Look To The Stars News: Women

Nicole Kidman Takes Anti-Violence Message To Kenya

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Nicole Kidman is reportedly to travel to Kenya to raise awareness of women affected by domestic violence.

 The Australian actress wants to tour the African country as part of an initiative launched by the United Nations Development Fund for Women. Kidman will visit the Kenyatta Hospital and a school this week as part of her role as a goodwill ambassador for the organization.
 
“[African women] need and deserve our support,” she said. "Not with a box of band-aids, but with a comprehensive, well-funded approach that acknowledges that women’s rights are human rights. It is time for policies that intentionally involve society’s key communities – from health and education departments to the police and judiciary – to deliver on that commitment. To succeed, it requires political will at the highest levels.”

Last month, Kidman addressed Congress about domestic violence on behalf of UNIFEM.

Fergie Headlines Avon Foundation For Women Gala

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0000

The ninth annual Avon Foundation for Women Gala on October 27 honored exceptional women and men for their efforts fighting breast cancer and domestic violence at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.

The event was hosted by award winning actress and Avon Honorary Chair Reese Witherspoon with a special musical performance by Fergie.

More than 550 guests attended the event and raised $2 million to benefit breast cancer research and access to care and domestic violence education, prevention and victim support programs.

Along with Reese Witherspoon and Andrea Jung, presenters included Patrick Dempsey, Courteney Cox, Lauren Conrad and Suze Orman.

Emily Deschanel To Hold Q&A For Charity

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

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

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

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

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

Nicole Kidman Takes Anti-Violence Message To Congress

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman and Mallika Dutt, anti-violence group Breakthrough’s Executive Director, supported the call for a comprehensive approach by the United States to address ending violence against women yesterday.

Kidman and Dutt, speaking to members of the U.S. House of Representatives Sub-Committee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, emphasized the urgency to invest in women, partner locally and provide resources for effective programs in developing countries.

They joined Ambassador for Women’s Global Issues Melanne Verveer, Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky, Vice-Chair of the Women’s Caucus, and former Congresswoman and President of Shared Hope International Linda Smith in supporting the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA), which represents an unprecedented commitment by the U.S. government to create a comprehensive strategy to reduce violence in countries that have severe levels of violence against women and girls.

Today’s hearing provided Kidman an opportunity to amplify the voices of the women she has met through her work with UNIFEM and share their stories. Speaking of women survivors of violence from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kosovo by whom she was inspired, Ms. Kidman observed: “These champions need and deserve our support. Not with a box of band-aids, but with a comprehensive, well-funded approach that acknowledges that women’s rights are human rights. It is time for policies that intentionally involve society’s key communities — from health and education departments to the police and judiciary — to deliver on that commitment. To succeed, it requires political will at the highest levels.”

Breakthrough’s Executive Director Mallika Dutt spoke about her organization’s multimedia campaign in India that mobilizes women to take a stand and engages men in addressing violence against women. The campaign was supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, which is managed by UNIFEM.

“In villages and towns in every corner of the world, women are challenging social and cultural norms and laws that made them second-class citizens,” Dutt said. “Through strong leadership and local partnerships across a range of actors, the International Violence Against Women Act could have a direct and immediate impact on saving the lives of millions of women and girls.”

Goodwill Ambassador Kidman will continue to shine a light on ending violence against women solutions and stories during her upcoming field mission to Kenya, where UNIFEM will launch its global advocacy action initiative Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women. The innovative web platform is a call for action, which will spotlight efforts on the ground and is designed to contribute towards the high-profile UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s multi-year campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women.

LTTS Exclusive - The 2009 Noble Awards

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Michelle Vink

I had the honor of attending “The Noble Awards” on their first annual show honoring charities and their celebrity supporters.

On Sunday, October 18th at The Beverly Hilton, “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush hosted the premiere of this special event honoring Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and a list of celebrity honorees from Brett Ratner to Teri Hatcher.

Guests were treated to live performances from names like Brian McKnight and Benji Madden and the famed 8-year-old piano prodigy, Emily Bear. The night was supported with a star-studded cast of performers, honorees and guests that all believe in using the power of their voice in the name of philanthropy and charity. No detail was too small for this event. The award sculpture itself was the vision of Antonio Banderas and came to life at The Art of Elysium workshop with personal touches from the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.

The Noble Awards was an inaugural awards show that launched the beginning of a perennial movement that will encourage each and every person to give back and take action in the world today.

Each year they will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. Some of this year honorees included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner for DoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds for Stand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children. It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital. A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication. Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much. The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

I was lucky enough to experience the vision of the Founder/Executive Producer, Janeen Mansour, prior to the event and watch it develop from an idea to a reality.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them," she said. "Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

The Noble Awards are a testament to what Hollywood can achieve when it uses its voice to celebrate positive change. This event showcased just a few of the many celebrities and individuals dedicated to making a difference in the world today. It is my hope that it will serve as an inspiration to others to get involved in their charity, community or cause that has meaning to them. Being a volunteer takes less time than your yoga class and can cost you less money than your Latte. But the experience will stay with you a lifetime.

