Look To The Stars News: Lucy Liu

Pete Wentz Named UNICEF Tap Project Ambassador

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0000

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF today announced that musician/entrepreneur and social philanthropist, Pete Wentz will be the national spokesperson for the 2010 UNICEF Tap Project.

Now in its fourth year, the UNICEF Tap Project is a grassroots initiative that will take place during World Water Week 2010 (March 21-27) and invites individuals to donate $1 or more for tap water at participating restaurants to provide clean water to children around the world.

Best known as the bassist for the immensely popular rock band, Fall Out Boy, Wentz has been regularly active—both at home and abroad—in supporting social causes which impact the well-being of children.

“It’s truly an honor to be the national spokesperson for the Tap Project and support efforts to provide clean water to children in the developing world,” said Wentz. “Water is something that we as Americans often take for granted but the reality is, the lack of clean and accessible drinking water kills 4,100 children under the age of five every day and as a new father I have become highly attuned to the needs of children everywhere. Unfortunately, it’s usually when emergencies like Haiti occur, that the importance of clean water really becomes apparent to the rest of us.”

In its four years of existence, the UNICEF Tap Project has become a uniquely hip, award-winning national campaign which has attracted a wide swath of volunteers and celebrity supporters. With a dynamic presence in social media and vibrant advertising creative as a mainstay, the Tap Project has been particularly popular among the college-aged demographic and the young urban professional set.

As national spokesperson for the UNICEF Tap Project, Wentz will be the face and voice of the campaign offering the Tap Project to individuals and restaurants across the nation as a simple and effective way to make a difference in a child’s life. Wentz will not only lend his name and likeness to support the initiative, but will also be available for national media opportunities which allow him to raise awareness of the global water crisis and its impact on children.

Since its inception in 2007, the UNICEF Tap Project has raised nearly $1.5 million in the U.S. and has helped to provide clean water to millions of children around the world. Countries slated to receive 2010 funding include: Central African Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Togo and Vietnam.

In 2009 alone, more than 1,500 restaurants from 40 states and more than 3100 volunteers participated in the national campaign, making it the largest volunteer mobilization effort for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Giorgio Armani's men’s fragrance, ACQUA DI GIO FOR MEN, is the 2010 National Supporter of the UNICEF Tap Project.

“Whether it’s supporting the psychosocial needs of children affected by conflict in Uganda, or helping organize American youth to lobby Congress on social justice issues, Pete has been a true and dedicated friend to the world’s children,” said Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “We feel strongly that Pete is the right fit for Tap and we’re thrilled he has agreed to join us in our larger mission to reduce the number of preventable childhood deaths from 24,000 daily to zero.”

This year’s initiative will rely heavily on volunteers expanding their efforts beyond restaurant recruitment to include other grassroots activities like community water walks, dinner parties, fundraisers, concerts and more.

Previous national spokespeople for the Tap Project have included, UNICEF ambassadors: Sarah Jessica Parker (2007), Lucy Liu (2008) and Joel and Benji Madden (2009).

Nearly 900 million people do not have access to clean water and nearly half of those people are children. Young children are the first to get sick and die from waterborne and sanitation-related illnesses including diarrheal diseases and malaria.

UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities, and to promote safe hygiene practices. Over the past 15 years, more than a billion people gained access to improved drinking water and sanitation facilities thanks to UNICEF’s efforts. Every day, 24,000 children die of preventable causes, and UNICEF is committed to doing whatever it takes to make that number zero. With $1, UNICEF can provide one child access to safe, clean water for 40 days.

For more information or to register as a volunteer, visit www.tapproject.org

Celebrity Designs On Offer In Qatar

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:30:00 -0000

This Friday and Saturday, February 26-27, the Doha Marriott Hotel in Qatar is hosting a Whatever It Takes Shop and Draw for hope event in the main lobby featuring items from your favorite stars.

All of the unique merchandise for sale at this event features original artwork donated to Whatever It Takes — products include watches with artwork by Pierce Brosnan, John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson; t-shirts with the artwork of musicians Amy Winehouse, Barry Manilow, Suggs and Joss Stone; and a variety of totes and wallets with the artwork of Kanye West, Lucy Liu and David Bowie; the prices start at just 50QR (US$13).

After a pass through, shoppers are encouraged to enjoy the Doha Marriott’s lavish weekend brunch that offers an array of cuisines featuring stations from the restaurants Asia Live!, Corniche, All’ Aperto, Taj Rasoi, Salsa and special treat, cakes featuring Whatever It Takes Celebrity Symbols of Hope. In addition to shopping and dining, kids are invited to draw their own Symbols of Hope for the 21st Century or be entertained in the Doha Marriott’s kids club.

Established in 2003, 21st Century Leaders Foundation’s mission is to assist and encourage a generation of influencers to raise awareness and funds for international development causes, thereby leading the way in promoting positive environmental and sustainable human development solutions. The first step of becoming a 21st Century Leader requires each celebrity to create a custom artwork with a message of hope and self-portrait. This original artwork is then developed into eco-friendly and ethically traded lifestyle products such as t-shirts, mugs, iPod covers, watches, alarm clocks, tote bags and other fashion items.

Whatever It Takes products are sold at retail outlets throughout Europe, North America and Australia and their sale has raised over 11 million Qatari Riyals (3,000,000 USD) since its launch five years ago; the money is used to support more than 50 charities including those nominated by the celebrity leaders.

