Look To The Stars News: Women

Julia Roberts and Armani Fight AIDS Together

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Julia Roberts has designed a T-shirt to be sold under the Giorgio Armani’s (RED) label.

This is the second time Oscar winning actress has worked with Giorgio Armani to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Fund is the brainchild of Bono and Bobby Shriver, and has received over $110 million in proceeds from (RED)-branded apparel and related events since the its inception in 2006.

The new shirt features the words “revolution.evolution.devotion” making up the acronym (RED) arched over a tree of life of Roberts’ design. Roberts’ signature is also included inside. Available for men and women, the T-shirt will be sold online and in Empirio Armani stores worldwide.

Roberts previously worked with Armani in designing a leather bracelet, also featuring the tree of life, for Armani’s (RED) label. Armani sells a variety of additional (RED) items including accessories, eyeware, watches, and fragrances. 40 percent of gross proceeds go to the Fund.

Witherspoon Speaks Out In Brazil

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Actress Reese Witherspoon visited the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo last week to show her dedication to ending violence against women.

The Legally Blonde star is the ambassador for Speak Out Against Domestic Violence, a joint campaign launched in 2004 by UNIFEM and Avon.

In March of this year she launched the campaign’s Women’s Empowerment Bracelet, an emblem in the fight against domestic violence, created to raise awareness about the need to speak out. Proceeds from the sale of the bracelets go to the Avon Empowerment Fund, which provides funding for UNIFEM and its UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.

Witherspoon’s appearance in the South American country on Thursday was in celebration of the bracelet’s success since its launch: 1.5 million have been sold so far. The Avon Foundation matched the first $500,000 in sales to make a total of $1 million given to helping people speak out and stop the abuse.

Speaking to reporters in Sao Paulo, the actress said, ”There isn’t a woman in the world that doesn’t have a friend or a partner who’s actually experiencing some sort of violence against them, so I think although domestic violence hasn’t happened to me personally, I certainly know women who are dealing with this struggle every day. Domestic violence affects women who are famous, who are not famous, women who have money, women who have no money. This is an issue that crosses all boundaries and it certainly affects everyone.”

To purchase a bracelet and show your support, visit the Avon Foundation online.

Kyle Maclachlan To Front Women's Cancer PSA

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Desperate Housewives star Kyle Maclachlan is to feature in a new cancer awareness advertisement.

The 49-year-old former Twin Peaks actor is to front a new public service announcement on behalf of the Callaway Golf Foundation Women’s Cancer Initiative urging women to seek early detection for ovarian cancer. His mother died of ovarian cancer in 1986, and MacLachlin wants to honor her memory by taking part in the campaign.

The Callaway Golf Foundation Women’s Cancer Initiative was established through $2 million of donations to the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Programs. The initiative aims to fast-track breakthrough treatments and tests at leading cancer institutions to beat ovarian cancer.

Earlier this year, Halle Berry was announced as the 2008 Ambassador for the initiative’s public service campaign, and has been appearing in magazine and newspaper advertisements for the program.

For more information about the initiative, visit www.callawaygolf.com.

Shakira Wins Humanitarian Award

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Colombian pop star Shakira proved hips don’t lie when she received an ALMA award on Sunday for the humanitarian work she has been doing for Latin America’s impoverished children.

The American Latino Media Arts awards – hosted by Eva Longoria – celebrated the achievements of Latin American performers, with accolades going to America Ferrera, Linda Ronstadt, and Charlie Sheen.

Shakira, who is a UNICEF Ambassador and recently took part in concerts to bring a stop to civil unrest in Colombia, received the award for her work to improve the lives of children in Colombia and Latin America.

“I feel unworthy to accept this award because we have only scratched the surface,” said the singer. “There is still so much to be done.”

Shakira founded Pies Descalzos – a Colombian charity that runs special schools for poor children – in 1997. She has taken part in a multitude of benefit concerts and has visited many people affected by natural disasters, including the victims of Hurricane Sidr in Bangladesh. It was revealed at the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative that she had donated a massive $40 million to help the victims of natural disasters around the world. Earlier this year she acted as Chairperson for the Global Campaign for Education’s Action Week to generate awareness about the Education for All Act, during which she spoke with a number of world leaders to promote a move towards Global Education.

Jewel Launches Kiss For Country Campaign

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Singer-songwriter Jewel, along with the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (MKACF), kicked off the second annual A Kiss For Country campaign last week, this time to benefit a domestic violence shelter in Nashville.