To the children, the volunteers, the unnamed angels, the celebrities, the founders, the team behind this event and to all of the people that donate their time and passion to making a difference on a daily basis, this celebrates you.

Inaugural Noble Awards Celebrate Hollywood Philanthropy

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Look To The Stars was proud to be part of the inaugural Noble Awards on Sunday, October 18 – an event that honored a host of charities and the celebrities that support them, elevating awareness of the significant impact of their work.

Held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the event honored Morgan Freeman with a lifetime achievement award, as well as Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Billy Bush (Lollipop Theater Network), Kenny Edmonds (Stand Up To Cancer), Teri Hatcher (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Norman Lear (Playing for Change), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium), AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project), Nancy O’Dell (Best Buddies International), Eva Longoria Parker (Padres Contra El Cancer) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org).

Lionel Richie was on hand during the ceremony to present an award to Joel Madden, who attended the event with Nicole Richie and his brother Benji.

“I want to welcome him to our family and present this Noble award to a guy I love very much – Joel Madden!” said Lionel as he introduced Joel to the crowd.

“They are just as much a part of it,” said Madden, paying tribute to Nicole and Benji. “Nicole does just as much as I do with Art of Elysium and all the charities we work with. And so does Benj – Benj actually does more then I do, and he plays the guitar better then I do, so he is a little more entertaining for the kids.”

Madden later Twittered about the emotions he felt as he accepted his award: “Just left the NOBLE awards. Got an award that was really for the people at the Art of Elysium. Awesome folks and I’m humbled to know them. By the way got totally choked up when I got my award. I hate thinking about kids in the hospital, they should be getting the awards not us.”

The award itself was designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Morgan Freeman received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work and dedication to over a dozen non-profits. Freeman’s diverse charitable efforts include working with American Red Cross, Artists for a New South Africa, the Campaign for Female Education, Earth Biofuels, Grenada Relief Fund, Mississippi Animal Rescue League and Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman has also done PSAs for Sierra Club, and a number of Entertainment Industry Foundation campaigns, covering issues like colon cancer prevention, health care reform and volunteerism.

“I think so often we don’t know that our gestures matter,” said Teri Hatcher, who was also honored. “I think when you get involved in your local community charity you really do see you make a difference and it’s empowering for you.”

Look To The Stars was at the awards, and we will bring you more about the fantastic event over the coming days.

Kaiser Chiefs Join Concert For CARE

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

British band the Kaiser Chiefs have been added to the bill for this year’s Concert For CARE.

The Kaiser Chiefs have had a whirlwind past five years; three Top 5 albums, numerous hit singles, and 2009 saw them sign off with a hometown showing at this years Leeds Festival. Since that performance, the band have decided to take some time away from the spotlight, slowly beginning work on album four. Having worked with David Arnold in the recent past, the Kaiser Chiefs are delighted to make an exception to their time off the road and lend a musical hand to ’Concert For CARE’.

Music and Comedy giants – such as Gary Barlow, Rob Brydon, Damien Rice, David Walliams and more – will join together in a one off event for aid agency CARE International. This one-off live event will take place at London’s Brixton Academy on November 2.

‘Concert for CARE’ is the brainchild of David Arnold, one of Britain’s most successful film and television composers and ambassador for CARE International (CARE). CARE works in 70 countries and helps 55 million people to find ways out of poverty each year.

Announcing the line up David Arnold said: “I have wanted to do this concert from the day I met a 20 year old woman in Rwanda who was orphaned at 14, is HIV positive and has to look after her two younger brothers. Without CARE’s support she would be unable to keep them in school, feed them or keep a roof over their heads. I have asked my colleagues from the music and comedy world to get together to help raise money and awareness of the amazing work CARE does all over the world.”

Geoffrey Dennis, CARE International UK chief executive, said: “We are really proud to have David Arnold as a CARE Ambassador. The money raised from the concert will mean that we can continue to help some of the world’s poorest people.”

Tickets are priced £30 and can be purchased from www.ticketweb.co.uk.

To find out more, click here.

Naomi Campbell And Louis Vuitton Join Forces For Women’s Health

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Catrina K. Sally

March 2010 will mark the 100th anniversary celebration of International Women’s Month, and Naomi Campbell has teamed up with Louis Vuitton to help bring awareness to maternal mortality and safe motherhood initiatives.

The supermodel has selected a sleek signature Vuitton bag to raise funds for the White Ribbon Alliance, an organization dedicated to reducing preventable maternal deaths. Vuitton has pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds from sales of the bag to the alliance.

Campbell serves as a global ambassador of the alliance, and has promised to donate all proceeds from the upcoming auction of her Hermès bags The yet to be named Vuitton bag will retail for about $2,789 and will be available at all of Vuitton’s 439 network stores.

Look To The Stars Helps Promote Hollywood Philanthropy At Noble Awards

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Look to the Stars is pleased to announce that we will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

The inaugural Noble Awards, taking place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, October 18, has announced five new award honorees. The Blind Project, The Lollipop Theater Network, Padres Contra el Cancer and Playing for Change will be honored along with six previously announced charities. In addition, Morgan Freeman will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The two-hour event, hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush, seeks to annually honor up to a dozen charities and celebrities who actively support them, elevating awareness of these organizations and the significant impact of their work.