However, this unique sale completely staffed by volunteers, will send all its proceeds to Twilight Children in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa. Twilight Children, established in 1983, provides support to boys aged 8–18 years who are living on the streets and other public places without adequate or apparent adult or family support. The counselors at Twilight determine the boy’s family circumstances and to encourage him to return to the care of family or guardian. In cases where boys are unable or unwilling to return home Twilight cares for boys’ physical, emotional, educational, health and developmental needs while giving him refuge from the streets in their shelter. For the older boys, Twilight Children provides vocational counseling and guidance as well as suitable training in basic life skills as well as assistance in finding secure employment and assistance in setting them up in alternative accommodation where they can become independent, productive citizens, in the community.

In addition to the services for the boys, Twilight Children runs a nutritional outreach program serving life-sustaining meals five days a week to 150-200 homeless members of the Hillbrow community each day. Recently, Twilight created an in house bakery to: teach the older boys a new skill; eliminate the monthly cost of purchasing bread for the center (approximately 3000 USD/month); and create an additional income generating channel for the center by selling the loaves and sweets to community stores. This sale will help develop the bakery program.

For more details on the sale or Twilight children visit the Official Whatever It Takes Facebook Page.

George Clooney Presents Jerry Weintraub Humanitarian Award

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

On December 10, the UNICEF Ball brought together Hollywood’s biggest stars for a fundraising gala to honor those individuals who have made key contributions to UNICEF’s mission to save and improve children’s lives worldwide. The evening raised more money for the organization than any UNICEF Ball to date.

Producer and long-time philanthropist Jerry Weintraub was honored as Man of the Year with UNICEF’s Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award. The special black-tie evening took place at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, in Beverly Hills, CA.

“We are honored to present Jerry as an exceptional individual who has demonstrated visionary and transformative leadership on behalf of children worldwide with the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award.” said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “His philanthropic commitment to UNICEF’s mission to reach a day when zero children die from preventable causes, is truly inspirational.”

The UNICEF Ball was co-chaired by Bryan Lourd, Ghada Irani and Tamar & Bob Manoukian. The evening included performances by Paul Anka, Tony Bennett, Jane Morgan-Weintraub and Franki Valli & The Four Seasons. Paul Anka added his own special touch to the night by changing the lyrics to his popular song “My Way” to reflect the guest of honor. George Clooney, Bruce Willis and Bryan Lourd were among those who spoke about Jerry Weintraub as a friend and colleague. Guests were also treated to special surprise appearance by Mr. Weintraub’s long-time friend Muhammad Ali.

During dinner, George Clooney presented the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award to Jerry Weintraub, Special Advisor to UNICEF USA. Weintraub’s more than 40 year career in entertainment has spanned all genres of music, film, Broadway Theatre, concerts and television. A celebrated producer and entertainment mogul, Weintraub has produced numerous blockbuster hits such as the Ocean’s 11 series and he has founded several successful production companies including Jerry Weintraub Productions. Committed to helping others in need, Weintraub’s philanthropic endeavors are just as great as his professional career. Most recently, Not On Our Watch, co-founded by Weintraub, has supported UNICEF’s at-risk Zimbabwean refugee children living on the South Africa-Zimbabwe border.

“Every day 24,000 children die from preventable causes. I believe that number should be zero,” said Jerry Weintraub, Producer and Recipient of UNICEF’s Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award. “UNICEF has saved more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world and I am committed to supporting their efforts to provide children worldwide the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood.”

In spirit of the evening, Jerry Weintraub, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle donated $250,000 on behalf of Not on Our Watch in support of UNICEF’s mission to reduce the number of preventable deaths of children from 24,000 to zero.

Guests of the UNICEF Ball included Ellen Barkin, George Clooney, Cindy Crawford & Rande Gerber, Luciana & Matt Damon, Larry David, Selena Gomez, Elliot Gould, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt, Anthony Kiedes, Benji Madden, Joel Madden, Rebecca Mader, Alyssa Milano, Jeremy Piven, Sumner Redstone, Bruce Willis and more.

Dinner hosts included Shelli and Irving Azoff, Peggy and Jeff Bewkes, George Clooney, Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly, Luciana and Matt Damon, Brynne and Dan Fellman, David Geffen, Harvey S. Gettleson, Brad Grey, Cindy and Alan Horn, Lucy Liu, Michael Meldman, Wendy and Barry Meyer, Kelly and Ron Meyer, Lori and Michael Milken, Julie and Leslie Moonves, Robin and Gerald Parsky, Brad Pitt, Nicole and Jeff Robinov, Ande and Bruce Rosenblum, Steve Roth, Ellen and Richard Sandler, Jane and Terry Semel, Steven Spielberg, Emma and Bruce Willis, Ellen and Ken Ziffren and Jane Morgan Weintraub.

Lucy Liu And Rebecca Mader To Light UNICEF Snowflakes

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

UNICEF will light up both New York and Beverly Hills this weekend with the help of some celebrity friends.

Lucy Liu will light the UNICEF Snowflake at a special ceremony on Thursday, November 19, in front of the Louis Vuitton Fifth Avenue store in New York, followed by a similar event at the intersection of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills featuring Rebecca Mader on Saturday, November 21.