“[The campaign] involves country music superstars who basically get to kiss a piece of paper, we sign it and auction it off,” explained Jewel. “It helps raise money to end the cycle of domestic violence. I was at the [Country Music Awards] last year and was very impressed with how it was run, and what a great cause it is. Domestic violence really is a cycle that needs to be stopped.”

“We could not be happier to have Jewel as our spokesperson,” said Karen Rogers, MKACF founder’s granddaughter and VP of Board of Directors. “She has had some hardships in her life and so we felt like her generosity and her dedication to these issues would make a perfect spokesperson for us. She’s been terrific.”

“Domestic violence is an important issue to me,” says Jewel, “because one in three women are abused at some point in their life, especially if they’re homeless. I was homeless for a year myself when I was 18 years old. I ended up homeless because I had a boss that asked me to have sex with him, and when I wouldn’t he wouldn’t give me my paycheck and I was kicked out of where I was living. You’re very vulnerable when you’re living on the street. So I actually wrote a single called Stronger Woman to talk about a woman’s responsibility to help herself and her fellow women.”

MKACF has contributed over $11.5 million to domestic violence shelters. See which celebrity puckers are being auctioned for the Kiss For Country campaign here

Mia Farrow To Discuss Political Rights Of Women

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Mia Farrow is to attend a special seminar next week to discuss the political-rights crises faced by women in Thailand and Burma.

The seminar – to be held in Thailand’s Chiang Mai University on July 21 – will be led by Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams, and will feature female activists from all around the world. Organized by the Nobel Women’s Initiative, the seminar will cover a range of issues relating to the treatment of women in the political arena, and will include video testimony from Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate who has been under house arrest in Burma.

“We don’t have such a special event very often in Thailand, let alone Chiang Mai, so I do hope that it will create interest, more understanding and support for women’s causes,” said Virada Somswasdi, president of the Foundation for Women, Law and Rural Development. “The efforts of NWI members and other women involved in the delegation to Thailand are not only to keep alive the issues of peace with justice and equality, which include violence against women and the crisis of political rights, but also to highlight the importance of a just and peaceful global community for women."

Organizers hope the seminar will promote the unseen work of women in local governments in Thailand and Burma, and give them a chance to speak out.

Other well known activists expected to attend include labor rights activist Qing Zhang from China and Dr Sima Samar from Afghanistan.

Celebrity Fashion Up For Grabs

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Anybody interested in celebrity fashion should head over to www.clothesoffourback.org in the next few days to bid on some of the fabulous items up for grabs in the name of charity.

The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance has an exciting range of clothes and memorabilia up for auction on the site, including the Badgley Mischka dress that Comedy For A Cure honoree Teri Hatcher wore to the American Idol" Season 7 Grand Finale, a green Max Mara wrap dress, smoky quartz & sterling silver earrings, and autographed photo from “Dexter” star "Julie Benz, a “Chuck” t-shirt autographed by the show’s star Zachary Levi, a “CSI:NY” white lab coat autographed by Melina Kanakaredes, and the Theory dress that “Access Hollywood” correspondent Shaun Robinson wore to last year’s Comedy for a Cure event when she was the show’s emcee.

Bidders should be quick, as the auction ends on July 8.

And for anybody who wants to step out on the town in some special shoes, Clothes Off Our Back is also auctioning off a range off footwear designed specially by stars such as Sheryl Crow, Hilary Swank, Zooey Deschanel, Rose McGowan, Kate Winslet, Maggie Grace, Cate Blanchett, Kirsten Dunst, Kristin Davis, Natasha Henstridge, Lisa Edelstein, Pink, Becki Newton, Melissa George, Kerry Washington, America Ferrera, Ana Ortiz, and Kate Walsh.

Proceeds from the auction will go Second Harvest (the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization), The Art of Elysium (which enriches the lives of artist and critically ill children), World Education (focusing on girls’ scholarship programs in Africa), and autism research. The auction ends on July 11.

Over 500 celebrities have participated in Clothes Off Our Back auctions since it was established by Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford in 2002, helping raise over $2 million for various children’s charities.

Bono Sings The Praises Of Music For Charity

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jolie-Pitt Foundation Donates To War Children

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anna Nalick Auctions Tickets and More

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Shine singer Anna Nalick is auctioning off concert tickets and more to one of any of the locations on her upcoming tour.