Celebrities who will accept awards on behalf of the charities being honored include Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Billy Bush (Lollipop Theater Network), Kenny Edmonds (Stand Up To Cancer), Teri Hatcher (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Norman Lear (Playing for Change), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium), AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project), Nancy O’Dell (Best Buddies International), Eva Longoria Parker (Padres Contra El Cancer) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org). During the ceremony, each will be presented with an award sculpture, designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Brian McKnight and Julio Iglesias, Jr., along with Emily Bear and Timothy Mitchum will provide live musical performances throughout the evening.

“We are delighted to present these eleven distinguished charities and their celebrity supporters with the inaugural Noble Award,” stated Janeen Mansour, creator and executive producer of The Noble Awards. “With the presentation of The Noble Awards, our goal is to turn the spotlight back onto these celebrities and charities to provide recognition, to educate, to inspire, and to encourage even more support from the Hollywood community and the public at large.”

Morgan Freeman will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work and dedication to over a dozen non-profits. Freeman’s diverse charitable efforts include working with American Red Cross, Artists for a New South Africa, the Campaign for Female Education, Earth Biofuels, Grenada Relief Fund, Mississippi Animal Rescue League and Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman has also done PSAs for Sierra Club, and a number of Entertainment Industry Foundation campaigns, covering issues like colon cancer prevention, health care reform and volunteerism.

“The Entertainment Industry Foundation is pleased to be a part of the inaugural Noble Awards,” said Lisa Paulsen, President and CEO of Entertainment Industry Foundation. “We are honored and so proud to present our dear friend and exceptional actor Morgan Freeman with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding charitable work and ongoing contributions to so many important social causes.”

The Noble Awards will kick off the “Be A Noble” Movement, a perennial effort to encourage each and every person to “Be A Noble,” and inspire them to give back and take action with a purpose on a global scale. Some of these initiatives include:

Look to the Stars will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

As part of next year’s Cup with a Cause program, 7-Eleven, in collaboration with The Noble Awards, will produce a series of celebrity-designed coffee cups featured in stores nationwide. A minimum of $250,000 will go towards each participating celebrity’s charity of choice. During The Noble Awards’ cocktail hour, guests will be asked to design cups as part of the program.

Participant Media and Takepart.com, the official “action” platform for the Awards, have partnered with the “Be A Noble” Movement to provide the Foundation with a web platform to showcase the work of all the organizations they are honoring throughout the year.

ONEHOPE Wine has bottled an award-winning varietal of wine to be labeled “NOBLE.” 100% of all proceeds from each bottle will go towards the “Be A Noble” Movement, to be distributed among the honored charities.

Rumblefish Jewelry will design a jewelry line based on The Noble Awards and “Be A Noble” Movement, where a percentage of sales will be donated to Noble charities.

Additional partners include EIF/iParticipate, The Hollywood Reporter, Audi, Beverly Hilton, Mobile Cause, Rosenthal and GoodSearch.

As the film industry has the Oscars, television the Emmys and the music industry the Grammy Awards, the charity community and its most dedicated Hollywood supporters will gain global recognition with the staging of The Noble Awards. Produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a non-profit organization, the first annual awards will take place on October 18, 2009. The Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round movement to BE A NOBLE to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an effective forum for change and service. For more information, please visit www.thenobleawards.org.

Idol Gives Back Is Back!

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

After a one year hiatus, Idol Gives Back is set to rock for charity once again.

The American Idol special will air April 21, 2010, and will benefit national and international charities including Malaria No More, Save the Children and the United Nations Foundation.

“I am very pleased to announce that we will be doing our third Idol Gives Back on April 21, 2010,” said Simon Fuller, Idol creator and CEO of 19 Entertainment. “This is our opportunity to reach out and support the people of America and around the world who need our compassion and generosity to improve or even save their lives. America will undoubtedly prove once again what a remarkable and generous nation it is. For American Idol to be able to facilitate this kind of initiative makes me very proud.”

“Idol Gives Back” has raised over $140 million since its inception in 2007. The event regularly attracts appearances by major stars such as Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon and many others – including 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama. The show last aired in 2008.

Bono And Friends Rock Carnegie Hall For Charity

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

U2’s Bono and The Edge led an assortment of stars – including Courtney Love, Lou Reed, Scarlett Johansson, Rufus Wainwright and Lady GaGa at the massive (RED)NIGHTS charity concert in New York on Sunday, October 4.

Held at Carnegie Hall, the concert will benefit Bono’s (RED) charity to eliminate AIDS in Africa, and follows the successful (RED)NIGHTS concerts that were held earlier this year, featuring Katy Perry, Fall Out Boy, The Veronicas and many others.

The musicians reportedly took part in some massive jam sessions during the concert, playing David Bowie’s Jean Genie and The Velvet Underground’s ‘Sweet Jane’.

