Look To The Stars News: Padres Contra el Cancer

Eva Longoria Honored For Philanthropy

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria has been honored as Philanthropist of the Year by The Hollywood Reporter.

The actress “was chosen for her relentless dedication to giving back to her community and serving others as well as for her long-standing commitment to Latino causes.”

“I’ve never met a more conscientious and socially aware young, energetic talent,” said THR publisher Eric Mika. “Eva’s efforts on behalf of the causes near and dear to her are Herculean. She pours her free time and energy into raising millions of dollars for charitable missions that make a difference in the Latino community and other humanitarian organizations.”

Longoria founded Eva's Heroes to help developmentally disadvantaged children and has been the National Spokesperson for Padres Contra el Cancer since 2005.

Having grown up with an intellectually disabled sister, Longoria considers her sister her hero. “She has given me so much inspiration and hope to face everyday with the strength and courage she has had her whole life. She has never seen herself with a disability and only sees the good in everyone and everything.”

Look To The Stars Helps Promote Hollywood Philanthropy At Noble Awards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stars Play Volleyball For Charity

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0000

On Saturday, August 8, Padres Contra el Cancer (PADRES), a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families, hosted the Spike for HOPE! Celebrity Volleyball match as part of the 2009 avp crocs slam bud light hermosa beach open presented by Virgin America.

In 2009, AVP named PADRES its Charity Partner for their 2009 avp crocs slam bud light hermosa beach open presented by Virgin America. Through the partnership, AVP and its sponsors committed to a fundraising effort throughout the duration of the 2009 tour to help raise awareness about childhood cancer within the beach community and also to raise funds for PADRES program and services. To date the AVP relationship has raised approximately $20,000.00.

Taking the sand were AVP Players Priscilla Lima, Tatiana Minello, and Nancy Mason. Notable and formidable celebrity players included L.A. Lakers basketball star Jordan Farmar, Kevin Nealon of showtime’s hit series Weeds, Cristian de la Fuente, Walter Perez of the upcoming new release of the Fame remake, Jenn Brown of showtime’s Inside the NFL, Camilla Belle, Scott Elrod, along with Days of Our Lives cast members Galen Gering, Mark Hapka, James Hyde, Casey Deidrick, Alison Sweeney, Taylor Spreitler, and Molley Burnet. Other players included Jay Johnson, Josh Henderson, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Rottman, Robert Adamson, Yancey Arias, Adrian Bellani and Angelica Castro.

“The smiles of both seven year old cancer patient Joao Rodriguez and six year old Genesis Castillo expressed the success of this celebrity match. It was a perfect day. We appreciate the tremendous support of AVP and all our celebrity friends who played hard to raise awareness about childhood cancer, and how our organization PADRES is helping families win their children’s battle against this terrible disease,” states Elvia Barboa, Chief Executive Officer of PADRES.

Eva Longoria To Host Charity Party

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Padres Contra el Cancer will celebrate its Ninth Annual Fund–Raising Gala, “El Sueño De Esperanza” on Thursday September 10, 2009 at the Historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.

The evening will be presented by Farmers Insurance Group and hosted by Eva Longoria and comedian George Lopez.

As is customary, the celebration will pay tribute to the courage and heroism demonstrated every day by extraordinary children and their families.

“This celebration is such an inspiring experience not only for me, but for the many friends who share in the joy and the passion of PADRES’ life – saving mission,” said Eva Longoria Parker, who is also the National Spokesperson for PADRES. “I consider the opportunity to serve as a voice for these children and their families as one of my life’s greatest blessings.”

To purchase individual tickets please contact Maribel De La Torre, Director of Development at 800.269.4186 ext. 224 or email mdelatorre@IAmHOPE.org. More info can be found here.

Eva Longoria To Rally For Children With Cancer

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Actress Eva Longoria has been appointed as Honorary Chair for the Rally For Children With Cancer.

This exciting event will be taking place in Los Angeles on May 1st and 2nd, 2009, and will also be launched across North America throughout the year.

All participating Rally Drivers will fundraise a minimum of $25,000 each to qualify and draft their Celebrity Navigator. The higher the funds raised, the better draft position earned. This event will feature several well-known Celebrities and attract huge media attention.

The rally will benefit Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Padres Contra el Cancer, and Eva Longoria has stepped up to support its efforts to help those in need. Not only will she act as Honorary Chair, but she will also act as navigator for one of the rally drivers. Other celebrity navigators include Mario Lopez, Shannon Tweed, Stephen Baldwin, Terrence Howard, Valerie Cruz, William Baldwin, Zachary Levi, Julie Benz, James Kyson Lee and many more.