“The UNICEF Snowflake is a special symbol for the world’s most vulnerable children,” said Caryl Stern, President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “Every day 24,000 children die of preventable causes. These iconic snowflakes—at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York and on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills—hang as a reminder of UNICEF’s commitment to reach a day when zero children die from preventable causes.”

Mader will flip the switch to illuminate the brilliant UNICEF Snowflake on Rodeo Drive that will soar over the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel. The Beverly Hills Snowflake contains 12,000 crystals, is 17 feet wide and over 14 feet tall, weighs 1,600 pounds and is illuminated by 125 steady-burning and 300 high-powered flashing LED lights. The evening will conclude with a spectacular fireworks display across the sky above the hotel, which is home to the west coast UNICEF Snowflake.

“The UNICEF Snowflake is the centerpiece of an ambitious program to raise funds for UNICEF’s programs providing immunization, education, health care, nutrition, clean water and sanitation for children in need,” said actress and UNICEF supporter Rebecca Mader. “I am honored to participate in the Beverly Hills lighting ceremony by illuminating the UNICEF Snowflake and helping spread its message of hope, peace and compassion for children worldwide.”

In New York, Lucy Liu is also excited about the event.

“As a native New Yorker I always look forward to seeing the UNICEF Snowflake light up Fifth Avenue,” said actress and UNICEF Ambassador Lucy Liu. “It reminds me that every day, there are 24,000 children worldwide dying from preventable causes. I am especially proud to support UNICEF and their commitment to change that number to zero.”

Appointed a UNICEF Ambassador in 2004, Liu has used her influence as a force for the survival, protection and development of children worldwide. She has traveled to Lesotho, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire and Peru to witness UNICEF’s lifesaving work and to advocate on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable children.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Snowflake. Donated by the Stonbely Family Foundation in 2002, the UNICEF Snowflake has become an iconic fixture in New York City during the holiday season, hanging high above the intersection of 5th Avenue and 57th Street. It was handcrafted by German lighting designer Ingo Maurer and is adorned with 16,000 Baccarat crystal prisms. At 23 feet in diameter, over 28 feet in height and weighing 3,300 pounds, the UNICEF Snowflake is the largest outdoor chandelier of its kind. The UNICEF Snowflake ceremony is open to the public and will be illuminated for the entire holiday season.

The evening’s celebration, which will be telecast live to the Spectacolor CNN billboard in Times Square, will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a festive recital by Broadway Kids Care, a group of children from current and past Broadway shows who come together to participate in a variety of charitable works. Following their performance, Lucy Liu, Caryl Stern and Daniel Lalonde, President and CEO of Louis Vuitton North America, will take the stage and flip the switch to illuminate the UNICEF Snowflake. Immediately following the ceremony Louis Vuitton, proud sponsor of the UNICEF Snowflake lighting this year, will host a reception to celebrate the lighting in their flagship store on 5th Avenue.

“We are honored to have Lucy light the UNICEF Snowflake and kick off the giving season in New York City,” said Caryl Stern, President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “She is a great friend to UNICEF and a dedicated supporter of our mission to reach a day when zero children die from preventable causes.”

In Beverly Hills, festivities will begin at 3:00 PM with the official lighting at 7:00 PM. Visitors to this famed dream drive will enjoy free entertainment – from balloon artists to jugglers, caricature artists to musicians. The streets are ripe with photo opportunities as well, with striking new holiday decor, lights and banners throughout the Golden Triangle and complimentary pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Charitable Celebrities To Receive 21st Century Leaders Awards

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Celebrities will be out in abundance in Doha, Qatar, next week for the Whatever It Takes Experience presented by 21st Century Leaders and Whatever It Takes.

As well as a private art experience and gala dinner, several stars will be honored with 21st Century Leaders Awards at this massive charity event.

The Doha 21st Century Leaders’ Awards are granted to individuals who, whilst being leaders in their own fields, have also made a serious commitment and significant impact on their chosen cause.

The award is given to individuals who have used their influence to raise awareness, their celebrated status to raise funds, and the respect and notoriety which they have gained from successes in their chosen profession, to make positive policy changes to progress either environmental or humanitarian concerns.

Friday, October 30, will see Sir Ben Kingsley CBE, Venus and Serena Williams, Josh Hartnett, Danny Boyle and Christian Colson honored for their outstanding charity and humanitarian work. A surprise guest will open the event, and an art exhibition will also take place featuring original artworks by George Clooney, Stella McCartney, Sir Roger Moore KBE, Sir Michael Caine CBE, and Lady Shakira Caine, Sir Ian McKellen, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Laurence Fishburne, John Travolta, Pierce Brosnan OBE, Morgan Freeman, Charlize Theron, Minnie Driver, Lucy Liu, Susan Sarandon, Courteney Cox & David Arquette, Whoopi Goldberg, Penelope Cruz, Benicio del Toro, Joseph Fiennes, Anjelica Huston, Christian Slater, Harvey Keitel, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Gillian Anderson, Hilary Duff, Adrien Brody, Mickey Rourke, Robin Wright Penn, Patrick Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Stephanie Powers, Toni Collette, Daniel Craig and many more.

An active supporter and patron of charities such as the Prince's Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust and First Star, English actor Sir Ben Kingsley CBE is very much devoted to helping disadvantaged young people and children. In 2008, Kingsley was awarded the “Cinema for Peace Honorary Award”, for the portrayal of the humanitarian role-models Simon Wiesenthal, Itzhak Stern and Gandhi.