Viola Davis To Attend Friendly House Luncheon For Women In Recovery

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

On Saturday, October 24th 2009 Oscar nominated actress Viola Davis will host the annual Friendly House Luncheon. This star studded event at the beautiful Beverly Hilton Hotel will raise money and awareness about the oldest home for women in recovery in the country – Friendly House.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the luncheon and Friendly House will be honoring two individuals who exhibit great leadership and public service to the community. Founder and Editorial Director of C Magazine and Publisher and President of Santa Barbara Magazine, Jennifer Smith Hale will be awarded 2009 Woman of the Year. This successful business woman has captured California Style in her award winning magazines and gives back to her community through her philanthropic endeavors. Jennifer’s tireless efforts and leadership empower and create opportunities for women to see possibilities in their lives. New York Times bestselling author, Christopher Kennedy Lawford will be awarded 2009 Excellence in Service. Through Christopher’s extraordinary literature and his continuous activism, Christopher strives to make a difference helping others overcome substance abuse problems and living with hepatitis C.

Currently celebrating its 59th year in service, Friendly House has successfully treated thousands of women for alcoholism and drug addiction. No individual has ever been turned away due to lack of funds, however, Friendly House receives no state, federal or local funding. The organization thrives on annual events produced by their Board of Directors to promote and support their cause.

Proceeds from the luncheon and silent auction will go directly to Friendly House, continuing its ongoing mission to help women recover from the deadly disease of alcoholism and drug addiction. For ticket information please contact Cynthia Short at (213) 389-8810.

Moby To Donate Concert Proceeds To Charity

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Musician Moby has announced that he will donate the profits from his upcoming shows in California to help those affected by domestic violence.

Moby hopes to raise between $75,000 and $100,000 from three shows in San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles and donate the money to charities that help victims, following July’s decision to cut all funding for California’s domestic violence program.

“In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a lot of money,” Moby told the Associated Press. “But it’s going to directly harm the women who benefit from these programs.”

Moby was disgusted to hear of the ruling to cut the funding, and has witnessed domestic violence at its worst.

“My mother was in a long relationship with a guy who was very, very abusive and at one point I had to stop him from stabbing her to death,” said the singer. “The more I know about domestic abuse, I’m really grateful that it wasn’t worse.”

Actresses To Be Honored For Sports And Charity

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

As previously reported by Look To The Stars, the 2009 Celebrity & Stuntwomen’s Awards and the Diamond in the RAW Foundation have announced two-time Golden Globe winner Jamie Lee Curtis and Super Middleweight Champion Laila Ali among top honorees. Curtis will be awarded the Action Icon Award for her achievements in film and Ali will be awarded the Dare2bDifferent Award for her achievements in sports and her involvement in charity work.

“In its second year, The Celebrity & Stuntwomen’s Awards will honor the fearless and outstanding achievements of action-oriented women within the entertainment industry and stunt community,” stated La Faye Baker, stuntwoman and co-creator of The Celebrity & Stuntwomen’s Awards. “We are excited to have Jamie Lee Curtis and Laila Ali among our top honorees, as well as several other outstanding women from the stunt community.”

The Diamond in the RAW Foundation is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and expose at-risk teen girls to a multitude of careers in the entertainment industry, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

Angela Meryl, Taurus World Stunt nominee with credits including “Obsessed”, “Kill Bill”, “Pirates of the Caribbean”, and “Grey’s Anatomy” will be awarded the Diamond in the RAW Award. May Boss will be honored with the Helen Gibson Award for her career as a veteran stunt woman and work in films including “Money Train” “The Story of Will Rogers”, “Blazing Saddles”, and “Police Academy”. The Special Achievement Award will be given to Mary Albee, whose credits include “Crossing Jordan”, “Ugly Betty”, “Seven Feet Under”, and “Murder She Wrote”. Given posthumously, Svetla Krasteva will be honored with the Gone But Not Forgotten Award for her work in films such as “Rush Hour 2”, “Peter Pan”, “The Ring”, and ‘Lethal Weapon”.

Additional award categories include the Gem Award, Jewel Award, Mentorship Award, “Wow” Stuntwoman Award, and Dynamic DUO Award, which are nominated by the stunt community and members of the Screen Actors Guild.

“Extra” correspondent Jeannie Mai and TV Guide Channel’s Patrick Stinson will serve as co-hosts for the 2009 Celebrity & Stuntwomen’s Awards. Special celebrity guests include, star of such shows as, 2009 Emmy Award Winner-Grey’s Garden,Tony Award Winner and 2009-2010 Screen Actors Guild President Ken Howard, Sean Patrick Flannery, star of the “Young Indiana Jones” film series; Lee Meriwether, best known for her role as Catwoman in the original “Batman” film; Louis Mandylor, co-star of the hit film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”; actress Erica Hubbard from “Lincoln Heights”; Shirly Brener, co-star of “War, Inc.” and “The Dunwich Horror”; actress and stuntwoman Zoe Bell, who worked on the recent box office hit “Inglourious Basterds”; Dale Dye, actor and tactical advisor to Steven Spielberg; pro skateboarder Lauren Perkins; Robin Shou, star of the “Mortal Kombat” films; Diana Lee Inosanto, actress and goddaughter to legendary martial arts legend Bruce Lee..and many more!.

