Look To The Stars News: World Vision

Neil Finn To Headline Charity Concert For Samoan Relief

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

A concert featuring Crowded House’s Tim and Neil Finn – and a host of other New Zealand-based musicians – will take place in Auckland later this month to raise money for victims of last week’s Tsunami in Samoa.

The Finn Brothers will be joined by Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Elemeno P, Nesian Mystik, Che-Fu, King Kapisi and many more at Auckland’s Vector Arena on October 19. Also performing will be New Zealand Hip Hop stars Savage and Scribe, who both lost family in the disaster.

Aid agencies such as the Red Cross, World Vision, The Salvation Army and UNICEF are still seeking donations for the massive clean-up required after last week’s devastating disaster that killed over 180 people.

Tickets for the concert are NZ$25 and are available through Ticketmaster New Zealand.

Aid Agencies Seek Donations For Samoan Tsunami Vistims

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

New Zealand-born comedy actress Pamela Stephenson has given a harrowing first-hand account of the devastating Tsunami that hit Samoa last week.

The wife of Scottish comedian Billy Connolly was staying in Samoa and is urging the world to come to the aid of the island nation after the massive wave killed over 180 people – including villagers and tourists – and left many more homeless.

“Huge piles of debris lay everywhere; it was clear the wave had whacked every structure with incredible might,” she told the Guardian newspaper in the UK. “Cars teetered where they had been thrown, on top of rubble from collapsed dwellings. Fridges and air conditioners floated in the sea. I looked along the bay and saw that a well-known jetty was missing. So were villages that once lined the shore. I saw a thatched fale [house] surrounded by three policemen and some villagers. A woman was lying inside and someone was trying to revive her.”

New Zealanders have already donated over $600,000 to aid agencies operating on the islands, but the Red Cross and Oxfam are desperately asking for more.

“Any money given to the Red Cross for an emergency goes to that emergency, we ensure that it’s spent where it’s most needed and that’s at the ground in the communities,” said Andrew McKie from the Red Cross.

Organizations such as World Vision, The Salvation Army and UNICEF are also seeking donations.

“Many are homeless, but the extended family system means they will stay with relatives in other villages,” said Stephenson. “Samoans are extraordinary people, and their resilience is evident.”

For more information on how to donate to victims of this disaster, click here.

Hugh Jackman Turns Eco-Hero For Climate Week NYC

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Hugh Jackman helped launch Climate Week NYC 2009 on Monday, September 21, at the New York Public Library.

Jackman – an ambassador for World Vision – joined former British prime minister Tony Blair and others to launch the event.

“I hope to be a voice for the billion people in developing countries who will be the hardest hit by changing weather patterns, by the droughts and floods that destroy their crops and threaten their food security,” said Jackman. “Climate Week NYC provides an ideal forum to help underscore the urgency for world leaders to secure and fund an ambitious global climate change deal in Copenhagen that is effective, fair and binding.”

Jackman was referring to the UN Climate Summit, being held this week in Copenhagen.

As an ambassador to World Vision, Jackman has witnessed farmers in Africa who are struggling to continue working in the face of climate change. He told the story of a coffee farmer who he met when he visited in Ethiopia a year ago.

“On this trip it really gelled for me that you can’t separate the issues of climate change and poverty,” he said. “They are inextricably linked. Having been to Ethiopia and seen these farmers, seen the battle they face from what is a problem that the developed countries have brought on many of these developing countries, there is a justice, there is a gap we need to fill.”

He also talked about his own carbon footprint.

“I don’t do private jets. I try and do my best and I teach [sustainability] to my kids. It’s humbling, it’s embarrassing sometimes, when you go to Dukalee’s farm who has nothing and who’s doing no harm by shovelling manure, and there’s me in my lovely apartment. Deb [wife Deborra-lee Furness] and I have brought in a company to say what we can do in our home – change light bulbs, etc.

“Everyone does their best.”

Laura Bush Joins World Vision Malaria Campaign

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Former U.S. first lady Laura Bush and Major League Baseball pitching legend Rick Sutcliffe have joined the advisory council of World Vision’s “End Malaria” campaign.

They join Ray Chambers, the first U.N. Special Envoy for Malaria; Malaria No More CEO Scott Case and Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ), in committing to assist and advise efforts to fight malaria and save the lives of millions of children around the world.

Malaria kills nearly 1 million people a year, 85 percent of whom are children. World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization working in 64 malaria-endemic countries, last year launched an initiative to boost prevention and treatment activities in hard-hit areas and strengthen advocacy to improve government policies and increase resources.

“Each of us can do our part whether we are public leaders, notable athletes or simply concerned Americans, and we thank our advisors for dedicating their time and talents to combat this leading cause of death for babies and young children in the developing world,” stated Richard Stearns, president of World Vision. “This is a disease that can be prevented, treated and defeated.”

