Look To The Stars News: Wyclef Jean

Will Smith To Host Nobel Peace Concert

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Will Smith – along with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith – is to host this year’s Nobel Peace Concert in Norway.

The concert will take place on December 11 and feature performances from Wyclef Jean, Donna Summer and Toby Keith. The Nobel Concert is an annual event televised in over 100 countries, and has in the past been hosted by Kevin Spacey, Uma Thurman, Sharon Stone, Salma Hayek and many others. Last year’s concert was hosted by Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson.

The winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on October 6 and will be bestowed the day before the concert, December 10 – the anniversary of founder Alfred Nobel’s death. Geir Lundestad, secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, was excited to have the Hollywood couple as concert hosts.

“Together they’ve had a global impact on the arts and philanthropy and will be excellent ambassadors for peace,” he said.

Wyclef Jean Gets His Boots On For Charity

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Wyclef Jean has teamed up with outdoor clothing brand Timberland to launch a range of eco-friendly footwear to aid the redevelopment of his native Haiti.

The new collection features 16 different designs, and $2 from the sale of each pair will go to the musician’s Yéle Haiti Foundation to help with reforestation. Jean founded the charity in 2005 to make a difference in education, health, environment and community development in his native country.

“I really think that we’re going to sell a whole lot of boots and I really think we’re going plant a whole lot of trees in Haiti,” said Jean.

A line of T-shirts designed by Haitian children will also be sold at the singer’s concerts, as well as organic shirts and headwear.

“We thought there was a strong connection or opportunity to connect based on our shared values,” said Margaret Morey-Reuner, Senior Manager for Values Marketing at Timberland. “The campaign will be top-heavy on social and digital media and PR versus traditional advertising. There’s a benefit to taking that approach because Wyclef has such a strong fan-base, and we have a strong consumer base.”

To find out more about the boots, which will be launched in 2010, click here.

Toronto Film Festival To Host Cinema Against AIDS

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0000

On September 15, 2009, amfAR – The American Foundation for AIDS Research – and Dignitas International will partner on the first-ever Cinema Against AIDS event during the Toronto International Film Festival.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and amfAR Ambassador Michelle Yeoh will serve as chairs of the evening, along with amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, John Demsey, Milutin Gatsby, Trudy Grant, amfAR Founding Chairman Dr. Mathilde Krim, Dignitas co-founder Dr. James Orbinski, and Kevin Sullivan. Grammy Award-winning musical artist Sarah McLachlan will deliver a special performance.

The black-tie gala will take place at the acclaimed Carlu in Toronto, and will include cocktails, dinner prepared by renowned Canadian chef Jamie Kennedy, and a luxury live auction. amfAR and Dignitas will share all proceeds from the event, funding that will benefit crucial AIDS research initiatives and efforts to improve quality of life for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Over the years, amfAR has awarded 52 grants to HIV/AIDS organizations in Canada, totaling more than US$2.6 million, making Canada the recipient of more amfAR funding than any countries except the U.S. and Australia.

amfAR’s first Cinema Against AIDS benefit was held in Cannes during the 1993 Cannes International Film Festival and was hosted by Dame Elizabeth Taylor, amfAR’s Founding International Chairman. Since then, this annual black-tie gala has established itself as the most consistently exciting and well-publicized party held during the Cannes festival. In addition to Dame Elizabeth, who has hosted the benefit on seven occasions, amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Sharon Stone has been a chair and auctioneer since 1995.

Cinema Against AIDS has also been held on various occasions during the Venice, Sundance, Rome, and Dubai film festivals, and in all cases these events have attracted a stunning guest list of top celebrities, entertainment industry elite, and international society. Traditionally, celebrities in the room assist with the live auction. Participants have included Ben Affleck, Prince Albert of Monaco, Lance Armstrong, Mary J. Blige, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell, Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Sofia Coppola, Penelope Cruz, Matt Damon, Catherine Deneuve, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sheryl Crow, Carla Fendi, Andy Garcia, Richard Gere, Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Anjelica Huston, Elizabeth Hurley, Iman, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Wyclef Jean, Scarlett Johansson, Milla Jovovich, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Kline, Diane Kruger, Diego Luna, David Lynch, Madonna, Sienna Miller, Liza Minnelli, Kylie Minogue, Clive Owen, Robert Pattinson, Sean Penn, Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Richardson, Lionel Richie, Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, Kurt Russell, Claudia Schiffer, Julian Schnabel, Monica Seles, Mira Sorvino, Sylvester Stallone, Rod Stewart, Quentin Tarantino, Charlize Theron, Sigourney Weaver, Harvey Weinstein and Robin Williams, among others.