The winning bidder will receive a “VIP experience” that will include two on-stage seats at any of the tour’s shows, a private meet and greet with Nalick, tour merchandise, and an autographed copy of her latest CD, Shine.

Nalick will donate the auction proceeds to PEACE for families, which offers services to victims of sexual assault and family violence. With the belief that “every woman, man and child has the basic right to live in a violence-free life,” PEACE provides a 24-hour crisis line, a 24-hour emergency shelter for battered women and children, crisis intervention, a hospital escort, and counseling in Placer County, California.

Nalick says, “Thanks to PEACE for families, victims of domestic violence or sexual assault have someone they can rely on.”

Just past the $400 mark, the eBay auction ends this Friday.

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There'll Be Feuding And Fighting Between Celebrities... All For Charity

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Celebrity Family Feud is set to invade primetime next week, when it premieres on Tuesday, June 24, on NBC.

Hosted by Al Roker, the familiar show will get a star twist when 24 celebrity “families” front up to do battle on behalf of their favorite charities. First up in next week’s maiden broadcast are Law & Order: SVU star Ice-T and family – playing for Unity 2 – going up against Team Rivers, led by the queens of the red carpet, Joan and Melissa Rivers, playing for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

During each episode of the new series, four celebrity families will be pitted against each other in tournament-style fun and games, with the winners from each round moving on to the final round — where they’ll compete to win up to $50,000 for their designated charity.

Other stars to compete on the show will include Vivica Fox, Raven Symone, Kim Kardashian, and teams from The Office and My Name Is Earl, and charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the USO, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation will benefit.

Look To The Stars Asks Amy Sewell

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Amy Sewell is the creator/writer/producer of Paramount’s 2005 crowd-pleasing documentary, Mad Hot Ballroom. Her directorial debut, What’s Your Point, Honey?, puts a new face on political leadership by introducing seven possible female contenders coming down the pipeline, while revealing inequalities that still exist today. What’s Your Point, Honey? is now showing in theaters across the US in special ‘one-night only exclusive’ events.

Tell us a little bit about What’s Your Point, Honey?

One big premise of the movie is that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. The idea started when my daughter told me I couldn’t ride a motorcycle because she’s never seen a woman on a motorcycle. And I thought what else is out there that they’re not seeing, that they would never even think possible because its just isn’t in front of them. The movie itself is really like a picture in the moment in time, it’s a mirror on society – about the next generation of women, where we are and where we’re going. It’ll make you laugh, kinda make you cry, it’s not hard hitting, it’s very much like ‘Mad Hot Ballroom’. If you want to get more out of it, it definitely runs deep, you can find all the metaphors that run throughout or you can just go along and look at the portraits of the seven possible future presidential candidates. So it’s light, I always say my style of film making is ‘doc-light.’

What’s idea behind ‘exclusive’ one-night-only screenings?

It’s being released in theaters in these one-night-only exclusive events, where you can also purchase a copy of the DVD, because there’s no reason for us to get involved with box office numbers and compete with ‘Indiana Jones’ or ‘Iron Man.’ We care about reach, and the best reach is to have people watch the DVD and start the conversation in their community.

Six years ago, with the support of the The White House Project, “Cosmo Girl!” launched “Project 2024” to get more young women involved in politics. How has this helped the cause?

When we had the seven young woman through the ‘White House Project’ and ‘Cosmo Girl’ they became more tangible, more achievable role models. Basically on our website we list what their strengths are, and I always think if we put all of them together we’d have an ideal president. But our message is, it’s not about one, each of them bring something to the table – the day we see just as many women on the debate podium is the day we get beyond gender to agenda.

At the recent ‘Women in Entertainment Production Panel’, you mentioned that after the attacks on 9/11, you started covering the kids angle – what third graders would do if they could rebuild the buildings. What, if anything, did you learn from these kids?

Basically, kids just think honestly. One kid wanted to rebuild the buildings out of rubber so the planes would bounce off it next time, and another kid said he wanted to rebuild it with holes in it so the planes could fly through. And at that moment, I realized it’s the best state to be in – a kind of kids state – because they rarely think about obstacles or barriers. They don’t have any filters. It was probably more of an influence than anything on making me think well – we really are prisoners to our own definitions or societies definitions. It’s exhausting to have those things around really, why can’t we just ignore them?

