Look To The Stars News: ONEXONE

Matt Damon To Be Honored For Charity At Critics' Choice Awards

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:30:00 +0000

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) announced today that renowned actor and philanthropist Matt Damon will be presented with the fourth annual Joel Siegel Award at the 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. The ceremony will air live on VH1 on Friday, January 14 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

Given annually, this special award pays homage to beloved “Good Morning America” film critic and BFCA member Joel Siegel, who lost his long struggle with cancer in June, 2007.

Matt Damon To Host Charity Fundraiser Next Week

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Matt Damon will host the third annual ONEXONE fundraiser in New York next week.

The evening will feature keynote speaker Paul Farmer, Co-Founder of Partners in Health, and a special musical performance from multi-platinum band Collective Soul, as well as other popular artist and an award-winning local children’s choir. ONEXONE will welcome back Jay Bilas in his third year as Master of Ceremonies, and Jesse Itzler in his second year as Auctioneer of the event’s live auction. 9-year old pianist and composer Ethan Bortnick will also return to this year’s show. Patricia Arquette will receive the ONEXONE Difference Award for her work with Give Love, the organization that she co-founded.

Mia Hamm and Lennox Lewis are both expected to attend.

Matt Damon To Host ONEXONE Charity Fundraiser

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +0000

ONEXONE, the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, along with Academy Award-winner Matt Damon, will host their 3rd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser on Wednesday, October 27th at Capitale at 130 Bowery in New York City.

Celebrities’ Quick Response To Haiti Disaster

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Here’s what some celebrities are up to, in response to the earthquake disaster that has destroyed Port-au-Prince and devastated Haiti:

Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt: “The people of Haiti are in desperate need of help. Our organization, Not On Our Watch, will do whatever it can and we know the international community will as well.” Not On Our Watch has donated $1 million in emergency response funds to provide medical services to victims of the disaster.

Wyclef Jean: “Yéle Haiti Foundation has pulled together a group of like minded organizations and first responders in order to help coordinate the delivery of emergency services and materials needed by victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Each of the organizations will undertake their own fundraising and on-the-ground operations, but have agreed to share resources, collaborate when it makes sense and avoid duplication.” Four airlifts of medical and emergency supplies and food have already gone out. ONEXONE, one of the like minded organizations, has also already shipped medical supplies, water and blankets for on-the-ground support.

Lebron James Donates to ONEXONE

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:30:00 +0000

On the season finale of the HBO hit show ‘Entourage’, NBA star LeBron James appeared as himself alongside Matt Damon as they hounded Vinnie (played by Adrian Grenier) to donate to Damon’s ONEXONE Foundation. During the last few minutes of the show, LeBron told Vinnie that he donated “$1 million” to the foundation.

But did he really?

Now, after months of speculation, LeBron James has confirmed that he did, in fact, donate one million to ONEXONE. When asked if the donation he mentioned on Entourage “was real,” LeBron said “Of course it’s real.”

Matt Damon’s Persistent Efforts To Supply Africa With Clean Water

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Taking a break from promoting his latest film at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, Matt Damon squeezed in a side-line interview on completely different subject – charity – with the Toronto Star.

Toronto seems to be an annual escape for Damon. He is, after all, the most famous face regularly attached to ONEXONE, a Canadian charity that works to improve the lives of children around the world. Keen to make a difference in the lives of the impoverished, Damon says that since he is finally in a position to do so, for him there is no question.

“[Growing up], we had a magnet on our refrigerator,” he told the Star. “It was a quote from Gandhi: ‘No matter how insignificant what you do may seem, it is most important that you do it.’ I was raised to believe that and I still do. It’s incumbent on us as citizens of the world to do the best we can within our sphere of influence to effect positive change.”

Charlize Theron Kisses For Charity Cash

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

ONEXONE, the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, hosted their 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron, Jeremy Piven, Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, David Arquette, Mia Hamm, Nomar Garciaparra, Laila Ali and more helped raise funds and awareness for charitable causes.

The evening featured keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America, along with a special headline performance from Snow Patrol. Additional entertainment included performances by Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, Spencer Day, the local jazz vocalist from San Francisco, and Ethan Bortnick, the 8-year old pianist and composer who wrote his own song “It’s For the Kids” in honor of the event. ONEXONE also welcomed back Jay Bilas for his second year as Master of Ceremonies.

ONEXONE Prepares For Star-Studded Fundraiser

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

ONEXONE, a charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, will host the 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

Academy Award-winner Matt Damon will be the ambassador for the evening, which features keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America and Master of Ceremonies Jay Bilas. The annual fundraiser will announce details surrounding the organization’s latest program in partnership with ONEXONE Ambassadors Matt Damon and Mia Hamm, and Academy-Award winner Charlize Theron and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project.

The evening will include a special headline performance by Snow Patrol, along with musical performances by Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, local San Francisco jazz musician Spencer Day and 8-year old pianist and composer Ethan Bortnick, along with other special guests.