Rally for Kids with Cancer will kick off with “The Qualifiers” Celebrity Draft Party on May 1. This cocktail reception provides Rally Drivers with the opportunity to meet and recruit their desired Celebrity Navigator. The premium drafting positions will be determined by the amount of dollars raised through pledges and sponsorship. The top fundraisers will have first choice in the selection process. Remaining positions will be randomly drawn from among the Celebrity Navigators not yet drafted.

Fuelled by an extraordinary schedule of Pit Stops at some of the most exclusive establishments and venues in the city, Saturday May 2 will see Rally Drivers and Celebrity Navigators will embark on a journey from one clue to the next.

Fun and innovation are the call of the day. The skills participants require to be part of the winning team include power of observation, the ability to read a map and figure out challenging clues, and of course, a true love of driving. Scores are determined by a combination of successfully completed tasks and the accumulation of assigned points. Thinking fast, not driving fast, gets you across the “Finish Line”.

For more information about this event, check out the official website.

Eva Longoria Accepts Donation For Cancer Foundation

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria accepted a $200,000 donation from AT&T to Padres Contra el Cancer at an event in Burbank on Saturday, February 28.

“We are extremely grateful for AT&T’s generosity and commitment to PADRES and the Latino community,” said Longoria Parker, actress and PADRES national spokeswoman. “The money AT&T raised will help us continue supporting families coping with the devastating effects of childhood cancer.”

The donation is the result of AT&T’s third annual campaign, which consisted of a fundraising effort to increase awareness of childhood cancer and collect donations from customers at more than 130 retail stores in the Greater Los Angeles area. Throughout the five-week program, AT&T offered a promotion throughout the duration of the campaign called “Get $100 and Help a Child with Cancer,” in which customers who purchased AT&T Advanced TV and wireless service received $100 cash back and were encouraged to donate a portion of those savings to PADRES.

“In times like this it’s more important than ever to provide help to those in need,” said Andy Shibley, vice president and general manager of AT&T’s Greater Los Angeles area. “AT&T has a long-standing tradition of supporting charitable organizations and initiatives that strengthen the community, and we’re pleased to help support PADRES in giving hope to so many families.”

Cancer affects approximately 1,500 children annually in California; nearly 50 percent of those children are Latino. Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among children under 15 years old and is second only to accidents in most age groups.

“With nearly 50 percent of the children suffering from cancer in California being Hispanic, PADRES is providing critical support for families that need it most,” said Beto Cuevas, three-time Grammy winner and PADRES Ambassador. “Thanks to AT&T’s campaign, we can continue to help young cancer patients and their families.”

To date, AT&T has donated approximately $700,000 to PADRES to aid in the organization’s mission.

Eva Longoria To Join Stars At Cancer Gala

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Padres Contra el Cancer – a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families – will celebrate its Eighth Annual Fund-Raising Gala, EL SUENO DE ESPERANZA, on Tuesday, October 7.

Chaired by Eva Longoria, the event has a theme of “An Evening for Celebration and Hope” and will pay tribute to the organization’s extraordinary children and families.

Joining Longoria for the evening will be Padres Ambassadors Yancey Arias, Adrian Bellani, Angelica Castro, Matt Cedeno, Beto Cuevas, Cristian de la Fuente, plus guests such as Jessica Alba, Billy Bush, Ricardo Antonio Chavira, Marcia Cross, Oscar De La Hoya, Jamie Foxx, Terrence Howard, Felicity Huffman, Mario Lopez, Constance Marie, Carlos Mencia, Brittany Murphy, Ana Ortiz, Tony Parker, Ken Paves, Paulina Rubio, Roselyn Sanchez, Ryan Seacrest, Jessica Simpson, and many others.

Tickets to the event – which will take place at Hollywood and Highland’s Grand Ballroom in the Kodak Theatre – cost $1,000 and can be purchased here.

Look To The Stars Asks Oscar Torre

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:16:45 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Oscar Torre's face is one you will probably recognize. His role in the recent CBS drama Cane is just one in an impressive list that encompasses theater, television, and independent film, including CSI:Miami, Ladron Que Roba A Ladron, Hunting of Man, and film festival favorite Rent-A-Person.