How do you feel about the TV/Media fueling inequalities? For example, ‘Americas Next Top Model’- are we creating the next generation of Paris Hilton’s, or are we empowering young woman?

I think we have to counter that and fight it. So by me putting seven awesome young women up on the big screen and saying these are role models, and not letting my kids read magazines where they make Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears role models, I hope I’m doing my part. But what I think we have to do is celebrate those who are good role models. I’m trying to emphasis the positive people who make positive choices.

Who would you most like young women to look up to or be inspired by?

Gosh, there are so many. I think there are ton of women athletes out there. I think you have to go to some of the different levels – go to the smaller games, not the ‘star’ games. I know they are out there, and I think we always have to be on the lookout to find them. My family and I go to a ton of college games or high school games and we look for the real life heroes. I think the more and more we get our kids into contributing to our society in a healthy way – whatever that means – then they won’t really care about the Britney’s. We [her family] love Angelina Jolie and Natalie Portman. Hanna Montana said she made a mistake and I still think she’s an OK role model, but she gave us an opportunity to talk about it. We love Raven. We love America Ferrera. Any of the younger kids have to be smart enough not to be persuaded to do crazy things by their managers. We also love Kate Hudson, especially when she and her mother speak out about women’s issues.

You mentioned female athletes? Where do sports fit into the equality issue?

The next generation – which we show in the film – includes sports and fathers. Sports teach us how to compete, fall, get up, not cry, and learn to not only lose – which is important – but win really well and triumphantly with no apologies. Fathers – while they may not care if their wives, mothers or sisters are being treated equally – it’s hell or come high water if their daughters are treated differently, and so regardless of the fathers actual involvement, their daughters will pick up that mentality and she’ll bring it into the business world, into the sports world, into the military and into politics.

Tell us a bit about your new book, “She’s Out There! The Next Generation of Presidential Candidates”?

It’s going to be released April 9. It’s about 35 women under the age of 35 who aspire to lead and possibly run for President. They write their own essays and I took a photographer around the country with me and we took pictures of these women doing what they do everyday. So the premise of the book is: you don’t know if she’s sitting next to you, you don’t know if it’s your neighbor down the block – the fact is that there are going to be a lot more women out there who want to run for office, it’s the beginning of the next generation of candidates.

Politics seem to be a sort of ‘men-club’, so I’m curious how receptive the ‘men in charge’ will be– and what effect, if any, have you noticed since Hillary decided to run for President? Are women going to be equal in the political arena?

I think that will happen naturally, it’s happening already. I think if you think about what is happening – there are 75% of women who fill the political positions of their fathers or husbands after they died, those are the women that are in there now. And I think it will be a long time before we see a group of women march forward running for office. We’ll have to see in 2012, I hope it would be sooner, but I actually don’t think that men have a choice about what’s happening now. For the last 40 years we’ve waited to become equal and I think that waiting is over, we’ve realized that they haven’t given it to us. So I think those days are over and that men need to join in because they will be facing female opponants and Hillary was just the beginning of showing us that we can hang with the big dogs.

What are some of the more important issues/problems with inequality?

We need three things. Equal pay. I’m willing to hang out at 77-cents to the white man’s dollar until our black sisters at 67-cents catch up – until our hispanic sisters at 57-cents catch up, and once we are all making 77-cents, we can all march to the block because I don’t want to leave them behind. Feminism is not a white women’s sport, it’s just we don’t have the double whammy of racism. The second thing is ownership of body – the fact and mentality that we are treated like property. If men got pregnant, no governement in the world would tell them what they could do with their bodies. The third thing is child care and elder care. It does fall primarily on women, and we are devalued because of it. If men had these responsibilites fall to them, corporations and government would help. Corporations would come up with perks to keep their men employed – their talent at the office – and the government would help out knowing they didn’t want to lose a valuable sector of the work force. I try to keep it simple on these three things, let’s get that acommplished and then move on.

You are also one of the founders/directors of the nonprofit organization Give It Up for the ARTS! Tell us about more about your involvement and the vision/work of the organization?

It’s to expose children who are at-risk or in a school which may be impoverished… to the arts. It’s dance, drama, music, fine arts, and usually we find a grass roots group, somebody out there working their butt off trying to bring something to a group of kids in at-risk neighborhoods. And that’s who I write a check to every year, and that’s who we look for.

Look to the Stars and Delinda thank Amy Sewell for speaking with us. For more information, please visit What’s Your Point, Honey.