In April 2009, following the success of Slumdog Millionaire, filmmakers Danny Boyle and Christian Colson announced a commitment of £500,000 to Plan, an international children’s development organization. The money will be spent on a five-year program focusing on education and sanitation, designed to improve the lives of children in Mumbai’s slum communities. In consultation with Plan, the filmmakers have also founded the Jai Ho Trust, an independent trust which aims to ensure that Rubina Ali (who played the youngest Latika in the film) and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (youngest Salim) receive an education, housing and social support. The trust will also hold a sum of money for the two children until they reach adulthood.

American actor and film producer Josh Hartnett supports a number of worthy causes and has backed Global Cool, a charity focused on climate change since its inception. Launching with a reception at No.10 Downing Street in London in 2007, Josh Hartnett met with former Prime Minister Tony Blair on behalf of the group and has since taken the message of greenhouse gas reduction far and wide, to let people know that they really can make a difference to the environmental health of our planet.

Professional women’s tennis players whom have won a combined 12 Grand Slam titles. The Williams sisters have demonstrated an immense amount of charitable work off the court. The “Williams Sister’s Tour” set out to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities which provides housing for families of seriously ill children. In addition, Serena started The Serena Williams Foundation which focuses on education, and helping underprivileged children in Africa who cannot afford to go to school or college to do so.

WhateverItTakes.org is a unique charity artwork project which inspires hope by gathering artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. The artworks are used to ethically produce Whatever It Takes products which are then sold to raise funds for charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader. 21st Century Leaders Foundation’s mission is to assist and encourage a generation of influencers – royalty, Nobel peace prize laureates and well-known leaders in the fields of film, music, fashion, art and literature – to raise awareness and funds for international development causes, thereby leading the way in promoting positive environmental sustainable development. 21st Century Leaders was founded in May 2003 when Charlotte di Vita was made a Goodwill Ambassador to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. 21st Century Leaders was also the 10th Anniversary celebration of Trade plus Aid, the foundation for which Charlotte had received an MBE from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

To find out more about this event – to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Doha on October 30/31 – click here.

Lucy Liu Speaks Against Child Trafficking

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0000

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lucy Liu gave an impassioned speech at a symposium organized by the US Agency for International earlier this week to raise awareness about the estimated 1.2 million children who are trafficked worldwide every year.

The fight against child trafficking is a cause Liu has been passionate about since her appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2004. She recently produced a documentary film, ‘Red Light’, which focuses on the issue of trafficking in Cambodia.

“With no options and not enough protection,” she said, “the world’s poorest children are being recruited more and more into a gruesome array of practices that include trafficking for sex, soldiering, begging, scavenging, working in factories and on farms, and domestic servitude.”

Other speakers at the trafficking symposium included USAID Acting Administrator Alonzo Fulgham, Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Luis CdeBaca and Carlson Companies CEO Marilyn Carlson Nelson.

UNICEF’s efforts to protect children from trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse focus on creating a ‘protective environment’ for them. In such an environment, people at all levels of society work to enforce protective laws. They also educate children, educators and social service providers about how to prevent and respond to abuse, and challenge discrimination.

“I truly believe there is hope,” said Liu. “I believe this because of devoted workers and individuals around the world in organizations like UNICEF and USAID.”

David Carradine's Food 4 Africa Legacy

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Linda St Cyr

David Carradine, star of the television show Kung Fu and a plethora of films, passed away on June 3rd, 2009, aged 72 years old.

A funeral service took place on Saturday June 13 for the beloved late celebrity. Many other stars came out to show their respect for a man who made a name for himself doling out words of wisdom as Kwai Chang Caine on the television series Kung Fu. Among the celebrities in attendance were Jane Seymour, Rob Schneider, Lucy Liu, Tom Selleck, Daryl Hannah and many others.

The sky was gloomy as the white hearse which carried David Carradine’s body delivered the actor to his final resting place.

Carradine was known for his work on television, in movies and also for his support in all aspects of art and entertainment. He was a friend and patron to Food 4 Africa, a charity organization that seeks to give children one vitamin and mineral enriched meal a day while also teaching their caregivers about the importance of nutrition. Donations to the charity can be made here.

The circumstances surrounding his death are still being investigated.

Mr. Carradine will be missed by many because he was a star off stage as well as on. We here at Look to the Stars send the family of David Carradine our deepest sympathies and condolences during their time of bereavement.

Celebrities Do Whatever It Takes For Charity

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A huge selection of celebrity-designed bags and T-shirts are currently available at the UK’s premiere celebrity charity auction website, Buy Once Give Twice.

The auction site is hosting the auction for Whatever It Takes, a unique charity artwork project which inspires hope by gathering artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. The artworks are used to ethically produce Whatever It Takes products which are then sold to raise funds for charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader.

Going under the hammer in the auction are T-shirts featuring designs by The Killers, Pink, Snoop Dogg, Nicole Kidman, Hilary Duff, Lucy Liu, Toni Collette, Coldplay, Minnie Driver, Keane, Whoopi Goldberg, Green Day, Barry Manilow, Penelope Cruz, Melanie C, Annie Lennox, and the Kaiser Chiefs. There are also bags and purses designed by Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Lucy Liu, Kanye West, Slash, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, and Stella McCartney.