One of the profession’s true tall, dark, and handsome leading men, Torre first gained attention with the lead role in Libertad, in which he played a Cuban artist unjustly sentenced to 15 years jail. NBC-TV critic Maria Salas predicted Torre would “be the next Latin star”, and her prophecy looks set to come true.

Torre is constantly being sought out by top directors to fill challenging roles, but Look To The Stars was lucky enough to catch up with him and ask a few questions about his charity work, as well as his ideas on how to make the world a better place.

A few weeks ago you attended an AIDS fundraiser for the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science. Tell us a little about the night and what attracted you to it.

I got the invitation from Latin Heat Magazine, who were doing the event in conjunction with Charles Drew Hospital. They said it was a fundraiser for AIDS, and that obviously caught my attention right away – because it’s an important cause and you’ve gotta be blind not to be affected by it.

Do you know anyone who has been affected by AIDS?

Oh yeah, definitely, over the years, in the theater and the entertainment industry. And years ago… I was a therapist for people who had alcohol and drug problems. I was a substance abuse counselor, and I worked in that field for eight years when I first started acting. I worked in a mental health hospital… we had many people who were HIV positive or had AIDS, and also we had an HIV testing program… so I ended up meeting a lot of people who ended up testing HIV positive.

What can people do about the AIDS problem?

There are many organizations that are out there helping; they can go online; you can donate money; you can donate time, you can volunteer to the hospitals – you should inform yourself, I think that’s the key. Some people are afraid of it, and they think that by not knowing about it then they are safe – [but] ignorance is dangerous.

In November you attended the 15th annual Diversity Awards, which celebrated cultural diversity in the fields of film and television. That’s obviously another issue that you are interested in. What is its importance to you?

We have people from all over the world come over here [to America], and I think that films should represent that. I think it’s getting a little better. My parents are Cuban. When I was growing up… there weren’t too many Cubans on TV… Steven Bauer on Scarface was a Cuban, and later Andy Garcia, but that was about it. I didn’t see many Cubans on the TV.

Cane obviously had a lot of ethnic diversity in it.

Yes, it was incredible, it was the first time ever that I found myself going to work and most people there were Spanish. And all these faces that you never see in the same place together… it was very diverse.

On your website you have a link to a children’s cancer charity called Padres Contra el Cancer. That’s obviously a cause close to your heart, tell me a little about that.

One of my jobs here when I moved to LA was as a Spanish interpreter at the Children's Hospital of LA. So having worked there, I saw firsthand the jobs the doctors, nurses, and everybody in children’s hospitals do. It’s their profession, but the passion that they have for these kids is amazing. And I saw true courage from these children I never imagined, and that courage from the kids and the parents and the professionals was something that really moved me.

As a kid I was an asthmatic, although I’m no longer, thank God. Up to the age of 12 I was very sick, so I spent a lot of time at the Children’s Hospital in Miami. So in a way, I owe them a lot.

What sort of work do you do for children’s hospitals now?

Whenever I’m on a talk show or something like that, I always mention them as one of the causes that people should support. It’s one of the advantages of being on TV, you have that vehicle that reaches thousands or even millions of people.

What would you tell someone who wants to help a cause?

I would tell people to find what you are passionate about, what has touched your life, and give. To give is very rewarding…you will be helping yourself.

In what way do you think you help yourself by giving to others?

It’s very rewarding to know that by doing a little on your part, just taking a few minutes or writing a check for a few dollars, it goes a long way for all these causes that are really fighting to be able to get money. And if you don’t have money, then give time. Do your part.

What would attract you to a charity? How could they gain your attention?

I try to look for the things that move me, something I’m passionate about.

I can only say for myself, I don’t know about other actors, but [charities] can always reach me, and if they are who they say they are and they’re a good cause, I’m usually more than happy to lend my name or even my presence. By giving them my presence, by mentioning them, I know I’m helping them… that’s one of the great things about being in the public eye, that you’re really able to help people in need, sometimes just by mentioning them. Because if you put that into money value of having to get PR or something, its worth a lot.

How can 1 person make a difference?

I think that by doing the little things… sometimes we think of a problem and we look at the big picture, [and we think] there’s nothing we can do about that. But if you think in your place, in your home, in your person, what you can do, what small things you can do to make them better, then you’re doing your part. At home, you can decide to be environmentally aware, what you throw in the garbage, how you dispose of things. If you deal with respect towards your neighbor, your neighbor will hopefully deal the same way with you. If everybody does all these little things, then I think it affects the world you live in, globally I think it translates into countries getting along – if you take one person at a time. If you do your part, if you are responsible, and are respectful, then I think it goes a long way. I think that’s what sometimes we’re lacking.

