Look To The Stars News: Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez Trick Or Treats For UNICEF Again

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

As the youngest UNICEF ambassador in history, Disney star Selena Gomez raised $700,000 for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF last year. She is returning a second year as spokesperson for the campaign, hoping to bring in $1 million.

“Trick-or-Treat for [”UNICEF":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/1-unicef] invites children and adults alike to make Halloween count by joining UNICEF to do whatever it takes to help save children’s lives," said Gomez.

In an effort to raise more funds, Gomez – who recently released her first album “Kiss and Tell” – will be donating four VIP tickets to one of her upcoming concerts to the highest bidder through a Charity Buzz auction. Along with VIP tickets, the highest bidder will have backstage meet and greet access, and receive an autographed CD. The auction begins October 21 and will run through November 11.

Three fans and supporters of Selena Gomez also the opportunity to receive a personal phone call, an autographed photo and an official UNICEF certificate of appreciation. Join the Selena & Friends Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF page – www.unicefusa.org/teamselena — and the top three donators will win.

Gomez is hosting a live web cast on October 29 to talk to fans and supporters about Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and answer any questions viewers may have. It is scheduled to last for at least an hour. Visit www.facebook.com/Selena for more details.

Selena Gomez Wants To Raise $1 Million For UNICEF

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Ashley Parker

In early September, Disney Channel Star Selena Gomez spent several days in Ghana, West Africa. As the youngest UNICEF ambassador in history, Gomez witnessed the conditions so many children live with every day, ranging from unclean water to preventable diseases.

“Every day 25,000 children die from preventable causes,” said Gomez. “I stand with UNICEF in the belief that we can change that number from 25,000 to zero.” Ghana is ranked 30 out of 195 countries with the highest mortality rates of children under the age of 5.

Gomez appreciates the role she is able to play in influencing the lives of those who look up to her. She hopes to raise $1 million for the foundation by the end of this year – increasing last year’s earnings by $400,000. She appears to be fulfilling the hopes UNICEF had in making her an ambassador, which were to “use her voice, recognition and commitment to children’s issues to fundraise, educate and advocate on behalf of UNICEF.”

Selena Gomez updated her fans several times via Twitter while in Ghana. “I’m having such a wonderful time helping and learning from this culture and life! I’m so honored to be a part of UNICEF! I can’t wait to help out more. It was truly a life-changing adventure!” She had the opportunity to visit children in Tamale and learn about how UNICEF is helping them. Gomez was able to spend time with children, teens and families in a number of tribes. To show their gratitude, women in one of those tribes presented her with a handmade outfit, which she immediately put on.

Before leaving, she took to her Twitter again. “Goodbye Africa. Thank you for allowing me to learn from you. Hope to see you again.”

Selena Gomez: UNICEF Ambassador

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Catrina K. Sally

Disney star Selena Gomez is now the United Nations Children Fund’s newest and youngest member.

Every day, 25,000 children die from preventable causes. Gomez is committed to permanently eradicating this disturbing statistic. Her first field mission included a trip to Ghana where she witnessed firsthand the plight of needy children.

Gomez joins a long list of UNICEF supporting celebrities committed to assisting the world’s vulnerable children. The Wizards of Waverly Place starlet posted her Ghana trip pictures on her Twitter page and remarked, “I’m having such a wonderful time helping and learning about this culture and life!” Selena’s dedication will, without a doubt, inspire other young people to join UNICEF’s cause and unite for children.

Stars Support First Book Campaign

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Following last year’s successful What Book Got You Hooked campaign, literacy charity First Book is once again joining with the stars to raise awareness.

What Book Got You Hooked is an initiative of First Book, a charity whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The online campaign highlights the importance of books in the lives of children – especially for those in need.

From now through September 30, visitors to the First Book website are asked to share their memory of the first book that made reading fun, then help get more children hooked by voting for the state to receive a special donation of 50,000 new books for children in need. Visitors are also invited to make a $10 donation, to help provide four brand new books for a child in need.

Many celebrities have already shown their support for the campaign, with Morgan Freeman, Ed Asner, Selena Gomez, Marlee Matlin, Joan Allen, John Krasinski, Neil Patrick Harris, Patti LaBelle, David Duchovny and many more sharing thoughts about their favorite childhood books.

To find out more about the campaign, click here.

Pipeline To A Cure A Huge Success

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Honorary co-chairs and surf legends Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama welcomed guests to the 2nd Annual PacSun Pipeline to a Cure event benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on Saturday night, July 18. The evening brought together the surf world to support the direct positive effect surfing has on those afflicted with cystic fibrosis and raised nearly $300,000 for research and patient care in the process. The Pipeline to a Cure campaign was initiated after research showed that young cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who surf had healthier lungs.