This is not the first time Mrs. Bush has collaborated with World Vision to fight malaria. In June of 2007, she met with local caregivers and visited a training center for household-based care providers in Zambia supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Zambian government. During her time there, she helped assemble caregiver kits with bed nets to equip households against malaria through the World Vision-led RAPIDS coalition (Reaching HIV and AIDS Affected People with Integrated Development and Support).

Rick Sutcliffe brings not only a personal passion to the fight against malaria, but also a track-record in rallying others on good causes. The 3-time all-star garnered many honors during his 18 years in Major League Baseball, including the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1979 and the Cy Young award in 1984. He has contributed to ESPN’s “Monday Night Baseball” as an analyst and also covers Major League Baseball’s World Series, internationally. Sutcliffe said he is eager to capitalize on his resources and experience with teamwork to help make a difference.

“I strongly believe in World Vision’s mission to end malaria and make the world a better place for children. It is a privilege to join them in this campaign,” said Sutcliffe. “Working together as a team with supporters at home and a strong presence in the field, we can strike out this preventable, killer disease.”

The End Malaria campaign aims to reduce illnesses and deaths from malaria, contributing to the global goal of near zero preventable malaria deaths by 2015. World Vision distributes insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent infectious mosquito bites and works in partnerships to ensure nets, prevention training and medicines are available in impoverished communities where needed.

The campaign also focuses on raising awareness of the global impact of malaria in the United States to garner new resources and expand the growing movement to end malaria. Among the goals is to increase U.S. government funding to combat malaria to at least $1 billion a year.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

Daughtry Rocks DNC, Packs Kits for Charity

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Jennifer Beckmann

Do-gooder rockers Chris Daughtry and his bandmates packed World Vision’s AIDS caregiver kits at a local Denver high school.

The students of Manual High School in Denver, Colorado were treated to a very special photo op last Tuesday: Daughtry was on hand to assist in the students’ efforts to pack AIDS caregiver kits to send to Africa.

Chris Daughtry and his bandmates thanked the school’s volunteers for their work and posed for photos inside a large ribbon which consisted of 6.1 million pennies – a penny for every person who has died of AIDS since the last election.

Also on hand were Democratic Senator Tom Daschle and Representative Nita Lowey, as well as Princess Zulu of Zambia.

“I want to thank all of you for being here at the convention, ready to do something very unconventional. This is a good example of how American voters are ready to elect a candidate who will show leadership when it comes to issues of extreme poverty,” Princess Zulu said.

Daughtry visited Africa earlier in the year as representatives of Bono’s ONE Campaign.

Carrie Catherine Takes World Vision On Tour

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 08:26:37 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

At each of singer Carrie Catherine’s performances, she brings with her a small box. It’s filled with photos of children, and on behalf of those kids and World Vision, she asks her audience to consider choosing one of them to sponsor.

Through sponsorship, World Vision is able to provide children with life necessities and more. Not only do the children receive food, vitamin supplements and safe water, but World Vision is able to provide them with an education by paying for school uniforms, school fees, hands-on skills training, training for local teachers, and even building classrooms.

Catherine says, “I’m very honored to be representing World Vision and giving audiences an opportunity to sponsor a child at the shows. I became a sponsor of Prince from the Democratic Republic of Congo not too long ago, and the experience has been really profound. I urge you all to check out World Vision’s website and change someone’s life right now.”

Last week’s Earth Hour – where the world was asked to shut off all lights from 8 to 9 pm – fell upon Catherine’s 29 March performance. Not a problem for this artist – the venue simply shut down it’s power and an acoustic jam session filled the hour.

Still on tour, the audience has responded favourably to Catherine’s plea for the children through both sponsorship and donations. “I’m so grateful to those new sponsors. It’s great to see kids go home with someone.”

Hilton Donates Family Fortune To Charity

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:23:54 -0000

Paris Hilton’s paternal grandfather, Barron Hilton, has announced that he will contribute $1.2 billion of the proceeds from the sale of Hilton Hotels Corporation and Harrah’s Entertainment to a unitrust to benefit the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, a charity established by his father over 60 years ago.

“Speaking for the family as well as the foundation, we are all exceedingly proud and grateful for this extraordinary commitment,” said his son, Steven M. Hilton, President and CEO of the Foundation. “Working to alleviate human suffering around the globe, regardless of race, religion or geography, is the mandate of the foundation set by my grandfather, Conrad Hilton, and now reinforced by my father, Barron Hilton.”

Conrad established his charitable Foundation in 1944, “to relieve the suffering, the distressed, and the destitute” on a global scale. More than half of the grants are given to international initiatives. The Foundation has contributed over $560 million worldwide to date.