Matt Damon Announces 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser In San Francisco

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

ONEXONE – the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally – along with Academy Award-winner Matt Damon, will host their 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

The evening will feature keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America, along with a special headline performance from Snow Patrol, who is coming off their highly successful solo tour in the U.S. and recent sold-out tour with U2. Additional speakers and entertainment include Carlos Santana on behalf of The Milagro Foundation, Spencer Day, a local jazz vocalist from San Francisco, and Ethan Bortnick, the 8-year old pianist and composer. ONEXONE will also welcome back Jay Bilas for his second year as Master of Ceremonies.

Matt Damon Joins Entourage For Charity

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Matt Damon will make a cameo appearance on the latest season of Entourage to promote a charity he is involved with.

“It wasn’t hard to get him,” Entourage executive producer Doug Elin told TV Guide. “Matt came on the phone with me and wanted to do something that focused on his charity, ONEXONE, which helps kids all over the world.”

Damon will join NBA star LeBron James in the episode, which features Damon forcing Adrian Grenier’s character to donate more to the charity than he intended to.

Matt Damon Hosts ONE X ONE Gala In San Francisco

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

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.”

Matt Damon And Wyclef Jean Witness Storm Destruction

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

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.

Matt Damon Hosts ONE X ONE Awards

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

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.

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 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.”

Matt Damon Heads Back To Toronto For ONE X ONE

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

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.

Ben Affleck Attends One X One Fundraiser

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:34:00 +0000

Celebrity crusader Ben Affleck was among the stars at the ONEXONE fundraising gala in Calgary, Canada, on Saturday night.

Over 300 people attended the event to raise funds for various children’s charities and recognize the OneXOne 2008 Difference Award recipients: Canadian hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser, the Calgary Flames, and five-year-old Jack Yeilding, who raised $14,000 for ailing children. And despite a few mishaps earlier in the night – the sponsorship backdrops fell onto the red carpet and caused chaos prior to the guests arriving – the event was a resounding success.

“You have to extend your hand to those who have fallen down,” joked Affleck. “Like our backdrop that keeps falling down, you see the good people from OneXOne continue to raise it back up. All of this [work for ONEXONE] has kind of served to remind me of how lucky that I have been, how much I’ve kind of benefited and how much I owe . . . to the world to try to give back as much as I can.”

Ben Affleck To Host One-X-One Fundraiser

Thu, 01 May 2008 10:59:00 +0000

For the past three years, Ben Affleck has watched his buddy Matt Damon host the ONEXONE fundraiser in Toronto. This year, the Oscar-winning activist actor will take centre stage as he hosts the OneXOne Gala (June 14) from a new location – Commonwealth Hall in Calgary.

“We are delighted to add an additional gala to our schedule this year, and look forward to bringing the ONEXONE message to Calgary,” said Joelle Berdugo Adler, founder of OneXOne, in a statement. “Our objective is to improve children’s lives here and abroad, and we have been deeply touched by the support and dedication of our guests, sponsors, and award recipients.”

The addition of a second event in a new location reflects a growing awareness of the charity.

Damon and Affleck Travel to Africa

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:53:00 +0000

September has already turned into a busy month for actor Matt Damon, and has seen him hosting a major children’s gala event, attending a screening of the documentary he produced to bring awareness to H2O Africa, and now flying to Africa.

September 10 saw Damon and long time friend, Ben Affleck, traveling to Tanzania to learn about the aid work being carried out in the country.

“We’re just going to observe these programs,” said Damon, who visited Zambia on a similar trip in 2006. “Our job is just to be quiet and take notes and meet people and listen to peoples’ stories.”

Damon Is Back for ONE X ONE

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 16:50:00 +0000

Matt Damon will once again host ONEXONE’s annual Difference Awards ceremony on September 9. Among those being recognized this year for their extraordinary efforts towards fighting child poverty and suffering will be Richard Gere, Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and Petra Nemcova.

ONEXONE is a non-profit organization that supports children in Canada and abroad. Established less than three years ago, it has already raised over $5 million and created partnerships with major corporations and foundations.

The charity’s projects include providing first-nations kids with breakfast every day, and a ‘doctor exchange’ in which doctors from Haiti and Rwanda will train at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children; in turn, Toronto doctors will travel to Rwanda to repair the heart valves of children damaged by water-borne illnesses.

Sachs Appeal - Who is Jeffrey Sachs?

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:48:00 +0000

Brad Pitt sang his praises at the ONEXONE fundraiser, and George Soros donated $50 million to the program which he directs, the UN Millennium Project. Bono and Madonna are also big supporters, and Angelina Jolie has filmed an MTV special promoting his work.

So who is this man that so many stars are looking up to? Jeffrey Sachs is considered the leading economic advisor of his generation; he has been called “the most important economist in the world” by The New York Times Magazine. He is Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan regarding the Millennium Development Goals; has worked as an economic advisor to governments in Latin America, Eastern Europe, the former Yugoslavia, the former Soviet Union, Asia, and Africa; and has advised organizations such as the IMF, the World Bank, the OECD, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Development Programme. He is the Director of The Earth Institute, and President and Co-Founder of Millennium Promise Alliance, a nonprofit organization aimed at ending extreme global poverty.

But what really has people talking is the Millennium Villages he is helping to create as part of the UN Millennium Project. In 2004 the project implemented a plan to greatly reduce poverty by using practical, affordable means and empowering the people most affected by the condition.