Rip Into One Of Kelly's Bags

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:34:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

There’s just one day left to get your hands on Emmy Award winner Kelly Ripa’s bags!

The 37-year-old host of Live With Regis And Kelly and star of Hope And Faith has been selling off 17 designer handbags on eBay, and the auction has now entered its final hours. The star joined forces with European household appliance giant Electrolux and Kompolt Auctions to offer her collection of bags that were featured in Kelly’s Bags, a fun online game that captured the imaginations of tens of thousands of women while helping to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

Proceeds from the current auction will also go to the Fund, and bidders have the chance to pick up bags from designers such as Elliott Lucca, Gustto, and Lacroix.

“Thousands of women are affected by this deadly disease every year, including someone close to me,” said Ripa. “But there’s hope. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund helps women fight and beat this disease. They fund research that will improve chances for an early diagnosis, giving hope to patients, family, and friends.”

The auction ends tomorrow, June 6, and can be accessed through eBay.

Harrelson, Hayek Play For Charity In Cannes

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

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Competitors Alice Taglioni and Woody Harrelson came out on top at the Partouche Charity Poker Festival on May 17th in Cannes. The two fought it out at the tables until 1 AM before conceding that they were both winners, and agreeing to split the $1 million pot between their chosen charities.

Taglioni’s $500,000 will go to the French association Enfants et santé, which helps children affected by leukemia and other diseases, while Harrelson’s winnings are going to Oasis Preserve International, an ecological charity acting for the worldwide ecosystem preservation.

Eliminated players will also receive checks for their charities of choice. Goldie Hawn was playing for the The Hawn Foundation, Salma Hayek played for her Salma Hayek Foundation, Edward Norton was hoping to win for the National Landscape Conservation Foundation, Tim Robbins was in for The Actors Gang, Dennis Hopper attended for the Center For American Progress and Adrien Brody did not disclose his charity.

After the game, all players were interviewed by Sogimage camera teams and invited to comment on their experience. The resulting show will be broadcast all around the world, presenting the highlights of the tournament, as well as their glamorous arrivals at the Palm Beach Casino and interviews.

Ugly Betty Items Go Under the Hammer

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:11:00 -0000

With the “Ugly Betty” season about to end, now is your chance to bid on the stunning blouse worn by resident Mode fashionista Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton) and custom designed specifically for her by guest star Christian Siriano (winner of the most recent season of “Project Runway”) from the show’s May 1st episode. Auction ends Thursday, May 22nd.

Also up for grabs is the autographed softball uniform worn by supermodel Naomi Campbell on “Ugly Betty.” This auction ends Monday, May 26th.

If you watched the Kentucky Derby, you know the hats stole the race. Bid now on the hat that Molly Sims wore at the 2008 Kentucky Derby. The one-of-a-kind autographed hat will benefit the Barnstable Brown Foundation and is up for auction until Tuesday, May 27th.

Do you love swag? Bid now on gift bags donated by celebrities, tastemakers, and organizations to help raise money for Clothes Off Our Back and Water Partners International.

To bid on items, log onto www.clothesoffourback.org.

Proceeds from the auction benefits America’s Second Harvest (the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization), The Art of Elysium (encouraging artists and actors to enrich the lives of critically ill children) and World Education (focusing on girls’ scholarship programs in Africa) and autism research.

Mary J. Blige FFAWNs Over New Charity

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:58:25 -0000

Written by Linda Burton

R & B star Mary J. Blige, along with her partner Steve Stoute have announced plans to launch the Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, Inc. (FFAWN), a new charity initiative to inspire women from all walks of life to reach their individual potential.

FFAWN, which is based in Blige’s hometown of Yonkers, NY, is intended to help women gain the confidence and skills needed to achieve success.

“Most of my life was centered around living for the moment. I had very few resources and very little real life education to make good decisions,” Blige said. At a recent visit to Roosevelt High School in Yonkers she implored students to “Please get your education. Education is key. Education is power.”

FFAWN will initially focus its efforts in the Yonkers area, and will eventually expand its scope to include the Greater New York area and eventually the entire country.

Please visit FFAWN.org for more information.

Berry, Selleck Run/Walk For Women

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

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

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

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

However, I was not prepared for how touching it would be to see an ocean of walkers sporting tags or shirts dedicated to the memory of a loved one. Immediately, one is stricken with the gravity of the mission. Coverage of this event was double duty for me because I participated as a walker for the first time. My grandmother, Josephine Wilson had a mastectomy in the 60’s and was a proud survivor until a ripe old age.