The event featured a special headline performance from Shiny Toy Guns which included their popular songs Ghost Town, Le Disko and We Are The One. During the 14-song set lead singer Chad Petree even brought up his close friend and publisher Tim James (along with friends Steve McClintock and Chuck Martin) for a jam session of “The Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors. The night also featured a performance from former American Idol Season 8 contestant Kai Kalama alongside his brother Ryan Kalama as part of the band Off White. Chris Cote, Editor-in-Chief of TransWorldSURF, served as emcee for the evening which included a live auction with radio personality Shawn Parr of Go Country 105. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation honored Mike Sullivan of LAcarGUY as their 2009 PacSun Pipeline to a Cure honoree. For the second year in a row, Mike Sullivan generously donated a new Toyota Prius to the opportunity drawing. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ambassador Emily Haager was the evening’s star guest as she received warm wishes from the night’s biggest guests and gave a moving speech about her battle with CF during the program.

During the silent auction PacSun Pipeline to a Cure auctioned off items including celebrity autographed Havaianas flip flops. Jack Johnson’s signed and designed Havaiansas raised the most money out of signatures from Zac Efron, Eva Longoria, Katherine Hiegl, Selena Gomez, Chris Pine, Kate Bosworth, Dakota Fanning, Hayden Panettiere, Jewel, The Cast of 90210, Alexis Bledel, Brian Grazer, Tony Hawk, Gabrielle Reece, Laird Hamilton and more.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leading organization devoted to curing and controlling cystic fibrosis. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation funds CF research, has 73 chapter and branch offices throughout the country, and accredits a nationwide network of 115 CF care centers, which provide vital treatments and other CF resources to patients and families. To advance the search for a cure, CFF has invested nearly $300 million in promising scientific research in the biotechnology industry since 1998. As a result, the Foundation has more than 30 potential therapies in its drug discovery and development pipeline. Virtually every approved CF drug available today was made possible because of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation support. For more information, visit www.cff.org.

The Surf Is Up For Cystic Fibrosis

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Pro surfers Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama will lead a group of celebrities and surfers – including Andy Irons – at the 2nd Annual PacSun Pipeline To A Cure event benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation this Saturday, July 18, at Huntington Beach, California.

The evening will bring together the surf world to support the direct positive effect surfing has on those afflicted with cystic fibrosis. The event will feature a special headline performance from Shiny Toy Guns, along with former American Idol Season 8 contestant Kai Kalama. Chris Cote, Editor-in-Chief of TransWorldSURF, will emcee the evening which includes a live auction with radio personality Shawn Parr. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has chosen Mike Sullivan of LAcarGUY as their 2009 PacSun Pipeline to a Cure honoree.

During the silent auction, PacSun Pipeline To A Cure will auction off items including celebrity autographed Havaianas flip flops from Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Chris Pine, Eva Longoria, Kate Bosworth, Selena Gomez, Hayden Panettiere and more. Shaun White has donated an autographed snowboard in addition to other celebrity items from Kelly Slater, Shia LeBeouf, Ryan Sheckler and more. For the second year in a row, Mike Sullivan has generously donated a new Toyota Prius to the opportunity drawing.

The PacSun Pipeline to a Cure campaign is raising funds and increasing global awareness of the unique bond between the sport of surfing and those with cystic fibrosis. The campaign was initiated after research showed that young cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who surf had healthier lungs.

To find out more about the event, visit the official website here.

Celebrities Raise Hope For Congo

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Linda St Cyr

Selena Gomez, star of Disney Channels Wizards of Waverly Place, is busy with many other stars in the hope of raising awareness for the Congo. They are doing so through charity events and fundraising efforts for RAISE Hope For Congo.

RAISE Hope For Congo is hoping to raise awareness about the violence perpetuated against Congolese women, increase news coverage and protect and empower women in the Congo.

Selena Gomez is just one of the many stars becoming an activist for RAISE Hope. Robin Wright Penn is another activist for RAISE Hope. Her moving letter is printed on RAISE’s website and details why she involved herself in the campaign to end the violence against Congolese women and girls. Other stars who have become activists include Mia Farrow, Emile Hirsch, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Javier Bardem, Joel Madden and many more.

RAISE Hope For Congo wants to raise awareness but would also like to wipe out sexual violence, torture and other atrocities by using the 4P method; Peace, Protection, Punishment and Prevention. This is the four ingredients needed to stop the massive violence happening in the Domestic Republic of the Congo.

The motto of RAISE Hope For Congo – which is an initiative of the ENOUGH Project – is “Enough is Enough! Congo is not hopeless. There are solutions. Together, we can stop the violence. Where there is hope there can be peace.”

