Look To The Stars News: War Child

Matt Damon Returns For ONE X ONE

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

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

ONE X ONE’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, ONE X ONE 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, ONE X ONE’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.

Girls Aloud Show Their Humanitarian Side

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A special auction on eBay last week helped raise more than $18,000 for children’s charity War Child.

A host of celebrities, including Girls Aloud and Keane, donated items for a special celebrity auction for the charity, which raises money to support children acutely affected by conflict in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones.

A number of items at the auction gained special attention, including a pair of signed Spin paintings by Damien Hirst that sold for around $8,000 each. A pair of shoes donated by Keane vocalist Tom Chaplin sold for $900, and a painting by Girls Aloud went out for $160.

Girls Aloud, a British girl group formed in 2002, also showed their humanitarian side last week when they met a little girl backstage whose father had recently died.

Macie Nunn, five, wrote to the group to tell them about the difficult year her family has had since her dad Mark, 37, collapsed and died of an undetected heart condition at work last May.

“We were going to the concert anyway but I thought it would be extra nice if Macie could meet the girls,” said Macie’s mother, Jude. “We were amazed when we got a call on Sunday at 7am from one of the girl’s assistants saying that she’d like to organize a meet and greet for us before the concert.”

Macie was extremely excited about the band’s invitation, and it will be an experience she will remember for a long time.

“Kimberley [one of the singers] hugged, cuddled, and kissed Macie the way I do,” said Jude. “She was so nice and all of the girls were so moved by her bravery. Macie had lipstick on her cheek and she didn’t want to wash it off. It was so nice that the girls took time out to meet their fans, and Macie was over-the-moon. We’ve both been hyper ever since.”

Raine Maida Building Schools for War Child

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:10:26 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Raine Maida traded in his Our Lady Peace fame for the black garb of a busker last week to give a 12-hour performance on Toronto’s financial district sidewalks and street corners. His goal was to raise $30,000 to rebuild a school in the Democratic Republic of Congo through War Child.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, where a decade of war has killed millions and displaced countless more, has entered a ceasefire with a new, elected government. People have been returning home, but there is little to return to.

So far, War Child’s efforts in the Congo include the rehabilitation of 11 schools, helping over 4,000 children to an education. Says James Topham, spokesman for War Child, “There is a direct link between education and child mortality.”

This is the second school rebuilding project Maida and his wife, singer Chantal Kreviazuk, have become involved in. Just back from visiting a War Child project in Ethiopia, Ms Kreviazuk says: “I have never been more certain of this grass roots charity’s authenticity, or its integrity. Never have I been more excited about aid and development by War Child Canada. Our money and our time and energy are NOT going to waste!”

Maida agrees: “You give money to a charity and you don’t know where it goes. At the end of this, you’ll be able to see a school. It’s pretty amazing that $30,000 can change the lives of so many kids.”

As Maida’s open guitar case began to fill with donations from passersby, Maida said “I’m amazed at the generosity of everybody. I don’t know if I set my expectations too low, but I figured a bunch of loonies and toonies (Canadian $1 and $2 coins), and there was that, but a lot of people were giving bills, 20s. One guy walked by and gave us $100. Pretty amazing.”

A film crew taped Maida’s day of busking, and the film will debut in mid-November, when he releases his new solo album, “The Hunter’s Lullaby”. The short documentary will accompany the album’s first single, Yellow Brick Road, which Maida says “will be a testament to human goodwill and made for the cost of a cup of coffee.”

Look To The Stars News: War Child

Matt Damon Returns For ONE X ONE

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Girls Aloud Show Their Humanitarian Side

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Raine Maida Building Schools for War Child

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