The film and entertainment communities have been committed and generous supporters of amfAR and the fight against AIDS since the start of the epidemic, and the Cinema Against AIDS galas have proven to be among the most high-profile and successful AIDS benefits worldwide. Since 1993, these signature amfAR events have played a pivotal role in focusing attention on the continued fight against AIDS, and have generated more than US$48 million in support of the foundation’s AIDS research programs.

Ticket info can be found here.

Nelson Mandela's 91st Celebrated In Style

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A galaxy of stars turned out to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday in New York during the weekend, with proceeds going to one of the South African legend’s charities.

Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder and many more appeared at the Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, July 19, with money raised going to 46664, Mandela’s campaign to help raise Global awareness of AIDS/HIV. 46664 aims to highlight the emergency of AIDS/HIV through unique live events and music related initiatives.

Mandela himself was unable to attend the event, but did send a video message in which he said “It is on your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” President Barack Obama also appeared via video, saying that Mandela’s life “teaches us that the impossible can be done, but only if people have the courage to make change happen.”

Morgan Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins spoke at the event.

Others to perform at the concert included French first lady Carla Bruni, who sang Bob Dylan’s Blowing in the Wind with former Eurythmics guitarist Dave Stewart. Queen Latifah, Aretha Franklin, Josh Groban, will.i.am, Wyclef Jean and Gloria Gaynor also performed, and Cyndi Lauper dueted with Lil’ Kim.

“Our struggle for freedom and justice was a collective effort,“ said Mandela. “It is our hope that people will dedicate their time and effort to improve the conditions within their own community.”

VIP Tickets To Mandela Day Concert Available

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0000

46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation announced this week that a number of extra VIP tickets are available for the Mandela Day concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The concert forms part of the celebrations for Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday on July 18, 2009 at 8pm.

Mandela Day serves as a global call for people to recognize their individual power to help change the world for the better.

The concert will feature performances by Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean and many more. Special guests include Whoopi Goldberg, Forest Whitaker, Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon and Susan Sarandon.

The concert is the culmination of a week-long series of events in New York to celebrate Mr Mandela’s life. Activities include a gala fundraising dinner and a Ralph Appelbaum-designed installation of Mr Mandela’s life and the work of his many 46664 ambassadors.
Both events take place at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.

Tickets are limited and on sale now. Prices range from $95 to $250 and can be bought online from Ticket Master, Live Nation and The Garden, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Wyclef Jean To Be Honored By World Hunger Year

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Wyclef Jean will receive a special award for helping impoverished communities at this year’s World Hunger Year (WHY) Chapin awards.

The awards – which will take place at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City tonight, June 8 – will honor Jean’s work in his native Haiti to aid the poverty-stricken country.

WHY was formed in 1975 by Bill Ayres, a radio talk-show host, and singer/songwriter Harry Chapin. Chapin saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America. Many of his concerts were benefit performances for the 82 charities he was known to support, and the sales of all his concert merchandise were donated directly to WHY. At the time of his death in 1981, it was discovered that Chapin had donated almost all of his personal fortune to charity. Today, WHY is an international non-profit organization that connects grass roots charities to funding expertise and publicity.

Wyclef Jean’s award will be presented by Harry Belafonte.

New York To Host First Mandela Day Concert

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:01:00 -0000

New York takes world center-stage next month when the city hosts the inaugural ‘Mandela Day.’

Centered around a massive music headliner concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday, July 18, the event is designed as a call around the world for people to honor Nelson Mandela’s inspiration and values, and observe the day annually as a celebration, not as a holiday, but as a day to opt in.

Joining Dave Stewart for this concert celebration will be Aretha Franklin, Wyclef Jean, Queen Latifah, Josh Groban, TLC, Cyndi Lauper and Jesse McCartney, sharing the stage and performances with Angélique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Chris Chameleon, Freshlyground, Emmanuel Jal, Loyiso, Sipho Mabuse, Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai, Suzanna Owiyo and many more.

Further invited guests will include France’s First Lady, Carla Bruni making a rare concert appearance, as well as Italy’s Zucchero, a 46664 ambassador artist who has given support at each of the prior 46664 concerts. Adding to the star value of the day, Hollywood legends and 46664 supporters Forest Whitaker, Sharon Stone, Susan Sarandon and many others have all committed to attend.