Disney Launches Friends For Change

Wed, 20 May 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers have helped Disney launch an exciting new environmental campaign.

Friends For Change:Project Green is a multiplatform environmental initiative that will help kids help the planet. Disney stars Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato are among the 29 young stars participating in outreach messages to debut on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Radio Disney and Disney.com. The Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green initiative invites young people to join together to help the environment across four key areas: climate, water, waste and habitats. Kids will learn practical ways to preserve the planet, track their collective impact and have the opportunity to vote on how $1 million in donations from Disney will be divided and invested in various environmental causes over the course of a year.

“With Disney’s Friends for Change, we’re empowering kids to tap into the potential that lies within each and every one of them to make a difference,” said Bob Iger, president, The Walt Disney Company.

“Building on our recently announced environmental goals, this program highlights what is possible as we leverage Disney’s reach to educate and inspire environmental stewardship in others.”

Beginning Friday, May 15, Disney Channel and Radio Disney will air the first in a year-long series of on-air messages that will feature Disney Channel stars challenging kids to join them in registering and pledging environmental stewardship by making small changes in their daily actions that can positively impact the world around them.

“We were inspired by the outpouring of enthusiasm from our family of talent to enact real environmental change by connecting with other kids, fans and friends on an entirely new level,” said Rich Ross, president, Disney Channels Worldwide. “Friends for Change is about the power of friendship – when we all work together, anything is possible.”

If 500,000 kids participate in Disney Friends for Change: Project Green events, together they can:

- Prevent approximately 100,000 tons of CO2 per year from polluting the air by adjusting their home thermostats.

- Save 5 million gallons of water in a single day by reducing shower times.

- Prevent 1 million pounds of waste from entering landfills by bringing trash-free lunches for a week.

- Create new habitats for local animals by planting 500,000 trees.

Kids can pledge to join online at Disney.com, where they’ll commit to take simple everyday actions, such as turning off the lights and switching to reusable water bottles, and find out more about why these actions matter. Through the online community, kids will be able to invite friends to join, interact with one another and take pride in the results of their efforts as their collective impact on the planet is tallied and their votes determine the distribution of charitable contributions.

Climate, water, waste and habitat will each be highlighted for three months, culminating in quarterly events where on a designated day, kids will be encouraged to act in unison on a single task such as adjusting home thermostats or reducing water usage. These events will be tracked online and on air as kids report back on their actions. Kids will also help determine how Disney will donate $1 million to environmental organizations over the course of a year to plant trees, preserve the rainforest, help endangered animals and support alternative energy among other causes.

Christina Aguilera Performs At CNN Heroes Event

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pop singer Christina Aguilera joined fellow Grammy Award winners Alicia Keys and John Legend at the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute event that aired on CNN last night.

The event honored the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008, and was taped in front of an audience of 2,500 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

Liz McCartney, dedicated to helping survivors of Hurricane Katrina rebuild their homes, was named 2008 CNN Hero of the Year, and will receive $100,000 to carry on her humanitarian work.

“In this time of economic turmoil, it is such a relief to know that there are people like these heroes, people who care more for others than they do for themselves,” said Anderson Cooper, who hosted the show.

Cameron Diaz, Salma Hayek, John Krasinski, Forest Whitaker, Meg Ryan, Terrence Howard, Lucy Liu, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez were among the stars that attended the event.

Aguilera has also spoken out about the recent Prop 8 decision and leant her support to the same-sex marriage campaign.

“They’re [gay couples] constantly pushing to be heard and given equal rights,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of unfairness that goes along with being gay, so the more I can do to give them a voice, then I’ll do so. But I think we’d be fooling ourselves if we thought that everywhere was accepting of gay rights and marriages. I think it’s unfair there has to be some kind of standard for marriage. Marriage should be about two people celebrating their love for each other. It shouldn’t have anything to do with someone’s sexual preference.”

Get Ready For The Carousel Of Hope This Weekend

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The annual Carousel of Hope Gala will take place this weekend to raise money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Presented by Jay Leno, the gala will take place at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, October 25, and will honor Denzel Washington for his charity work.

This year celebrates 30 years of helping children with diabetes through the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. Held every two years, this is the 18th Carousel of Hope. From its inception in 1978, the Ball has raised over $70 million.