Charities supported by Whatever It Takes include: Adopt-A-Minefield, Anti-Slavery International, Breast Cancer Campaign, CARE, Children of the Andes, Children's Medical Research Institute, Christian Children’s Fund, City at Peace, Comic Relief, Dreams Can Be Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Greenpeace, Healthlink Worldwide, Heifer International, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, Red Cross, LIFEbeat, LifeLine & Rape Crisis PMB, Opportunity International, Oxfam, ROTA, Rights and Humanity, S.A.F.E., Save the Children, Sharon Osborne Colon Cancer Program, Snoop Youth Football League, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Teenage Cancer Trust, The BRIT Trust, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, Little Dreams Foundation, Lotus Outreach, Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, Toothfairy Foundation, Trade plus Aid, UNHCR, UNICEF, and WaterAid.

To make a bid in the auction, which runs until June 30, click here.

Madonna And Friends Launch Handbag Auction For Earthquake Relief

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of celebrities have donated handbags to an auction to raise money for victims of April’s devastating earthquake in Italy.

Madonna, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Hilary Swank, Eva Longoria, Dita von Teese, Lucy Liu, Marisa Tomei and Lily Tomlin have autographed and donated a selection of Salvatore Ferragamo handbags to the auction. 100% of the proceeds from the online auction will be donated to GlobalGiving’s Italy Earthquake Recovery and Relief Fund.

On April 6, 2009, the deadliest Italian earthquake in over 15 years struck the Abruzzo mountain region of Italy, with the town of L’Aquila at its epicenter. The toll was grim with nearly 300 people killed, more than 1,000 injured, and as many as 65,000 residents displaced. Many of those who lost their homes are still living in tent cities.

Madonna also reportedly donated money to victims following a plea for help from the mayor of a small hamlet called Pacentro. Madonna’s grandparents lived in the village until 1919.

To take part in the auction – which runs until June 12 – click here.

BBC Interviews LookToTheStars.org Founder

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:45:00 -0000

LookToTheStars.org founder Myrlia Purcell was invited by the BBC’s World Today show to take part in a radio interview on the subject of celebrity philanthropy.

Myrlia explains what the site is trying to accomplish, and responds to the suggestion that celebrities undertake charity work mainly for publicity.

The segment includes soundbites from George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Mia Farrow, and other celebrities mentioned include Paris Hilton, Forest Whitaker, John Hurt, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Lucy Liu, and Run DMC frontman Darryl McDaniels and his Felix Organization.

Audio: BBC World Today interview (approx. 4 mins).

Hollywood Beauties Give Signatures For Good

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Friday, February 20, saw a flock of Hollywood beauties turn out at the Montblanc Signature for Good event in Los Angeles.

The highlight of the evening was the unveiling of 12 unique portraits featuring twelve world-famous Hollywood actresses. Each actress is part of a new campaign and is featured in posters for UNICEF's childhood reading project on behalf of MontBlanc, the jewelry and pen manufacturer that is an important international partner of the organization.

Present at the event were Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria, Sienna Miller, Lucy Liu, Emily Blunt, Susan Sarandon, Marcia Cross, Andie MacDowell, Hilary Swank and many others.

Information about Montblanc and its partnership with UNICEF in the Signature For Good program can be found here.

“We Have to Do This:” Stars Urge Answer To Obama’s Call To Service

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Isra Shah

Actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore have recorded a star-studded “Presidential Pledge” in collaboration with MySpace and Katalyst Films to encourage Americans to get involved in community service via USAService.org. The move is part of an effort to answer President Barack Obama's call to begin the “work of remaking America.”

During his inauguration speech on January 20th, President Obama asserted that despite all that “government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.”

“The price and promise of citizenship,” according to Obama, is that “we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world.”

It was this call to duty that inspired Kutcher and Moore to record the commercial. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kutcher explained that, “The truth is it’s going to take millions, hundreds of millions, of people for that [change in the world] to happen.”

“It’s going to be because of what all of us do. He’s the catalyst. It’s his inspiring message that asks us to be of service to each other. "

“Someone came into our office and had the idea of doing pledges for Obama, and instantly it was like, ‘We have to do this’,” he said.

The commercial, aired online and viewable here, features celebrities sharing their personal commitments to service. The pledges range from simple tasks (“I pledge to turn the lights off”) to grand endeavors (“I pledge to find a cure for Alzheimer’s”). Participants included famous faces such as George Lopez, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jason Bateman, Dakota Fanning, Nicole Richie, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Kevin Connolly, Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, and Molly Sims, amongst others.

In a statement, Kutcher emphasized the interactive nature of the PSA announcement, saying, “We are honored to be working with MySpace to rally the entertainment industry to answer President-elect Barack Obama’s call to service. The ‘Presidential Pledge’ is a platform for people across the nation and throughout the world to make a first-person commitment of service to our new president, articulating a specific intent or action to become an agent of positive change.”

Read the full text of President Obama’s Inaugural Address here.

To record and post your own ‘Presidential Pledge,’ visit the MySpace site .

Celebrities Blog In The New Year For UNICEF

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

For the final 12 days of 2008, UNICEF's celebrity ambassadors and supporters have been blogging on their site about the impact UNICEF Inspired Gifts are having on children around the world.