President Bill Clinton, who will host a fundraiser dinner with Mr. Mandela’s wife Graca Machel at New York’s Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall earlier in the week on July 15 said, “More than any other human being, Madiba has been the great inspiration for the life I lead and the work I do, especially in the area of HIV/AIDS. The philosophy of my Clinton Global Initiative – which has inspired 1,400 commitments improving 200 million lives in more than 150 countries – was built on his enduring example that the power of public good does not require public office, just a well-placed heart and a determined mind. In return for everything Madiba has taught us, we each owe it to him to support his work and legacy by doing and living our own as best we can, not just on this day, but throughout our entire lives.”

“The City of New York is honored to host the inaugural Mandela Day,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "Nelson Mandela has spent a lifetime fighting injustice and it is fitting to set aside a day each year to celebrate and recognize his legacy. I am especially pleased that service is playing such a large part in Mandela Day and encourage all New Yorkers recognize this day as a chance to give back to their communities.”

As Robert DeNiro said, “When Nelson Mandela speaks we all must listen.”

Tim Massey, International Director of 46664, said, “Mandela Day is about creating a movement for positive change and establishing one day to reflect upon, celebrate and make manifest the values that guide Nelson Mandela.”

Adding his voice of support, 46664 founding ambassador, Queen’s Brian May said, “It is Nelson Mandela’s ability to forgive that is an inspiration to us all. If Mandela Day can help the world to reconcile its differences then it will have succeeded in its purpose.”

Raising support from friends in the musical community, including Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor and Bono, Dave Stewart helped launch the 46664 global campaign which has since been carried across three continents. A series of historical concerts have taken place in South Africa, Spain, Norway, and most recently in the UK, with last year’s massive outdoor concert in Hyde Park which celebrated Mr. Mandela’s 90th birthday, playing to televised audiences that can be counted in the billions.

To date, the 46664 campaign has raised millions of dollars which have been applied to supporting projects in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa where current needs are deemed greatest, particularly in assisting those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.

New York’s concert for Mr. Mandela will not only further spread the message of 46664 but aims to have a longer lasting purpose – to mark a day in each year as one of which we collectively reflect on Nelson Mandela’s inspiration and guidance and individually strive to make our own contribution.

Many of 46664’s ambassadors will form part of the concert bringing together leading U.S. artists with many of Africa’s foremost performers for Mandela Day, a celebration for Mr. Mandela’s 91st birthday which will be seen as a meeting in music between the U.S. and Africa in a concert for the world. Further artists will be joining the growing line-up and can be expected to be announced in the lead up to the concert.

The concert is the culmination of a week-long series of events in New York City in celebration of the first-ever Mandela Day. The activities include a Ralph Applebaum designed exhibition of Mr. Mandela’s life and the work of his many 46664 ambassadors, as well as the gala fundraising dinner, both at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.

Mr. Mandela has been making an imprint on the world for 67 years since he actively became involved in campaigning for the human rights of every South African and now ‘Mandela Day’ calls upon each of us to give 67 minutes of our time to helping others, with the idea that each individual has the ability to make an imprint and make the world a better place.

Drawing its numeric title from Mr. Mandela’s Robben Island prison number (prisoner 466/incarcerated in 1964), 46664 was founded in 2002 when Mr. Mandela gave over the number, under which he served 17 of his 27 years incarceration, to Eurythmics’ founder Dave Stewart, to use call attention to finding solutions to critical social issues such as HIV/AIDS and the social injustices that impact the disease such as poverty, gender inequality and the lack of education.

46664 will also be working with partner organizations, other city authorities and community associations and volunteers across the globe to create a worldwide series of Mandela Day events to honor Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy.

‘46664 – Mandela Day Celebration’ Madison Square Garden concert tickets prices range from $50-$350, with VIP packages at $1,000 and up. All tickets are available beginning Friday, June 5, 9am EST at http://www.ticketmaster.com, livenation.com, thegarden.com and charge by phone: 800-745-3000 For VIP packages visit ticketmaster.com.

Rock N' Roll Legends Play For Charity In New Orleans

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A gathering of Rock n’ Roll and Blues legends attended a special charity concert in New Orleans on Saturday, May 30.

Some of the founders of Rock n’ Roll – including Chuck Berry, BB King and Little Richard – took to the stage, joining modern stars who owe them a debt of gratitude, such as Wyclef Jean and Keb Mo.

The Domino Effect Concert raised funds to rebuild schools and playgrounds damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and attracted a rare appearance from the man it was named after – Fats Domino. Domino’s home on the Lower Ninth Ward in the city was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Proceeds from the concert will go to Operation Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children. Recognizing the many dimensions to a healthy, happy child, they support a researched community of charities providing solutions to issues affecting children’s education, health, safety and well-being. The concert raised over $1.8 million to help rebuild the city’s parks, schools and other playspaces.