The gala will feature performances from Josh Groban, the Jonas Brothers, Katharine McPhee and many more under the music direction of David Foster. The guest list is expected to be huge, with stars such as Tom Arnold, Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas, Halle Berry, Valerie Bertinelli, Lara Flynn Boyle, Bo Derek, Geena Davis, Daisy Fuentes, Selena Gomez, Kelsey Grammar, Tom Hanks, Taraji P. Henson, Anjelica Huston, Magic Johnson, Dr. Phil McGraw, Holly Robinson-Peete & Rodney Peete, Nicole Richie, Jane Seymour, Nicollette Sheridan, Forest Whitaker and James Woods all expected to attend. Clive Davis, Quincy Jones and Sidney Poitier will take part in Denzel Washington’s presentation.

The evening will feature a silent auction that includes an array of eco-friendly shirts donated by Guess and signed by Jason Bateman, Halle Berry, Robert DeNiro, Clint Eastwood, Will Ferrell, Harrison Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Whitney Houston, Scarlett Johansson, Jason Lee, Jared Leto, Bill Maher, Steve Martin, Jack Nicholson, Ray Romano, Maria Shriver & Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rod Stewart, Usher and many more. There will also be handbags signed by Joan Collins, Courteney Cox, Cindy Crawford, Dakota Fanning, Mariska Hargitay, Fergie, Susan Sarandon, Britney Spears and Racquel Welch, as well as items from Trace Adkins, P. Diddy, Marcia Cross, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Andie MacDowell, Alyssa Milano, Eva Longoria, Dolly Parton, Priscilla Presley, Denise Richards, Joel Madden, Sharon Stone, John Travolta, Carrie Underwood and many more.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit clinical care and research at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes (BDC) where over 5,000 children and young adults receive specialized care.

Stars Hit The Catwalk For St. Judes

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A bevy of stars stepped out on the catwalk on Saturday night for the 5th annual Runway For Life benefit in Beverly Hills.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ross McCall, Hilary Duff, Selena Gomez, Jonny Lee Miller, Daisy Fuentes, Jason Alexander, Nancy O’Dell, Cybill Shepherd, Natasha Henstridge and Jaime Pressley were among the stars to show their fashionable sides in the fundraiser for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and William Shatner was spotted in the audience.

Over 1,000 guests attended the event – held at the Beverly Hilton – which raised well over $1 million for St. Judes. Runway for Life is one of the biggest fundraising events of the hospital’s calendar, and has netted over $6.5 million since it was first staged.

Past events have included appearances by Cindy Crawford, Anna Kournikova, Alison Sweeney and many more.

Selena Gomez Trick-Or-Treats For UNICEF

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Teen sensation Selena Gomez was recently named spokesperson for the 2008 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign.

The campaign – now in its 58th year – encourages American children to make Halloween count by helping other children around the world.

“I am extremely excited to be this year’s Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF spokesperson,” said Gomez. “I want to help encourage other kids to make a difference in the world and show them that Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is such a great, fun way to get involved.”

The campaign has raised over $143 million since it was established in 1950, and this year includes door-to-door collection boxes as well as digital fundraising techniques and a college challenge.

“We are thrilled to have Selena be a part of the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program this year,” said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “Young people can relate to Selena, and she is a great role model who we believe will greatly enhance the visibility of the program.”

More information can be found at the UNICEF USA website.

Teen Power At Charity Gala

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of Hollywood’s most exciting and energetic teenage stars attended the ‘Target Presents Variety’s Power of Youth’ event held at the Nokia Theatre in L.A. on Saturday night.

The event celebrated the activism of the young Hollywood community with an afternoon full of performances and activities for patients and families of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and “produced an opportunity to harness the enthusiasm and activism of the young Hollywood community in a focused effort to encourage their peers and audiences to get involved in philanthropic and humanitarian causes.” Making an appearance at the gathering were the Jonas Brothers, Hilary Duff, Miranda Cosgrove, Miley Ray Cyrus, Dakota Fanning, Selena Gomez, Angus T. Jones, Demi Lovato, Corbin Bleu, Elle Fanning, Eliza Dushku, Olivia Thirlby, Ashley Tisdale and Emma Roberts.

“Target Presents Variety’s Power of Youth campaign is a powerful one; one that harnesses the energy of more than 150 young performers who are in a position to influence their peers and fans,” said Brian Gott, associate publisher of Variety. “With the support of Target and our other sponsors, the Power of Youth effort has the opportunity to generate millions of dollars to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and create a bedrock of social awareness within the next generation of entertainment.”

As part of the celebration, a public online auction is running to raise funds for St. Jude, the nation’s leading children’s cancer research and treatment hospital, and the only one that covers all of the costs for medicine, treatment, food, travel and lodging. It features items and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as a guitar signed by the Jonas Brothers, the chance to interview Coldplay, a walk-on role on Weeds, and many more awesome lots.

The auction runs until October 23 and can be accessed through eBay.

Look To The Stars News: Selena Gomez

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