNICEF (Sarah Jessica Parker) ; The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Liv Tyler) ; and Mercy Corps Gulf Coast Recovery Fund (Michael Stipe).

Cartier’s second annual LOVE DAY is scheduled for June 8, and on this day 10% of all sales from the complete LOVE collection will benefit partnered organizations.

Vanity Fair Charity Issue Edited By Bono

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:35:00 +0000

Written by Saskia Akyil

Bono is putting his philanthropic energy into Vanity Fair’s July 2007 special issue about Africa. The issue has 20 different cover photos of high-profile individuals, all taken by renowned photographer Annie Liebowitz.

The magazine includes information about the issues and charities supported by actors, athletes, models, politicians, musicians, activists, and billionaire philanthropists, all of whom are using their celebrity status and the publicity they receive to bring attention to the complex set of problems faced by the inhabitants of Africa.

Africa is a continent with great need, and has been given a disproportionately low amount of attention and aid from wealthy nations. It is the first Vanity Fair issue to have a guest editor, and Bono’s highly publicized commitment to aiding Africa makes him an obvious choice for editor of this issue. In recent years, celebrities have used their status to bring a great deal of attention to Africa.

The covers of the Africa issue include portraits of: Bono, Barack Obama, Queen Rania, George Bush, Condaleeza Rice, Muhammad Ali, Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Djimon Hounsou, Madonna, Maya Angelou, Chris Rock, Warren Buffett, Melinda & Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Iman, and Don Cheadle.

The issue features numerous in-depth articles about a variety of subjects concerning Africa, including: Kenya; Desmond Tutu and the fight for equality in South Africa and worldwide; Tunisia’s success and the threat of Islamic extremism; the role of China in fueling some of the conflict in Africa; Jeffrey Sachs dream of how to eradicate extreme poverty; the consumer-action strategy of (Product) Red to make miracle AIDS treatment drugs accessible to the millions who need them; the role of the Congo’s blacklisted airline pilots in keeping trade flowing; Bill Clinton's stories of Nelson Mandela; African music; Africans defying the status quo of poverty, disease, and corruption; suggestions for platform topics for the US 2008 presidential election; the genetic data that links all people on Earth to Africa; identifying the current literary talents of Africa; Princess Diana's post-divorce charity work, in particular her mission to ban land mines; and the Africa connection of the high-profile individuals on Vanity Fair’s July 2007 issue covers.

The Vanity Fair website offers links and information about Africa, charities that benefit the continent, and full-text versions of some of the articles.

Stars Raise The Stakes For Darfur

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:44:33 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Las Vegas is to host a star-studded poker tournament on July 5 to raise much needed aid for the current humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

The Ante Up For Africa event will be held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, and will see “Ocean’s 13” stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon compete in the high stakes world of Texas Hold ’Em against a host of other celebrities.

The event has been organised by actor Don Cheadle and professional poker player Annie Duke, and will coincide with the annual World Series of Poker. The pair hope the event will generate funds to help the “millions of people who must roll the dice every day in their struggle to survive (in Darfur).”

The Ocean’s 13 actors are expected to join fellow celebrities Ben Affleck, Adam Sandler, Ray Romano, George Lopez, Willie Garson and many others in the all-night tournament. There is also the opportunity for non-celebrities to pitch their skills against the stars, as anyone over the age of 21 can enter the tournament for a $5000 “buy-in”.

“While a donation is not required to enter,” said Duke in a recent press release, "we are respectfully asking players who win prize money to donate half of their winnings to the ENOUGH Project and the International Rescue Committee – organizations whose goals include raising public awareness and providing aid to the survivors of Darfur."

Don Cheadle, an accomplished poker player himself, is co-author of Not On Our Watch, a book about the crisis in Darfur, and co-founder of the non-profit organization of the same name. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the film “Hotel Rwanda”, which tells the story of the government-sanctioned slaughter of more than a million people in Rwanda in 1994, and has spent the last two years heavily involved in humanitarian causes.

Fran Drescher Launches Cancer Schmancer Movement

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:28:49 +0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

On June 21, Fran Drescher, star of television series The Nanny and author of Cancer Schmancer, announced the national launch of the Cancer Schmancer Movement. This day also marked her own anniversary of seven years of wellness. A survivor of uterine cancer due to early detection, Drescher’s goal is to realize a world where “no woman will die from cancer as a result of late stage diagnosis.” She wants “to ensure that all women’s cancers are diagnosed in Stage 1, when they are most curable.”

To help her get the word out, she has asked Angelina Jolie, whose mother died from cancer, for her support. Drescher said, “Ever since her mom died, she has been a great supporter of the foundation. She really reached out, which is wonderful.”

The non-profit organization will encourage women to take responsibility for their own health by paying attention to their bodies, developing better partnerships with doctors and getting the female voice recognized by legislators through the power of votes.

“I feel I got famous, I got cancer and I lived to talk about it so it’s given me a sense of purpose to my life that I didn’t have before. And I think what I’m doing is important and very necessary.”

Swank on Wigs and Water

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:23:29 +0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Hilary Swank has launched an around-the-world relay race to raise money to help the over-one-billion people without safe drinking water. Last month, 20 athletes set out to run over 15,000 miles, 10 miles at a time, across 16 countries, 24 hours a day for 95 days. Organized by the Blue Planet Run Foundation, the relay runners should arrive back in New York on September 4 after having run 750 miles each.