John Legend Performs For Show Me Campaign

Thu, 21 May 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer John Legend hosted a benefit for his Show Me Campaign on Tuesday, May 19, that raised over $300,000.

Along with Wyclef Jean, Jeffrey Sachs, former New York Giants player Tiki Barber and many others, Legend rocked a rooftop performance to raise support of the campaign he started two years ago to encourage social, economic, personal and educational growth of individuals, families and communities.

“Our organization by itself can’t do it, but we believe we can be part of the solution and we don’t want to wait around for everybody else to do it,” he said. "We’re funding a village in Tanzania and we’re seeing positive results on the ground that show that our work is making a positive impact over there, and if we were just to replicate that throughout the world, we can see a lot of progress made.“

Legend established the organization after watching Sachs discuss his book, The End Of Poverty, on television. Following a meeting with Sachs, Legend traveled to Ghana to witness the poverty problem firsthand. He established the Show Me Campaign soon afterwards, and has since become involved in a number of initiatives in the fight to alleviate poverty.

“This guy is just so talented and people love him, they love his music and when they listen to him he’s so smart and so compelling and he’s helping them understand what these issues are about,” Sachs said.

To find out more about the Show Me Campaign, visit its official website.

Wyclef Jean To Headline Green Garden Gala

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer Wyclef Jean will make a special performance at the Green Garden Gala in New York on Thursday, April 30.

The event is HealthCorps’ annual gala and will raise funds to expand the organization’s groundbreaking in-school health educational and mentoring program, which is growing across the country.

Founded by Dr. Mehmet Oz – cardiac surgeon, best-selling author, and Health Expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show – Healthcorps aims to help stem the crisis of child obesity through school-based health education and mentoring, as well as community events and outreach to underserved populations.

Dr Oz will host the gala, and Quincy Jones will be presented the First Annual HealthCorps “Music for a Better Life” Award.

The event will take place at the World Financial Center at West Street, NYC, and tickets cost $1,000. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official website.

Wyclef Jean To Play Phoenix House Benefit

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Musician Wyclef Jean will perform at a charity gala tonight, March 30, to benefit the largest non-profit alcohol and drug abuse treatment and prevention facility in the US.

The 2009 Phoenix Rising Gala will benefit Phoenix House, the organization established in 1969 that treats more than 5,000 persons in nearly 100 residential and outpatient programs throughout nine states every day. The evening will feature cocktails and dinner, and will honor Lisa Ellis, a record executive whose work in the arts and entertainment has encouraged positive and responsible behavior in young people.

Co-chairs of the event include Eli Manning and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Host Committee includes John Legend and Michael Strahan.

Phoenix House hit the news earlier this year when Beyoncé Knowles donated $4 million to the organization.

The event will take place at The Plaza on Fifth Avenue, New York City, and more information can be found here.

Wyclef Jean Plans School For Haiti

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Wyclef Jean plans to build a school in Haiti to help children in his native country.

“I want to start working on building a school,“ he told Hollyscoop.com. “It’s going to be called the Yéle Center. Hopefully I can start the fundraiser in six months… Right now we’re just focusing with Yéle Haiti, it’s the start of a new year. The next goal is to try to raise money so we can build a physical facility. I want something that’s sustainable for kids. One person got me out of Haiti, my parents got me to America. I took the dream back to Haiti. If I could just save one kid from that school and get the next Wyclef Jean or next Shakira, I’ll be satisfied.”

Jean established the Yéle Haiti Foundation in 2005 to use music, sports and the media to reinforce projects that are making a difference in education, health, environment and community development in Haiti. With celebrity supporters such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, the organization creates small-scale, manageable and replicable projects to contribute to Haiti’s long-term progress.

“Haiti is my native country, one I know as the first black nation to gain independence in 1804,“ said Jean. “Most other people seem to know Haiti only by the statistics about how bad things are there. The majority of its 8 million residents live on less than $1 per day. Unemployment is close to 80 percent, and more than half the population is under 21 years old. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

“The objective of Yéle Haiti is to restore pride and a reason to hope, and for the whole country to regain the deep spirit and force that is part of our heritage.”

Wyclef Jean Headlines Obama's Green Ball

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Wyclef Jean headlined the Inaugural Green Ball on Saturday, January 17, to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama.

The event celebrated the grass root efforts made by individuals and organizations across the US and the world whose actions improve and protect the environment.

Held at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington DC, the event attracted stars such as Hayden Panettiere, with every part of the evening’s proceedings designed to reduce the impact on the environment.