In West Africa, the Foundation has worked with partners like World Vision, UNICEF, WaterAid and The Carter Center to increase access to safe water by providing wells, alternative water systems and latrines, resource centers and training on hygiene to reduce the incidence of blinding trachoma and guinea worm. In Mexico, it supports an organization called Alternativas y Procesos de Participacion Social to develop potable water sources.

Other initiatives the Hilton Foundation support include program development and teacher training for the blind, housing for homeless who are mentally ill, social service projects provided by the Catholic Sisters, and care and services for disabled babies and their families.

Additionally, the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, at $1.5 million, brings together leaders to look at solutions to providing aid to needy populations, and is donated annually “to a charitable organization that is doing extraordinary work in relieving suffering.”

Barron Hilton also announced that he will contribute 97 percent of his entire net worth to benefit the Foundation, at whatever value it is at the time of his passing. It is currently estimated at $2.3 billion.

Alex Trebek to Visit Zambia with World Vision

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:01:59 -0000

Alex Trebek, longtime host of Jeopardy! and supporter of humanitarian organization World Vision, will visit the southern Africa nation of Zambia from June 28 –
July 2.

He and his family will meet children and adults benefiting from a
wide variety of programs and interventions that the Trebeks are supporting in the Kapululwe region, near Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

Throughout Zambia, many parents have died of AIDS and many are living with the disease. Approximately 20 percent of the population is infected. AIDS not only tears families apart, it often affects a family’s health, a child’s future, and a community’s access to a reliable food supply, education, and economic development.

After several years of special projects with World Vision, broadcast throughout the United States and Canada, Trebek expressed interest to World Vision in bringing significant change to a particular village. This resulted in Trebek’s comprehensive support of Kabeleka, a specific community of Kapululwe, which is deeply impacting the physical and educational well-being of thousands of children and families.

Critically needed improvements supported by Trebek have included the building of a school and two teachers’ houses, seven boreholes providing clean water, a new rural health center, immunization and treatment of multiple childhood diseases, and microenterprise loans and business coaching. Trebek’s family visit will include a celebration of the official
opening of these services in Kabeleka.

“There are so many important ways to change a life, or many lives, through World Vision,” explains Trebek. “Our family has chosen Kabeleka, and we hope others will join us in exploring ways that they can help children lead healthy lives of learning and pursuing their potential.”

While in Zambia, the Trebeks will also visit sites outside of Kabeleka where conditions remain dire, and where World Vision is organizing community care coalitions and volunteer caregivers to serve people living with HIV/AIDS.

How a trip to Africa changed Michelle Wright's life

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:16:14 -0000

Written by Greg Hitchcock

Canadian-born Michelle Wright’s latest record Everything and More is clearly one of the happiest, most filled-with-gratitude country-ish albums you’ll hear.

Ironically, it came together when the 45-year-old singer and
songwriter, who has sold more than two million records, gave up her ambition to become an even bigger country star after getting involved with World Vision in 2002, when she went to Zambia and saw the AIDS crisis first-hand.

In June of 2002, Wright traveled to Zambia to film a television special for World Vision, the child sponsorship organization. It was a life-changing experience for her; Zambia is one of the poorest countries in the world, and in some areas over 60 percent of the Zambian population is HIV positive.

“It’s changed my life. I saw first-hand how privileged I am,” Wright says on her mobile just outside Saint John, NB.

“For a long time, all I could focus on was my career, fighting the good fight by selling a million records, paying the mortgage and the good people that work with me,” she said.

Wright said all that changed for her after she went to the African
relief camps and saw massive suffering on an unimaginable scale. After that experience, she said she had to rethink her whole mission in life.

“I still have a lot of responsibilities here but now what is really
important to me is coming from a different place in my heart,” Wright said.“It’s so important, I usually have a World Vision sponsorship table at all my concerts.”

Wright followed up her Zambian experience with a trip to Honduras for World Vision in June 2004. She now sponsors both a Zambian child and a Honduran child, and continues to help out World Vision whenever and wherever she can.

Wright is no stranger to charity. She was the Honorary Chairperson for “Operation C.A.T. Scan”, a fundraising campaign that raised almost two million dollars for St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham, Ontario (the hospital where Wright was born). The campaign raised money for the hospital to purchase its first C.A.T. Scan machine.

She was also Celebrity Spokeswoman for the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games and contributed to the Power of Peace CD celebrating the 50th anniversary of CARE.

Look To The Stars News: World Vision

Neil Finn To Headline Charity Concert For Samoan Relief

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Aid Agencies Seek Donations For Samoan Tsunami Vistims

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Hugh Jackman Turns Eco-Hero For Climate Week NYC

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Laura Bush Joins World Vision Malaria Campaign

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