At the completion of the race, walkers and runners entered the LA Colliseum. By the time many of the walkers finished, 80’s classic group the Go Go’s were on stage performing hit tunes. Belinda Carlisle was looking great and still has the beat. Jesse McCartney also performed. Other stars such as Days of Our Lives’ Deidre Hall and actor Jonathan Hensley also showed their support.

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

Picture: Alexandra Wyman, WireImage.com

For Mother's Day, Celebrities Cook For the Cure

Tue, 13 May 2008 09:26:22 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

There was a bevy of good will Mother’s days weekend in support of research for the cure of breast cancer, including not only the highly publicized Revlon Run/Walk but top celebrity chefs were involved with “Cook for the Cure.” Presented by KitchenAid, it is an effort by the culinary community and cooking enthusiasts to support and raise funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure .

Lidia Bastianich, Mario Batali and Sara Moulton (Gourmet magazine executive chef and Good Morning America, food editor) appear in the May issue of Gourmet to raise awareness and give credit to the women who inspired them: their mothers. All three chefs signed the popular pink KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer, which is being auctioned on Charity Folks through May 15th.

In order to create breast cancer awareness, celebrity chefs and waitstaff wore pink aprons over the holiday weekend which read “I cook for mom.”

Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and launched the global breast cancer movement.

Celebs Design Bags For Mother's Day

Wed, 07 May 2008 10:19:28 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Yoga bags designed by celebrities such as Courteney Cox Arquette, Martina McBride and Patricia Arquette are up for grabs at eBay Giving Works from May 5-15, 2008, to raise funds for women battling breast cancer. Swarovski has partnered with The Libby Ross Foundation and celebrities to create the decorative yoga bags using Swarovski jewels, with the proceeds going to help the Foundation’s yoga program.

The Libby Ross Foundation offers the “OM Yoga Program” to women who have had, or are undergoing surgery, radiation or chemotherapy for breast cancer in a bid to promote healing and a sense of well being. The program helps women get back in touch with their bodies through breathing techniques and gentle movements.

Other celebrities stretching out their creative talents include Melora Hardin, Kim Raver, Leah Remini, Ali Landry, Brooke Burke, Nancy O’Dell, Hoda Kotb, Debi Mazar, Cheryl Hines, and three mother-daughter teams, Susan Sarandon and her daughter Eva Amurri, Miley Ray Cyrus and her mother Trish Cyrus and Hayden Panettiere and her mother Lesley Panettiere.

The world’s leader in cut crystal is also donating $75,000 to The Libby Ross Foundation’s OM Yoga Program from the sales of its pink ribbon charm and pink heart necklace, which can be purchased at retailers or online.

“Swarovski’s gift this year will help us bring the Yoga Program to more women than ever before. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate Mother’s Day — helping bring peace and strength to mothers, daughters and sisters everywhere who are fighting this disease,” said Lori Ross, co-founder of the Libby Ross Foundation. Ms Ross lost her mother, Elizabeth “Libby” Ross, to breast cancer on July 24, 1998.

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

Wed, 07 May 2008 09:59:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

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

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

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

(Photo copyright ABC)

Delta Burke Makes Good From Bad

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:42:33 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Delta Burke, best known for her role as Suzanne Sugarbaker on the television sitcom Designing Women, has made a $1,500 donation to the Sandwich Women’s Club – a non-profit organization dedicated to charitable, civic, and educational purposes – as a result of a canceled order due to the celebrity’s obsessive compulsive disorder.

The 51-year-old actress suffers from Compulsive Hoarding Syndrome, a mental disorder that causes her to buy and collect things in an obsessive way. The disorder caused her to become addicted to purchasing large quantities of items from the QVC shopping network and eBay, and then hoard the merchandise. In January she made a large order of expensive dolls from a website belonging to Nancy Watts.

“The customer ordered a large number of very expensive items totaling $1,500," said Watts. "My average order is usually about $35 to $40, so this was very notable. I tried contacting her several times by e-mail to correct the payment, but I didn’t get any response.”

Watts’ research found that Burke had made more than 700 purchases on eBay in a 30-day span. The doll collector offered to refund Burke’s money, but the offer was refused – the actress was already receiving treatment for her condition.