The Celebrity & Stuntwomen’s Awards. will take place Sunday, October 4, 2009 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. A reception and silent auction will kick off the event at 11:00 a.m., followed by the luncheon and awards ceremony at 12:30 p.m. Tickets for the Awards are available for purchase at www.DiamondintheRAW.com.

Naomi Campbell Donates Bag To Charity Auction

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Model Naomi Campbell has donated a Hermes “it” bag to help raise funds to fight deaths in pregnancy, which hit more than half a million women each year.

Campbell gave the pale green alligator Hermes “Birkin” bag to French auctioneers Artcurial for a White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood auction to be held on November 10.

The Alliance was established in 1999 as an international coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote increased public awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns in developing and developed countries.

Somaly Mam Foundation To Host Star-Studded Charity Event Tonight

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:39:00 -0000

The second annual Evening of Hope and Dreams to benefit the Somaly Mam Foundation will be held in Los Angeles tonight, September 29.

The evening, featuring a special live performance by American Idol’s Kara DioGuardi and inspirational words from Somaly Mam, will raise funds and awareness for the Foundation’s Survivor Services, Advocacy and Awareness programs, and recognize leadership in anti-trafficking. SMF will honor entrepreneurs and activists Jeff & Mei Sze Greene with the Voices for Change Award for their commitment to the cause of human trafficking and their special contribution to helping the Somaly Mam Foundation grow into the organization it is today.

The guest list for the event, to be held at the home of Jeff and Mei Sze Greene in Beverly Hills, includes Bill Maher, Daryl Hannah, Lisa Ling, Jane Seymour, Ron Livingston, Sarah Larson, Donald Faison and many more.

Somaly Mam established the SMF in 2007. At 12 years of age, Mam was sold into sexual slavery by a man who posed as her grandfather. In 1993, after over a decade of rape and torture, she escaped and fled Cambodia. In 1996, she went back. There she created a non-profit organization called AFESIP (Agir pour les Femmes en Situation Precaire or Acting for Women in Distressing Circumstances) to work with local law enforcement to raid brothels and reintegrate trafficked women into society. To this day, despite threats and assaults from traffickers looking to deter her work, Mam continues to fight so that others might be spared the fate she once endured. She has successfully helped more than 4,000 women and children escape the brothels.

To find out more, visit www.somaly.org.

U2 To Turn The Night RED For Charity

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

U2 will join a host of performers including Scarlett Johansson, Courtney Love, Maria McKee, Shane MacGowan, Martha Wainwright, Rufus Wainwright plus other special guests for a special concert to benefit Bono’s (RED) on October 4.

The concert follows the successful (RED)NIGHTS concerts that were held earlier this year, featuring Katy Perry, Fall Out Boy, The Veronicas and many others.

The concert will take place at New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall and, as with all (RED)NIGHTS shows, a portion of the proceeds from the concert goes directly to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

Tickets are available at CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800, www.carnegiehall.com and the box office.

Noble Awards Set To Honor Celebrity Humanitarians

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

As the film industry has the Oscars, television the Emmys and the music industry the Grammy Awards, the charity community and its most dedicated Hollywood supporters will gain global recognition with the staging of the inaugural Noble Humanitarian Awards, to take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, October 18. And Look To The Stars is proud to support it.

The two-hour event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, seeks to annually honor up to a dozen charities and celebrities who actively support them, elevating awareness of these organizations and the impact of their work.

The organizations to be honored at this first-annual ceremony include The Art of Elysium, Best Buddies International, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, DoSomething.org, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Keep A Child Alive, The Salvation Army, Stand Up To Cancer and Women’s Sports Foundation.

Celebrities who will accept awards on behalf of the charities being honored include Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Jessica Biel (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Alicia Keys (Keep A Child Alive), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org), with others currently being confirmed. During the ceremony, each will be presented with the trophy award, designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Other performers and presenters will be announced closer to the event.

With nearly two decades of experience across entertainment, fashion and charitable projects, Janeen Mansour is creator and executive producer of the Noble Humanitarian Awards. Mansour, who has interviewed many celebrities, was inspired to create a dedicated award show for the charity community after interviewing the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and learning about her significant charitable work.

“Celebrities have long given their time to charity, championing causes they feel passionate about. Their support draws media coverage, and organizations benefit. With the Noble Awards, we aim to turn the spotlight back onto these celebrities and charities in an effort to provide recognition, to educate, to inspire, and to encourage even more support from the Hollywood community and the public at large. It’s an annual celebration of service and volunteerism,” explains Mansour.