“Thanks to lifesaving vaccines, measles is mostly history in our country,” wrote Al Roker. "But in working with UNICEF, I was shocked to learn that this terrible disease still affects hundreds of thousands of children every year. In fact, it steals the future of 540 children around the world every day.

“Not one child should die needlessly, and UNICEF is giving us a chance to help those remaining few whose lives could be saved with simple vaccines. For just $26.30, you can give the gift of health to children in need, providing 100 doses of anti-measles vaccination. This year, let’s celebrate the New Year together by resolving to make measles a thing of the past.”

UNICEF Ambassador Lucy Liu, who was recently honored with the prestigious Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award in recognition of her tireless work on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable children, also took part.

“Of the 25,000 children who die every day from preventable causes, many of those children lack the most basic nourishment needed to survive,” she wrote. "On my recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, I witnessed firsthand how something so simple could save so many lives.

“High-energy/protein biscuits (a kind of nutritious “cookies”) were specially developed to help children in emergency situations and are crucial to their survival. For only $40.26 you can purchase two cartons of biscuits, full of the vitamins and micronutrients needed to improve children’s health and prevent them from developing severe malnutrition, which can be deadly."

Tea Leoni – a board member of the US Fund for Unicef – had this to say: "A mother will always do whatever it takes to protect her child from danger. And no mother would intentionally put her child in harms way. Yet every minute of every day, somewhere in the world, a child dies of AIDS-related causes and another child becomes infected with HIV—usually contracted during pregnancy, labor or delivery.

“Your gift of $100.00 will provide 100 HIV/AIDS tests so expecting mothers can be sure they are doing whatever it takes to save their child.”

Other stars to blog on the UNICEF site include Benji Madden and Joel Madden from Good Charlotte, Nicole Richie, Mia Farrow, Ne-Yo, Marcus Samuelsson, and Alyssa Milano. The full celebrity blogs can be read here.

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.”

Madonna And Friends Shine A Light On Malawi

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:23:58 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

If you were to look on a map, you could be excused for missing Malawi completely. Bordered by Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique in South East Africa, the nation of Malawi is shaped like a lightning bolt, with much of its land area covered by a massive lake. But it a country that is in dire need of help, and a host of celebrities turned out to a dazzling evening of fun on Wednesday, February 6, to raise awareness for what is one of the poorest countries in the world.

The gala event was hosted by Madonna on the lawns of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the $3.7 million raised going to UNICEF and her own Raising Malawi organization. A long list of stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez, Tea Leoni, Lucy Liu, Billy Joel, Gwen Stefani, and Djimon Hounsou, attended the event, with tickets ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. The evening also featured performances by Alicia Keys, Timbaland, and Rihanna.

“I want to put Raising Malawi on the map,” said Madonna. “I want credibility as a philanthropic organisation. I want to inspire people. I don’t want them to just write me a cheque: I want them to give me a piece of their heart.”

Comedian Chris Rock hosted an auction during the evening, which featured some exciting items donated by celebrity guests. Priceless, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities were up for grabs, such as a dance class with Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow (which sold for $600,000), and a trip to Château Latour – including lunch with Salma Hayek – which was sold to Donald Trump for $120,000.

Tom Cruise, who attended the event with wife Katie Holmes, narrowly missed out on buying a sports package that included baseball practice with Yankee Alex Rodriguez and soccer practice with David Beckham.

“It was an extraordinary evening,” said Cruise. “The whole evening was quite moving. [Saving Malawi] is an absolute necessity.”

Saving Malawi was co-founded by Madonna in 2006, after she witnessed the plight of the country firsthand. And it is a plight she hopes to make more people aware of.

Recent UNICEF figures state that almost 1 million people in Malawi (whose total population is 13 million) suffer from HIV/AIDS, including 83,000 children. 267 people are infected with the virus every day, and half of the country’s 1 million orphans have lost their parents to the disease.

It is a country where 48% of children are severely malnourished, and many are subjected to the horrors of exploitation. The infant and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world, and 133 children out of 1000 die before they reach the age of five. They suffer from lack of food, shelter, clothing, education, clean water and sanitation, as well as basic medical services, and the average life expectancy is only 37 years.

Raising Malawi hopes to ease the suffering of the children of Malawi by providing smart solutions to the most challenging problems. Instead of just throwing money at the nightmare, they provide grassroots initiatives in the way of healthcare, education, and agriculture at a community level. To do this, they have partnered with some of the best organizations that work in the country, including the Millennium Promise Alliance, the Network of Organizations for Vulnerable and Orphan Children, and Spirituality for Kids.

One of Raising Malawi’s greatest initiatives is the Orphan Care Center recently built in the village of Mphandula. Designed to serve 4000 children, it provides a safe haven for orphans, and supplies nutritious meals, basic education, and crucial life skills. Along with programs to introduce solar power, clean water systems, and self-sustenance, Madonna hopes the Orphan Care Center will help Malawi overcome its problems.

“I’ve earned a reputation for many things,” said Madonna during Wednesday’s gala evening. "For pushing the envelope, for being a provocateur, for never taking no for an answer, for endlessly reinventing myself, for being a cult member, a kidnapper, for being ambitious, outrageous, and irreverent. And for never settling for second best. I don’t just want you to write me a check. I’m more interested in your heart. I want to take you on that journey with me tonight. I want you to feel as inspired as I do right now.

“Yes, I want to raise Malawi. But if I can do that – if we can do that – then the sky’s the limit.”