“With millions of visitors headed to Washington for President-elect Obama’s swearing in ceremony and accompanying celebrations, the impact on our environment will be substantial,“ said event organizer Jenna Mack. “Our goal is to create an unforgettable evening while treading lightly on the Earth.”

The evening – hosted by Tony Richards – featured speakers such as Discovery Planet Green correspondent Summer Rayne Oakes and Greenopia founder Gay Browne.

Feed America With George Clooney's Bowl

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of your favorite actors and musicians have autographed bowls for a new charity auction to raise money for the hungry.

The Fill A Bowl, Feed America campaign is being run in conjunction with Clothes Off Our Back, the celebrity charity auction site founded by Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek.

Now is your chance to eat from quality bowls signed by stars such as George Clooney, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Matt Damon, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Adam Sandler, Rascal Flatts, Paris Hilton, Sacha Baron Cohen, Maroon 5, Wyclef Jean, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Annie Lennox, Ben Harper, Josh Groban, Jordin Sparks, Carlos Santana, Sarah McLachlan, Richie Sambora, and many more.

All of the proceeds from the auction – which runs until December 12 – will go to Feeding America. The auction can be accessed here. And remember – it only takes $1 to provide 16 meals for a child.

Bid2Beat AIDS For Special Christmas Gifts

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

One of the biggest celebrity charity auction events of the year is currently gearing up for its launch on December 1.

Bid2Beat AIDS is an annual event that will feature over 1000 items from top stars such as 50 Cent, Adam Sandler, Adrian Grenier, Aerosmith, Alec Baldwin, Amy Winehouse, Antonio Banderas, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Common , Death Cab for Cutie, Denzel Washington, P. Diddy, Donny Osmond, Elton John, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters, Good Charlotte, Green Day, Hanson, Hilary Duff, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Blunt, James Earl Jones, James Morrison, Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z , Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy Piven, Jessica Alba, John Legend, Johnny Depp, Kanye West, Kirsten Dunst, Ludacris , M.I.A., Madonna, Mariah Carey, Neil Patrick Harris, Ozzy Osbourne, Phil Collins, Raven Symone, Razorlight, Rihanna , Sacha Baron Cohen, Sharon Osbourne, Victoria Beckham, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Ferrell, Wyclef Jean, and many, many more. Also up for grabs will be VIP tickets to concerts and backstage visits with stars like Bernadette Peters, Jewel, Aimee Mann, Joan Rivers, and Michael Feinstein.

The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity. The first three BID 2 BEAT AIDS auctions raised nearly $250,000, and this year’s looks set to be the biggest yet.

More info about the auction can be found at the Bid2Beat AIDS website, and the auction will go live on World AIDS Day here.

Look To The Stars will keep you posted as the items are announced.

Matt Damon Hosts ONE X ONE Gala In San Francisco

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Matt Damon, Wyclef Jean, Carlos Santana, Josh Groban, David Arquette, and the African Children’s Choir came together in San Francisco on Thursday night for a fundraising extravaganza to benefit ONEXONE.

The evening raised money to be distributed between organizations such as H2O Africa, Feeding America, Water Partners, and the Yéle Haiti Foundation, and featured an auction that included lots such as the chance to feature Damon on the set of his next movie, The Human Factor. The film – which will be directed by Clint Eastwood – will tell the story of Nelson Mandela’s struggle for freedom, and three people paid $20,000 for the opportunity to visit the set.

“If Eastwood doesn’t like the idea of having a lot of people around the set,” Damon said, “I guess my trailer’s going to be pretty crowded with a lot of people playing video games.”

Damon, Arquette, and Jean also took the time to visit the San Francisco Food Bank and help out by filling bags and boxes of food for the city’s underprivileged.

Damon’s philanthropic attitude is something he is interested in passing on to his own children: “It’s a hard thing to explain to a kid,“ he told People Magazine, referring to poverty. “And it is also unbelievable the way other kids are forced to live. The way you have to parent them is to show them the world. Explaining the world can only go so far. You can read about devastation every morning – it’s on the front page of the newspaper – but when you actually go there and see it, you realize this isn’t something you can turn the page on.”

Stars To Be BRAVE For Veterans

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hip Hop stars 50 Cent and Ludacris will perform at a concert to raise awareness of veterans causes next month.

“A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE” is part of MTV’s Choose or Lose campaign, an initiative designed to engage, inform and empower young voters on the political issues that matter to them most. The concert hopes to draw attention to a new petition launched by MTV called the Bill of Rights for American Veterans (or BRAVE) which calls on politicians to support vets’ issues and enact positive legislative changes.