A team of entertainment veterans join Mansour in producing the Noble Humanitarian Awards. They include Ziad Batal (Executive Producer), founder of All 4 Media, one of the most prominent film and television production companies and creator and producer of dozens of reality, talk and sports programs in the Middle East; Michael Seligman (Producer), President & CEO of Seligman Entertainment, Inc, whose 35 years of work includes the Oscars, the Emmy’s, AFI’s, Kennedy Center Honors and Stand Up To Cancer; Tisha Fein (Producer), whose three-decade experience includes the Emmys, Grammys, Tonys, World Music Awards, Fashion Rocks, Movies Rock and Stand Up to Cancer.

The Noble Humanitarian Awards are produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a non-profit organization. With the staging of the first annual awards on October 18, 2009, the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round campaign to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an effective forum for change and service. For more information, please visit www.thenobleawards.org.

Lisa Snowdon Completes Charity Parachute Jump

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Model and TV and radio presenter Lisa Snowdon has completed her first parachute jump for charity – with the support of former boyfriend George Clooney.

Snowdon jumped from 13,000 feet to raise money for the Help A London Child scheme and the Shooting Star Hospice earlier this week. Last week, Look To The Stars revealed that George Clooney had donated $19,000 to the initiative.

“What a feeling,” said Snowdon. "When I got to the skydiving centre I was really nervous, it looked so high up. I don’t think I realized how high it was. My nerves were building when we went up in the plane and I felt really sick – it seemed to take forever to get up there. When we got up to 13,000ft the red light went on, then the yellow light which means it’s time to go and I freaked out.

“I had my legs dangling out of the plane and it felt so unnatural then suddenly we were out. We did this crazy back double somersault and I could see the bottom of the plane, it was the most surreal thing I’ve ever done. It happened so quickly I didn’t worry about the parachute. The freefalling was wild, it was just brilliant.”

Snowdon also took part in last week’s BGC Charity Day, which raised money for charities such as Barnardo’s, Breast Cancer Care, Help for Heroes and The Variety Club.

British Celebrities To Run For Christian Aid

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

A host of British celebrities are set to take part in a run for fun being held in Newcastle, UK, this weekend.

Jerome Flynn (Soldier, Soldier), Tim Campbell (first ever winner of The Apprentice), Kara Tointon (most recently seen as EastEnders’ Dawn Swann) and boyfriend Joe Swash (Winner of I’m a Celebrity…2008) will dig out their training shoes and join Christian Aid’s team of 90 runners in this year’s Great North Run, to help raise vital funds for poor communities around the world.

The Great North Run, the world’s biggest half marathon, has more than 50,000 participants and takes place in Newcastle on the 20th September. All of the money raised by the Christian Aid team will go towards the charity’s overseas development work, helping to tackle poverty and injustice in 49 countries around the world.

Actress Kara Tointon said: “When I travelled to Zambia with Christian Aid, I met people who had next to nothing and saw how they are given medical and practical support which really does keep them alive. So, when I was asked to take part in the Great North Run and help people like those I met in Zambia, I knew I had to do it.”

You can donate to Kara’s run by clicking here

Actor, TV presenter and reigning ‘King of the Jungle’ Joe Swash said: “When I was asked to do the Great North Run for Christian Aid, I immediately got Kara involved as I thought it would be a great thing for us to do together. Besides, thirteen miles shouldn’t be as hard as eating all those witchety grubs in the jungle. We’re both looking forward to running, and saying hello to everyone on the route.”

You can donate to Joe’s run by clicking here

Tim Campbell, Entrepreneur, CEO of The Bright Ideas Trust and first winner of The Apprentice, said: “When Christian Aid asked me to run the Great North Run, I was honoured to support a cause that is so close to my heart. Knowing that the money will go to deserving projects in some of the world’s poorest countries, I relished the opportunity to run with thousands of others in one of the greatest running events in Europe. At the Bright Ideas Trust we understand that business can empower socially excluded individuals to work their way out of their current situations. Some of the small business schemes in the developing world not only do this but also stop people from dying.”

You can donate to Tim’s run by clicking here

Jerome Flynn said he was persuaded to dust off his running shoes by his sister, who works for Christian Aid in the North East. ‘I wanted to encourage my sister, who has been thinking of running this iconic half marathon for several years’ explained Jerome, who is based in the south-west. ‘Hopefully, we’ll be able to celebrate completing the race together, even though our training has been 350 miles apart. I’m delighted to be able to support Christian Aid at the same time because fighting poverty is something my sister and I are both passionate about; I particularly like Christian Aid’s approach, working with local people, regardless of race or faith.’

You can donate to Jerome’s run by clicking here

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Great North Run or other challenge events visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/events call 020 7523 2248 or email events@christian-aid.org.

Band From TV To Launch New Epilepsy Site At Charity Gig

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Band From TV – the celebrity charity music group made up of stars from some of today’s most popular TV shows – is to play a special gig next month to launch a charity website set up by its founding member.

Talk About It was created by Heroes star Greg Grunberg to raise awareness of epilepsy and help educate people the world and end stigmas about seizure disorders. The site features many of his Heroes co-stars and celebrity friends, such as Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, and John Mayer. Grunberg is a longtime supporter of epilepsy causes, an issue that he has been involved with since his son, Jake, was diagnosed with the condition. He is the official spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation and Epilepsy Advocate.