“She apologized for the problem and declined the refund, saying she wanted me to donate the money to a charitable organization," said Watts. "She was very nice about it and said she would be willing to accept the merchandise, if I insisted.”

Watts told Burke that she was sorry to hear about her illness and that she would donate the money to the Sandwich Women’s Club.

“I think what Ms. Burke did was a great thing," said Watts. "A potentially bad situation turned out to be something great.”

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Nicole Kidman Pushes The Anti-Violence Point

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:23:30 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Nicole Kidman spoke out against violence towards women at UN Headquarters on Tuesday, and urged people to add their names to a website that calls on world leaders to end impunity for perpetrators, provide services for survivors and, most importantly, invest in prevention.

The 40-year-old, who is seven months pregnant, attended the news conference to encourage world leaders and the general public to join the global fight to end violence against women, what she calls the “most widespread human rights violation of our time.”

“One in three women will encounter violence in some way, shape or form against them in their lifetime,” said the heavily-pregnant Kidman. “That’s an extraordinary statistic. Yet do we ever hear it?”

The Australian star became a UNIFEM goodwill ambassador in January 2006, and used Tuesday’s meeting to urge people of all nations to add their names to the www.saynotoviolence.org website and demand “that ending violence against women be made a top priority for governments everywhere.” She also encouraged the private sector to contribute to the U.N. Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, which provides grants for programs in the developing world to help fight the scourge.

The website was established in November 2007, and has so far gathered over 211,000 names in its mission to raise awareness of the issue. In January, the U.N. Foundation said it would donate $1 to the fund for each of the first 100,000 signatures – a milestone that has been and gone, and still the number of people showing their support has shown no sign of slowing down.

And Joanne Sandler, Acting Executive Director of UNIFEM, said progress has been made: 89 countries have laws on domestic violence, more than 100 have made rape a crime, 90 have provisions against sexual harassment, and 93 on human trafficking.

Shakira Promotes Global Campaign For Education Action

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:24:54 -0000

Written by Richard Alan Krieger

Pop sensation Shakira was in Washington D.C. yesterday (April 22) to promote the Global Campaign for Education “Action Week”, which runs from April 21-27. As the group’s honorary spokesperson, she appeared with members of Congress along with students from across the United States to promote the Education for All Act of 2007. This legislation will raise up to $3 billion by 2012 for the basic education globally for the 77 million disadvantaged primary school age children who are out of school.

“Universal education isn’t about charity – it’s about investment,” said 31-year-old singer. “By providing vulnerable children with a basic education we can create a better, safer world.”

Shakira was praised by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on April 21 by telephone for her work to help raise the need for educating disadvantaged children. Shakira also praised Brown, who as British Treasury Chief in 2006 pledged $15 billion over 10 years for education in the developing world.

Commenting on Brown’s interest in expanding education programs, Shakira said, “I could feel how passionate and enthusiastic he was about it.”

“She is inspiring people all over the world,” said Brown. “People who are household names help to galvanize public support all around the world on issues like education, or Darfur.”

The Global Campaign for Education charity group also hopes to generate support for some 226 million older children worldwide who lack access to their public school systems.

Eric McCormack Sees A Cure For Cancer In Our Lifetime

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:07:11 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actor Eric McCormack – best known for his lead role in Will And Grace – was in his home province of Ontario recently to promote Canada’s largest funder of cancer research, the Canadian Cancer Society, and its annual Relay For Life overnight walkathon in June that aims to raise $50 million for research to eradicate cancer.

The relay is a unique fundraising event, and last year more than 200,000 people all across Canada walked, ran and strolled around tracks illuminated by nearly half a million luminary candles for 12 hours from dusk till dawn. It raised $47 million to be used for research on all types of cancers, support programs for cancer victims and families, and advocating for public policies that prevent cancer.

Even though he lost his mother to bladder cancer after beating breast cancer decades ago, and despite that his father has been fighting prostate cancer on and off for years, McCormack is convinced that cancer, like Polio, can be a thing of the past.

“Everyone has a cancer story,” says McCormack. “It’s way too common and I think it almost feels like it’s always going to be here. We have to think of cancer as something we can eliminate in our lifetime.”

Cancer is the leading cause of premature death in Canada. In its many forms, it will kill over 70,000 Canadians this year.

“My mom was of that generation that didn’t talk about things openly," said McCormack. "We have to be that generation that fights it together. This is personal; not just for me – for everybody.”

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