“It doesn’t matter where you stand on the war — we can all agree that young veterans serving our country must receive the benefits they’ve earned for their sacrifices,” said MTV President Van Toffler. “By raising awareness through ‘A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE,’ and by launching the BRAVE petition, we aim to elevate these issues and ensure they’re a top priority for our government officials.”

The concert – which will be taped on October 23 and aired on MTV on October 24 – will also feature performances by Kanye West, Kid Rock, Fall Out Boy, Juanes, Nelly and Taylor Swift, with appearances from Beyoncé Knowles, Will Ferrell, Common, Fat Joe, Seth Green, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend and Wyclef Jean.

Celebrities Support In My Name

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

will.i.am has worked with more than thirty other celebrities and activists to create an inspiring short film titled Be the Generation, part of the In My Name campaign to end poverty.

The film, which can be viewed at the White Band Action website, explains how people can end poverty in our lifetime if leaders are held accountable to their promises. It is part of a campaign organized by White Band Action ahead of next week’s emergency UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals in New York, and a host of activists and celebrities – including Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu , Annie Lennox, John Legend, Rahul Bose, Angélique Kidjo, Scarlett Johansson, Missy Higgins, Emmanuel Jal, Wyclef Jean, Kristin Davis, Fergie and Mischa Barton – have come together for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) to challenge their leaders to keep their promise to halve poverty by 2015.

Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am has also penned a song for the campaign titled In My Name, which calls on world citizens to exercise their power and demand their governments keep their promises to the worlds poor. The song will be downloadable free of charge from September 25.

“We can be the generation that ends poverty,” said will.i.am. “Politicians promised in 2000 to halve poverty in 15 years. They made this pledge in my name, now they must act to achieve it.”

“Governments must be held accountable for their people and their promises,” added Lennox.

To drive the message home, Kidjo and will.iam will perform ‘In My Name’ live outside the UN buildings in New York on 25 September. They will be joined by Queen Rania of Jordan, UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon, Ela Bhatt, Mary Robinson, Kristin Davis, Rahul Bose and activists from Africa, Asia and Latin America who will be amongst the first to sign their names to the “In My Name” pledge wall.

”If I put my name to something it means I am committed to its outcome,“ said Angelique Kidjo. “I want to see this sort of response from leaders and others with power to effect change. People living in poverty have waited too long and want to see tangible changes in their lives immediately.”

The White Band Action initiative is a global collaboration between the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, Oxfam, Save the Children, and Comic Relief. It is not being run by any single organization, which demonstrates the breadth of commitment to ending poverty and inequality.

“The time for action has never been more urgent,“ said Queen Rania. “Rising food prices have plunged 100 million more people into poverty, and the economic slowdown risks eroding political support for development.“

“We’re half way there, and thanks to people’s efforts and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, there has been real progress,“ added Kristin Davis. “There are more children in school. More people are getting essential medicines. But 30,000 children still die every day because of poverty.”

More information about the campaign can be found at www.whitebandaction.org.

Mia Farrow Visits Storm-Ravaged Haiti

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Mia Farrow has made a humanitarian visit to Haiti to visit victims of the recent devestating storms.

The trip – organized by UNICEF – will last from September 19 to 23, and will take the 63-year-old actress to projects in Gonaïves, Cite-Soleil, and Cabaret, all affected by heavy flooding.

“I saw a city mostly submerged in deep mud [and] people still stranded on roof tops,“ said the actress after her visit to Gonaïves, by far the worst area affected by the storms, with an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people in temporary shelters according to local Civil Protection. “Other people are still living in school and in a church. There is a sense of confusion, loss and anger. The people in the shelters had not eaten for days, [there is] not enough water coming – of course there is in no sanitation of any kind.“

Four successive hurricanes have pounded the country since August 16 and affected more than 800,000 people. Cities like Gonaïves remain partly flooded where relocated families wait for the filthy water to recede and to discover what is left of their homes. UNICEF is providing potable water, hygiene kits, water purification tablets, oral rehydration salts, blankets, school kits, and additional items to help women and children in need. They are also providing school furniture and school kits to help get children back into school by October 6.

“My hope is to be a good steward of this information, to take this message to the United States and the international community with the hope that the conscience of the world will respond,“ said Farrow.

Farrow’s visit follows a similar trip by Matt Damon and Wyclef Jean earlier this month.