Campaigning for the cause, Swank had this to say: “What if it were your job to carry in a rusty metal pail all the water you and your family would use for the day? What if the water made you sick? What if you had no choice? Making safe drinking water available is everyone’s problem, and it’s a problem that will take everyone to solve.”

Blue Planet’s goal is to provide safe drinking water to 200 million people for the rest of their lives by 2027. In the past three years, through Blue Planet funding of 11 NGO’s, 135 sustainable water projects in 13 countries have been implemented. According to Blue Planet’s creator Jin Zidell, $30 can create a lifetime of safe drinking water for one person. The Blue Planet Run will take place every two years.

Swank is also promoting the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campaign, which donates real-hair wigs to women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. She is growing her own hair so that when it is cut later this year, she can give it to the organization.

She says, “I have lost multiple family members to cancer and witnessed their struggle first hand. I hope that my contribution will help to inspire others to get involved in whatever way they can.”

Celebrities Cast Aside Their Clothing For Charity

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:35:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It is not a case of what to wear for celebrities this month, but rather of what to give away, as eBay and other auction websites are inundated with the closet cast-outs of a variety of actors and singers.

Film company New Line Cinema is leading the charge by auctioning off original costumes from their current hit movie, Hairspray. Among the costumes are two dresses worn by John Travolta in the film, as well as the silk top and capri pants belonging to Queen Latifah. The proceeds will benefit Citymeals On Wheels, a charity that looks after those in need in New York City, as well as The Harry Holmberg Memorial Foundation, which is dedicated to sick children in the city.

Bidding on each costume is expected to reach $500, and the auction ends on August 4. It can be viewed at www.hairspray.ebay.com.

Several celebrities are emptying out their closets for an auction on the website www.clothesoffourback.org this month. Actress Eva Mendes is offering one of her personal handbags ($250), and Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich has donated a dress from her own fashion label ($175). Joss Stone and Serena Williams will also be donating items to the auction. Proceeds will go to Feeding America (the nation’s largest charitable hunger relief organization), The Art of Elysium (which enriches the lives of critically ill children through art), and World Education (which focuses on girls scholarship programs in Africa), as well as research into autism.
The auction ends on August 6.

Also shedding her unwanted clothes this month is Faith Hill, who is auctioning a lilac cotton cardigan at www.myqlu.com. Proceeds from the auction (bidding has already reached $250) will go to the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation, the non-profit organization she set up in 2005 with her husband, Tim McGraw, to help those in need of proper health care and educational services.

Also on www.myqlu.com, hip hop star Nelly is offering a pair of his NBA Basketball Logo jeans. Bidding for these started at $250, and proceeds will go to 4sho4kids, an organization that aims to improve the quality of life for children born with developmental disabilities, with an emphasis on Down Syndrome and those addicted to drugs.

And finally this month, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is offering a special one-off jacket on www.myqlu.com. The man usually associated with the shedding of other people’s clothes has donated a custom-made jacket created for him in honour of the Playboy Jazz Festival held at the Hollywood Bowl in 1990. Super slick, super bold, and super collectible, the jacket is set to sell for over $500, with proceeds going to the Hugh M Hefner Foundation, which supports issues relating to freedom of speech and civil liberties, as well as health.

Hilary Duff Dishes It Out at Homeless Shelter

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:03:34 +0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Singer Hilary Duff served up chicken and stew for hundreds of homeless and working poor men last week at Hope Mission's Herb Jamieson Center, a shelter in downtown Edmonton, Alberta. She stopped by the Center as part of her campaign to raise awareness about poverty and hunger.

“It’s nice when someone who makes a lot of money will look you in the eye and treat you like a real person,” Hope Mission spokeswoman Janelle Aker said, adding that Duff’s efforts could also help raise awareness with a younger demographic.

The pop star was in town as part of the Canadian leg of her North American Dignity tour, which kicked off last weekend. Duff is once again asking concert-goers to bring along non-perishable food donations to be collected at concert gates by The Salvation Army and distributed by food charity Harvest. Harvest chapters “collect surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, and other food producers and immediately deliver it to missions, shelters, soup kitchens and food banks.” During her previous two Canadian tours, Duff raised over 125,000 pounds for Alberta Harvest. Harvest founder Stan Curtis says each concert can bring in as many as 3,000 cans of food, enough for 6,000 meals.  

Last November Duff bought 200,000 meals through USA Harvest for Hurricane Katrina refugees still in shelters over a year after the disaster. Curtis says, “Hilary has set an extraordinary example with her generous contributions to the Gulf Coast victims of (the) tragic hurricanes. With her current contribution, Hilary will have donated over 2.7 million meals to the victims who still need these generous donations.”

Even so, Duff says, “A big misconception of charity work and celebrities is that it takes a lot of money. It doesn’t take a lot of money. Your time is the best thing you can give.” She feels that with compassion, homelessness and hunger are simple to solve.

Duff plans to meet with fans before her August 25 concert in Louisville, Kentucky, and is asking her fans to help her raise 1,000 cans of food at the event.

Scarlett Johansson, Green Day and Goo Goo Dolls are also contributors to USA Harvest.

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