It starts at home. It starts as parents. Those people who are out there who are parents of little kids, they should teach them self respect and teach them to respect others, to care for the environment, to be respectful towards your neighbor. Then I think these little kids will grow up to be adults who grow up to act in the same way.

Do you think the way your parents brought you up has affected the way you live your life today?

Totally, I owe everything to them. I have a younger brother, and he and I have this conversation all the time. We are very clear that we are a product of the way we were brought up and the values we were taught. He’s a school teacher, and he [finds] the same problems he sees in the students when he meets the parents – he sees the same problems in the adults. The student’s problems are just a symptom of what’s going on at home. Unfortunately the students soon become adults, and the cycle will go on and on and on.

What made you become an actor?

I fell into acting by accident. For my last credit in college, I needed an elective, and the only class that was available at the time I could attend was an acting class. The girlfriend I had at the time signed me up for the class because I couldn’t sign up myself, I was very shy. She thought it would be very funny for me to be stuck in an acting class.

What’s your next project?

I’m going to Miami in two weeks to shoot a film that’s meaningful to me. It’s about school violence. I play a hostage negotiator who talks this kid out of killing everybody in the classroom. The story is the kid has been bullied, and finally the kid snaps, and kind of goes crazy and goes into school with a weapon, and takes a class hostage. So they call in a hostage negotiator. The film has a lot of heart, and it has a good message. And that’s one of the reasons why I took the project when it was offered to me, because I thought it was a good message.

Do you always try to pick roles that have a good message?

I try to do that whenever possible. Sometimes it’s not possible, but if the message is something I cannot get behind, then I will not do the project.

In one or two sentences, can you give our readers one final message on how they can make the world a better place?

Love yourself and love your neighbor.

Thanks very much for your time, Oscar, and all the best.

Eva Longoria Accepts Donation For Children's Cancer Charity

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:30:31 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Eva Longoria was on hand at a benefit in Burbank on Saturday, March 1, to accept a donation to one of her favorite charities.

AT&T Inc, the telecommunications holdings company, handed over a cheque for $200,000 to Padres Contra el Cancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for Latino children battling cancer.

“We are extremely grateful for AT&T’s generosity and commitment to PADRES and the Latino community,” said Longoria, actress and PADRES national spokeswoman. “The money AT&T raised will help us continue supporting families coping with the devastating effects of childhood cancer.”

The donation is a result of AT&T’s second annual Answer Hope’s Call campaign, which featured a massive fundraising effort to increase awareness of childhood cancer. Donations were collected at stores throughout the Los Angeles area, and a bone marrow drive set a national record by adding 253 new donors in one day to the National Bone Marrow Program.

“AT&T has a long-standing tradition of supporting charitable organizations and initiatives that strengthen the Hispanic community,” said Andy Shibley, vice president and general manager of AT&T’s Greater Los Angeles wireless market. “Nearly 50 percent of the children suffering from cancer in California are Hispanic, and PADRES provides critical support for families that need it most.”

Eva Longoria has been National Spokesperson for the organization since 2005, and joins Oscar Torre as a celebrity supporter. The charity has been bringing together children, families, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to promote a comprehensive understanding of childhood cancer and other blood disorders, as well as effective methods for treatment, for over 20 years. Their programs, activities and services, while primarily oriented to the Latino community, serve childhood cancer patients from all races and ethnic origins. No family is turned away, and the organization is in constant need of donations – cancer affects approximately 1,500 children annually in California; nearly 50% of those children are Latino. Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among children under 15 years old and is second only to accidents in most age groups.

In the past, AT&T have donated over $500,000 to the organization. They are also currently supporting a Telethon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, as well as sponsoring a celebrity skiing and snowboarding event to raise money for the Special Winter Olympics.

Look To The Stars News: Padres Contra el Cancer

Eva Longoria Honored For Philanthropy

Related past articles

Look To The Stars Helps Promote Hollywood Philanthropy At Noble Awards

Related past articles

Stars Play Volleyball For Charity

Related past articles

Eva Longoria To Host Charity Party

Related past articles

Eva Longoria To Rally For Children With Cancer

Related past articles

Eva Longoria Accepts Donation For Cancer Foundation

Related past articles

Eva Longoria To Join Stars At Cancer Gala

Related past articles

Look To The Stars Asks Oscar Torre

Related past articles

Eva Longoria Accepts Donation For Children's Cancer Charity

Related past articles