Madonna To Headline Charity Event

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:54:12 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

One of the most well-known names in show business is teaming up with one of the biggest names in fashion for a fund raising event expected to generate millions of dollars to revitalize the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in the African nation of Malawi.

Madonna has joined forces with Gucci to prove she is not just a material girl, and will headline a special gala and show on February 6, 2008. The event will benefit UNICEF and Raising Malawi, the charity the singer co-founded in 2006, and will focus on ending the poverty and hardship suffered by Malawi’s 1 million orphans, many of whom have had parents die from the AIDS pandemic.

To help with the event, which is expected to raise over $2 million for the cause, Madonna has enlisted the help of her many friends as co-chairs, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Lucy Liu, Salma Hayek, Tea Leoni, Adrien Brody, Arpad Busson, and Francois-Henri Pinault.

“I am grateful that Gucci is joining forces with me to bring attention to a country with millions of children in desperate need of our help,” said Madonna when the event was announced. “Raising Malawi has already done tremendous work in helping these children. But we have much more to do, and this event will surely bring us closer to our goal.”

Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie are currently embroiled in a bid to adopt a young child from Malawi, 13-month-old David Banda. However, the adoption attempt has been the centre of much controversy, especially from human rights groups who have accused the singer of trying to get around the country’s laws by using her fame and wealth. The 49-year-old denies the allegations, and a hearing at Malawi’s High Court will be held in 2008 to decide whether the couple are suitable parents and should be allowed to welcome the child into their family.

Raising Malawi was established to assist the African country with its poor public health record and high AIDS rate – it is estimated that 12% of the population between the age of 15-49 suffer from the disease.

“Every day, 6000 children lose a parent to AIDS,” said Caryl Stern, president and CEO of the US Fund for UNICEF, who also thanked Madonna and Gucci for organizing the gala event. “Every day, 1400 children die from AIDS.”

Gucci has been a UNICEF corporate partner since 2004, and the event in February will also celebrate the opening of the biggest Gucci store on the planet, situated on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Celebrity Auctions Tackle The Big Issues

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:29:11 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Thirteen of the hottest celebrities in Hollywood are creating a buzz with an internet auction taking place in October, in order to raise awareness of one of the biggest and most pervasive threats to life on Earth.

Ebay Giving Works, eBay’s program dedicated to charity listings, is hosting an online auction for the WWF, with 100% of the proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund’s global conservation initiatives, especially those involved in the fight against climate change.

The auction, which runs from October 3 -12, features a series of 100% organic T shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Hotter Than I Should Be”. The shirts, which have created much interest in the media and Hollywood as a unique way to spread the message that the Earth is warming, have all been signed by a multitude of celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson, Orlando Bloom, Rachael Ray, Harrison Ford, and Cate Blanchett.

“Global warming is the single biggest threat to our environment today,” said John Donoghue, Senior Vice President of the World Wildlife Fund. “We’re thrilled with the overwhelming celebrity support we’ve received, and we are confident this auction will not only garner funds for our work, but will encourage individuals to take action in their own lives to stop climate change.”

The WWF is a leader in the field of climate science, and is a strong and persuasive advocate for the reduction of harmful greenhouse emissions and the increase of energy efficient technologies. For more than 45 years, the non-profit organization has been working to protect nature, and now provides cutting edge scientific research into areas of concern. With a dedicated team of experts in over 50 countries, the WWF focuses on 4 particular areas of impact: creating responsible global warming policies, working with businesses to reduce carbon dioxide levels, implementing adaptation plans to help the planet respond to climate change, and protecting the forests that help mitigate climate change.

The “Hotter Than I Should Be” online auction looks set to provide some much needed funding to the WWF’s ongoing research. Many of the shirts have already reached bids of over $300, with Orlando Bloom’s attracting bids close to $800. Other celebrities who have lent their signitures to the cause include Candice Bergen, Gisele Bundchen, Kevin Bacon, Paul Newman, Charlie Sheen, Cindy Crawford, and Susan Sarandon.

Unsigned “Hotter Than I Should Be” T shirts are also available with donations of over $50 to the WWF, and more information about the auction can be found at www.worldwildlife.org.

Also up for auction on eBay Giving Works in October is a series of pink rubber bath ducks, signed and decorated by celebrities such as Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Lucy Liu, and Matthew McConaughey.

The auction has been organized by Munchkin Inc, the makers of award winning infant and toddler products, as part of their Project Pink breast cancer awareness program, and runs from October 1 to November 4. All proceeds will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a non-profit organization based in Dallas, Texas, dedicated to education and research into the causes, treatment, and the search for a cure to breast cancer.

Other celebrities to design and sign rubber duckies include Brooke Shields, Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross, Charlie’s Angels’ Jaclyn Smith, and former First Lady Barbara Bush. The auction is hoped to raise over $30,000, and more information can be found at www.munchkin.com/projectpink.

Making Friends With 3 Needles

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:31:49 -0000

Written by Jill Marie Elliott

Award-winning independent film director & writer Thom Fitzgerald graciously took the time to share with Look to the Stars his thoughts about his new movie 3 Needles. The film tells three stories from the global AIDS crisis. Like a good friend, he helped me to see movies, storytelling, AIDS and myself differently — much as he hopes his movie 3 Needles will do for you.