Matt Damon And Wyclef Jean Witness Storm Destruction

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fresh from appearing at the ONEXONE Difference Awards in Toronto last Monday, Matt Damon and Wyclef Jean spent the weekend visiting the flood-ravaged city of Gonaives in Haiti following destruction caused by Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike.

The pair hope to encourage people to help the United Nations raise more than $100 million to help over 800,000 Haitians after four devastating tropical storms and hurricanes since mid-August, and the visit was organized by ONEXONE, a Canadian charity that provides aid to children in need around the world.

Wading through knee-deep flood waters, the pair visited a school shelter to drop off cooking oil from USAID and bags of beans from the World Food Program. Jean – a native of Haiti – sang for the crowd, and both stars were overwhelmed by the humanitarian crisis.

“It’s inhumane,” said Jean. “I wish there was a word in the dictionary. No human should be living like this.”

“I’m speechless,” added Damon. “I can’t believe it.“

Gonaives police have buried dozens of unidentified corpses in the last few weeks, and Aid agencies are working at supplying medical supplies for mobile clinics to treat infections from people walking in flooded streets.

“It’s obvious that this country was absolutely flattened with these hurricanes,” said ONEXONE chairman Frank McKenna. “Huge portions of the crops of the nation were wiped out, which means there will be food shortages. You just wonder how people can survive.”

Matt Damon Hosts ONE X ONE Awards

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Matt Damon returned to Toronto on Monday to host his third consecutive Difference Awards ceremony for ONEXONE.

Over 500 guest attended the gala, which featured performances from Wyclef Jean, John Legend, Nikki Yanofsky, and the African Children’s Choir.

ONEXONE is a non-profit organization that supports children in Canada and abroad. Established less than four years ago by Joelle Adler, it has already raised over $5 million and created partnerships with major corporations and foundations, such as H2O Africa, the Yéle Haiti Foundation, Millennium Promise, War Child and Spread the Net.

“This is stupid poverty we’re talking about,” said Damon, during his speech about helping people in Africa. “Every day, malaria claims thousands of lives that we didn’t need to lose.”

Damon also revealed that he credits becoming a parent for his commitment to helping children through charity work: “At a certain point it becomes difficult to look at other children and not see your own. Something does change in you once you become a parent… There definitely is a shift there that makes you, I think, a little more obsessed about helping children – But it’s not like before I had kids, I was like: ’to heck with those kids!’”

ONEXONE will launch in the US in October, with an event featuring Carlos Santana planned for San Francisco. And Damon is proud to announce that next year Eddie Vedder has been confirmed to perform for the organization.

“A lot of my friends and a lot of the people I admire in the business choose to spend their celebrity capital trying to raise awareness about things and improve the conditions in people’s lives,” said Damon. “We’ll all be lying on that bed one day, and you have to make your peace with who you’ve been.”

Matt Damon Returns For ONE X ONE

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

For the third year in a row, Matt Damon will host ONEXONE’s annual charity benefit gala, where celebrities and activists will gather for an evening of musical performances, words from key speakers, fundraising and entertainment.

ONEXONE’s Difference Awards will also be presented at the gala, recognizing individuals for their extraordinary efforts in fighting child poverty and suffering. One of last year’s honorees, Wyclef Jean, is returning this year as musical director and performer. Other entertainment will include John Legend and the African Children’s Choir, which is raising awareness of the needs of Africa’s orphans and destitute children.

A fairly young organization, ONEXONE raises millions of dollars each year for projects within Canada and abroad for partners such as H2O Africa, the Yéle Haiti Foundation, Millennium Promise, War Child and Spread the Net to “directly impact children in need around the world – one by one.”

“There is an old biblical adage that says ‘You save one life, you save the universe,’” said Joelle Adler, ONEXONE’s founder. “That should be our motto. We cannot look across the water and pretend it is not our responsibility because together we can change the world.”

The gala and concert will be held at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on September 8 and a second gala will take place at Exhibition Centre in San Francisco on October 23 honoring Carlos Santana.

Matt Damon Heads Back To Toronto For ONE X ONE

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Matt Damon will host the annual ONEXONE Difference Awards for the third year in a row.

Also returning this year is Wyclef Jean, who appeared at last year’s event when Richard Gere, Sarah Ferguson, and Petra Nemcova were all honored for their humanitarian work.

The ceremony, which raises money for domestic and global charities, will take place on September 8 at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. ONEXONE is a non-profit organization that supports children in Canada and around the world, and has raised over $5 million to fight child poverty. Last year’s fundraiser netted a massive $3.2 million for the foundation, with more than $7 million being raised since the first awards ceremony in 2005.