Grunberg started the Band From TV – which includes members such as Hugh Laurie, Teri Hatcher, Bonnie Somerville, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, James Denton, Jesse Spencer, and Bob Guiney – after getting a few celebrities to play together at the House Of Blues for charity. The success of that event has led to a number of gigs in the US which have, according to Hugh Laurie, “raised a gargantuan sum of money for charity.” These charities include such as Save the Children, The Art of Elysium, the Child Abuse Prevention Program and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence through the Band From TV Global Charity Trust. Band From TV recently released their first CD, Hoggin’ All The Covers, which has become a huge hit at Amazon.com and can be ordered here. Look To The Stars was lucky enough to interview Greg just before Christmas, and the video of our chat can be viewed here.

To celebrate the launch of Talk About It, Band From TV – along with special celebrity guests including Scott Grimes from ER and many others – are performing one night only on October 25 at The Canyon Club in Agoura. Come with your family and friends and be ready to rock out to your favorite cover tunes being performed by some of your favorite TV actors.

THIS SHOW WILL SELL OUT!! Tickets may be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster or by calling The Canyon Club Box Office at (818) 879-5016.

Kelly Ripa Supports Ovarian Cancer Text Initiative

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0000

For the second year in a row, television host and actress Kelly Ripa is supporting a charity initiative from home appliance leaders Electrolux.

Throughout September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Electrolux and actress Kelly Ripa are holding a text-a-thon to help raise support for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund whose mission is to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer. Americans can donate $5 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund by texting “Kelly” to 85944. To drive participation and help spread the word, each time people log on to the website www.kelly-confidential.com, they will be entered for a chance to win a luxury front-load washer and dryer from Electrolux in Turquoise Sky, the color inspired by the teal ribbon of ovarian cancer awareness.

Also during September, visitors to Kelly Confidential can help Ripa spread awareness for this important cause by sending a virtual T-shirt to a friend for free. For every “T-mail” sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to the OCRF. Visitors can also purchase a limited edition T-shirt designed by Ripa; 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will go to OCRF.

To watch a PSA featuring Kelly speaking about this initiative, click here.

Susan Sarandon To Be Honored By Somaly Mam Foundation

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

The Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF), dedicated to ending slavery around the world, is pleased to announce two benefit events marking their second year in both New York and Los Angeles.

In New York City, the 2nd annual An Evening of Hopes and Dreams dinner will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 583 Park Avenue. In Los Angeles, the 2nd annual An Evening of Hopes and Dreams gala will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the home of Jeff and Mei Sze Greene in Beverly Hills, CA. American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi will headline a special live performance at the Los Angeles event.

Both evenings, featuring live musical entertainment, an auction and inspirational words from human trafficking survivor and leading activist Somaly Mam, will raise funds and awareness for SMF’s Survivor Services, Advocacy and Awareness programs, and recognize leadership in anti-trafficking. SMF will honor actress and activist Susan Sarandon in New York, and entrepreneurs and activists Jeff & Mei Sze Greene in Los Angeles, for their commitment to the cause of human trafficking and their special contribution to helping the Somaly Mam Foundation grow into the organization it is today.

The 2009 Honorary Committee includes Susan Sarandon, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Petra Nemcova, Maria Bello, Jane Seymour, Kristen Bell, Laurie Holden and Ron Livingston.

“I’ve committed my life to fighting this horrible scourge on humanity,” says Somaly Mam. “Seeing innocent young women and children whose lives have been forever scarred leaves no doubt that they need a champion who is willing to invest all their time and energy towards eradicating the shameful practice of human trafficking. Susan, Jeff and Mei Sze join me in this fight of great consequence and I thank them for their help.”

Honoree Susan Sarandon adds, “Human trafficking is a vicious crime that claims so many innocent victims each year. To see young innocent children forced into a life of sexual slavery is something that is so profoundly sad that one cannot help but want to do everything in their power to put an end to this crime that is so easily ignored. I have been personally inspired by the work of Somaly Mam.”

Hosting the gala for the 2nd consecutive year, honoree Jeff Greene says, “Mei Sze and I feel honored to be hosting the Somaly Mam Foundation benefit again this year. We have the utmost respect for Somaly and her work. We are a proud to be involved in such an important cause.”

John Legend Goes Red For HIV/AIDS

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Grammy-Award winning artist and long-time (PRODUCT)RED supporter John Legend is joining with Gap to create an exclusive (RED)ZONE seating section for his concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City tonight, August 13.

For the last few weeks, every purchase at select Gap stores in the New York tri-state area has included a special access code enabling shoppers to obtain one ticket in the reserved RED section for John Legend’s MSG show. Even better, with each (RED)ZONE ticket purchase, shoppers automatically received a second ticket to the show free of charge. Additionally, a select number of fans seated in the (RED)ZONE section will be randomly selected to go backstage to personally meet Legend after the evening’s performance. Proceeds from the ticket sales in the (RED)ZONE will benefit HIV/AIDS programs in Africa supported by the Global Fund.