The on-line promotion for the new film 3 Needles, written & directed by Thom Fitzgerald and starring Lucy Liu, Chloë Sevigny, Shawn Ashmore, Sandra Oh, Stockard Channing, Olympia Dukakis and Tanabadee Chokpikultong, is reminiscent of gathering ‘round the fireplace to socialize on a winter’s eve – with a few thousand of your friends.

The movie’s message about the global AIDS crisis has been taken to the MySpace.com masses. For every MySpace Friend that joins the 3 Needles MySpace page before midnight December 1st – World AIDS Day – 10¢ will go to fight AIDS in Africa. The donation, offered by the filmmakers and their sponsors, will be given to the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association, a Canadian-based African youth charity endorsed by Nova Scotia resident Thom Fitzgerald.

World AIDS Day will also mark the theatrical release of 3 Needles in select U.S. cities. Many participating theaters will be donating portions of the weekend box office earnings from the film to their local aids charities, including the New York AIDS Coalition, the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Boston Living Center.

“I wanted to find like-minded people who would be interested in the film – and I really wanted to divert some of our marketing money towards charities. It doesn’t reach as many people as a newspaper ad, but the quality of the relationship is good,” explains Fitzgerald on his decision to use MySpace.com as a means for publicity for 3 Needles.

And the relationship is personal – fewer than a handful of people help to maintain the 3 Needles MySpace page, including Fitzgerald himself. Due to this, their presence on MySpace.com feels much more communal than commercial.

“We’ve tried to find a good balance between the fundraising and promoting the film. We don’t want people to think it is just a shameless way to spread the word about the film. Thom and his colleagues are very passionate about helping to support AIDS relief in any way they can,” said Corey Eubanks, a publicist with Wolfe Releasing, the premier distributor of gay and lesbian feature films. Wolfe representatives were blown away when they saw the film at the Toronto Film Festival and became the U.S. distributor for 3 Needles.

“I think the real people who spend time on MySpace bring a lot of heart and passion,” said Eubanks, who created the 3 Needles MySpace page and continues to commit a great deal of time to the cause. “I want to give them something they can truly get behind. We were brainstorming ways of harnessing the power of MySpace, and I threw out the idea to use it as a fundraising tool, as well. And the wonderful Thom Fitzgerald took it from there.”

The film industry and AIDS are not unfamiliar with one another. In 1985, when the acronym AIDS was still unfamiliar in most households, Hollywood’s Golden Age leading man Rock Hudson became the first celebrity to admit to having the disease. Hudson passed away less than 3 months after his admission. At the time, actress Morgan Fairchild said, “Rock Hudson’s death gave AIDS a face.”

Hudson’s divulgence shortly before his death that he was homosexual fueled the belief that the little-known disease was a “gay cancer.” Due to discrimination, many people – including those in power – alienated themselves from all things AIDS. This falsehood also led to a flawed approach to AIDS prevention. AIDS awareness became Americanized.

Fitzgerald reflects, “Our AIDS prevention strategies grew out of our own miserable mainstream debate in the 1980s about whether AIDS was God’s punishment against gays. We should look back and be very embarrassed. ’Condoms!” shouted gays, while ‘Abstinence! Faithfulness!’ shouted conservative leaders. To this day our prevention methods are the same. We never stopped to think that what works for us would not work for Africans." He adds, “If we could just drop our own baggage, maybe we could open our minds to new ideas about prevention.”

Hollywood once again brought AIDS to the attention of the world audience with the 1993 Oscar® winning film, Philadelphia. The movie pulled at our heartstrings, but did it resonate the reality of the disease?

“Philadelphia stands out to me as the only AIDS film that really identified AIDS as threatening the American dream. [Tom Hanks' character’s] highly paid job was taken from him, so his financial success and lifestyle were under threat," he says. “Most people with HIV in our world had no job or money to begin with, so that story is less relatable to American audiences.”

With an estimated 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS, can any one movie capture the catastrophes of the pandemic?

“3 Needles aims to offer western viewers a couple of hours of different perspectives. There is no one face of AIDS – that I learned while making this movie,” shares Fitzgerald. “A virus is invisible to the human eye. The face of AIDS is determined by the person looking at it; where they were born, their language, faith, local history — all give shape to the monster.”

Fitzgerald hopes audiences will take from the film the “inspiration to think more broadly and holistically about AIDS, so that a few bright people may have bright ideas.”

At its close, the film ponders the question “When all of mankind has a common enemy in this virus, why have we not joined together at last in order to fight it?”

After watching 3 Needles, I could not help but wonder, with all of mankind’s common threads as our ammunition, how could we lose?

To join the battle against AIDS, visit the 3 Needles MySpace page and the World AIDS Day web site.

Barrymore Raises Funds For Food

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 12:43:50 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Drew Barrymore recently travelled to Kenya in an effort to help some of the 11 million people in East Africa who are suffering from poverty and drought.

Photos the actress took while visiting the affected people of the area were sold in an auction that raised nearly $20,000 for the World Food Programme. One dollar will feed five hungry children for a day. Fellow filmstars Lucy Liu and Hugh Grant were among the winning bidders supporting the cause.

Barrymore has also designed a locket that will be sold through Marie Claire Magazine and on the internet. Some of the proceeds go to feed schoolchildren as a part of Marie Claire’s Shop For Charity World Hunger Campaign.

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