Earlier this year, the foundation held its inaugural benefit gala in Calgary, hosted by Ben Affleck. The organization now plans to expand to the US, with its first benefit gala there to be held in San Francisco on October 23.

The recipients of this year’s Difference Awards are yet to be named, but are guaranteed to be people who have dedicated their lives to fighting child poverty and suffering around the world.

Wyclef Jean Pushes For Economic Change In Haiti

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hip hop artist Wyclef Jean spent five days in his native Haiti last week to further his humanitarian efforts in the impoverished Caribbean nation, and used the visit to call for serious economic change.

The 35-year-old rapper – born in the Haitian village of Croix-des-Bouquets – stated that the country needs foreign investment and assistance with sustainable development to help its people beat the poverty and food shortages that are crippling its economy, not just charity and handouts that could cause Haiti to become even more dependent on other nations than it is now.

“I understand that there is a food crisis that needs to be addressed urgently, but at the same time donors need to inject funds in projects likely to bring sustainable results,” Jean told Reuters. “Charity will never solve Haiti’s problems. Haitians want jobs, they want to develop their agriculture to produce food, not to everlastingly receive food assistance. To solve the economic crisis, we need investments and to have investments we need security. To have security we have to start addressing the social problems in the most vulnerable and underprivileged neighborhoods.”

Jean, who was appointed as a roving ambassador for the country by President Rene Preval last year, has been working tirelessly to help Haitians in their day-to-day struggle to survive. He established the Yéle Haiti Foundation in 2005 to make a difference in education, health, environment and community development, and in May he launched an initiative to raise $48 million to expand food distribution and provide assistance to farmers. He has also urged Haitians to cut their high crime rate to make foreign investment more secure.

“Social and economic change will remain a utopian dream if we remain divided,” he said.

Wyclef Jean Forms Partnership For Haiti Food Crisis Help

Fri, 23 May 2008 10:52:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Musician Wyclef Jean announced on Tuesday that his Yele Haiti Foundation has formed a partnership with two other charities to help address the growing food crisis in Haiti.

Rising food and fuel costs have left the Caribbean island nation’s poor unable to afford food, resulting in widespread hunger and even rioting. Haitian native Jean, who first made his name as a member of The Fugees, is joining forces with the United Nations World Food Programme and the Pan American Development Foundation to form Together for Haiti.

The programme hopes to raise $48 million, with which it will provide targeted food distribution, employment in agriculture regeneration programmes, and micro-enterprise grants.

At the Manhattan launch of the partnership, Wyclef Jean stressed the importance of helping the Haitian poor to help themselves:

“How can you make people in a poor economy entrepreneurs? Well, if you give these families five chickens and you give them food for these chickens and give then a cage they automatically become entrepreneurs. Because, they can eat now and they can raise the chickens and sell chickens.”

Together for Haiti is a natural extension to Jean’s Yéle Haiti Foundation, the goal of which the musician says is "to restore pride and a reason to hope, and for the whole country to regain the deep spirit and strength that is part of our heritage.”

For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.togetherforhaiti.org. Just 25 cents can buy a school meal for a hungry child.

John Legend Buys Himself At Charity Auction

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:30:11 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation held its first Miami Gala on Saturday night, with a huge celebrity turnout to celebrate the occasion.

The Art For Life event was held at Miami Beach and honored John Legend, Wyclef Jean, and Suze Orman for their efforts to help improve the lives of others. Chaired by Sean ‘P.Diddy’ Combs and hosted by actress Nia Long, the event was co-organized by a legion of well-known names, including Dwayne Johnson, Petra Nemcova, and Rush founder Russell Simmons.

The main attraction of the evening was a massive celebrity auction, which featured a large selection of once-in-a-lifetime experiences and items. However, the auction took on a slightly skewed course when John Legend spent $19,000 on the very item he donated – a Happy Birthday serenade over the phone from… well, from John Legend! Quite how he is going to ring himself up and sing is anyone’s guess.

Legend also pledged a further $10,000 to the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, which was followed by $10,000 from Sean Combs and another $10,000 from former NBA player Larry Johnson. And although they couldn’t attend, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie pledged $5,000 in honor of Wyclef Jean.

The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation was established in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny, and Joseph Simmons to provide funding for non-profit organizations that give disadvantaged urban youth exposure and access to the arts. Although based in New York, a large percentage of the proceeds from Saturday’s gala will go directly to programs in Miami, including One Art, the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet, and the Theatre Institute of South Florida.

This is the third year the event has been held in South Florida – in previous years it was held at Palm Beach – and last year’s event raised over $2 million.

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