“I love working with (PRODUCT)RED because they provide an innovative way for great brands and great artists to come together to powerfully and effectively fight AIDS in Africa,” said Legend. “I’m proud to be partnering with Gap and (RED) on my upcoming Madison Square Garden concert, because I know the money generated will go directly to help get medicine to those who need it.”

Tickets to this exclusive (RED)ZONE area are available by visiting www.johnlegend.com/red and entering the special access code as prompted – tickets are $66.00 each and are subject to limited availability. Fans can log on to www.gap.com/johnlegend to locate participating Gap stores in the New York tri-state area.

Gap is celebrating its collaboration with John Legend and the launch of the new (PRODUCT)RED Artist Edition T-shirts by turning Gap store windows (RED) nationwide from July 29 through August 12. Gap also opened a special pop-up art gallery adjacent to its Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City on Saturday, July 25th. The shop features Gap (PRODUCT)RED Artist Edition T-Shirts, as well as original works of art from some of these artists. Fifty percent of the profits all Gap (PRODUCT)RED Artist Edition T-Shirts benefit the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

Eunice Shriver's Charity Legacy

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Eunice Shriver – founder of the Special Olympics – has died at the age of 88.

The fifth of nine children and sister of John F Kennedy, Shriver led a life of service to the community that she handed down to her children. Her daughter, Maria Shriver, is the First Lady of California and is married to Arnold Schwarzenegger. She runs the annual Women’s Conference in California. Her son, Bobby Shriver, is well known for co-founding the organizations DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa), the ONE Campaign and (RED) with U2 lead singer Bono. Her other sons are also leaders in philanthropy: Timothy Shriver is the Chairman and CEO of the Special Olympics; Mark Shriver is the Vice-President and Managing Director of U.S. Programs for Save the Children; and Anthony Shriver is the founder of Best Buddies International.

Awarded the US Medal of Freedom in 1984, Eunice Shriver was a founder of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Community of Caring in the 1960s. But it was her work with the Special Olympics for which she will be remembered. Her work with the disabled started early – In 1962, she started a day camp, known as Camp Shriver, for children with intellectual disabilities at her home in Potomac, Maryland. From there, she promoted the concept of competition opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. Camp Shriver became an annual event, and the Kennedy Foundation (of which Shriver was Executive Vice President) regularly gave grants to universities, recreation departments and community centers to hold similar camps. In 1968, Shriver was approached to help fund a huge Olympic-style athletic competition for over 1000 people with special needs. The Special Olympics were born, and today it involves over 2.5 million in 180 countries.

Her family released the following thoughts reflecting on her life:

“Inspired by her love of God, her devotion to her family, and her relentless belief in the dignity and worth of every human life, she worked without ceasing — searching, pushing, demanding, hoping for change. She was a living prayer, a living advocate, a living center of power. She set out to change the world and to change us, and she did that and more.

“She founded the movement that became Special Olympics, the largest movement for acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities in the history of the world. Her work transformed the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the globe, and they in turn are her living legacy. We have always been honored to share our mother with people of good will the world over who believe, as she did, that there is no limit to the human spirit. At this time of loss, we feel overwhelmed by the gifts of prayer and support poured out to us from so many who loved her.

“We are together in our belief that she is now in heaven, rejoicing with her family, enjoying the fruits of her faith, and still urging us onward to the challenges ahead. Her love will inspire us to faith and service always.“

Barbra Streisand To Launch Massive Charity Auction

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Barbra Streisand is set to auction many of her personal items for charity.

Julien’s Auctions will host the auction, to be held October 17-18, with more than 400 items to go under the hammer.

“What good does it do in storage,” said the 67-year-old. “Let someone else enjoy it. These things, they’re not forever. We pass them on and reap the benefits for something important.”

Proceeds from the auction – to be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel – will go to the Streisand Foundation, which gives grants to “national organizations working on preservation of the environment, voter education, the protection of civil liberties and civil rights, women’s issues and nuclear disarmament” and has given large donations to programs related to women’s health.

Among the beneficiaries will be City Year, which Streisand said “brings together a core of diverse young leaders that provide vital resources to youth in local neighborhoods”; the Clinton Foundation (“We gave a big chunk to the climate change initiative”); and the Cedars-Sinai Women’s Heart Health Center, which supports cardiac research for women.

“For decades women have been treated based on medical research done on men,” said Streisand. “So it’s about time that proper research be done and communicated to women so they’ll be more informed about their health.”

Auction lots include a wicker chair from her sunroom, a baby grand piano, many designer dresses, costumes from films such as “Funny Lady,” “The Way We Were” and “Meet the Fockers,” an old phonograph she bought when she was 18 and “one of the first pieces of furniture I ever bought: A dental cabinet. That’s hard to part with actually. I wish I had room for it. I don’t.”

Selections from the auction will be on public view aboard the Queen Mary 2 during its trans-Atlantic cruise this month and then in Ireland, New York and Beverly Hills.

“The community is better served if I get rid of it and give all the proceeds to my foundation, which does really good work,” she said.

To view the lots and find out more, visit the Julien’s Auctions website.

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