Look To The Stars News: Los Angeles Mission

Kirk Douglas Will Feed The Hungry On Thanksgiving

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Veteran actor Kirk Douglas – along with his wife Anne – will once again host his annual Thanksgiving meal for the homeless on Los Angeles’ Skid Row on November 25.

For the past five years Kirk Douglas and his wife have hosted the street dinner at the Los Angeles Mission. Volunteers from TV, radio and movies, political leaders and others will bring Thanksgiving a day early to thousands of homeless men, women and children. The day will feature the traditional Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, served hot and fresh in a friendly family atmosphere. Los Angeles Christian Health Centers will provide foot care and exams at the event.

Already scheduled to help out this year are Corbin Bleu (High School Musical), Booboo Stewart (The Twilight Saga – Eclipse), Carolyn Hennessy (Cougartown), Naya Rivera (Glee), Aldis Hodge (Leverage), Congress Members Maxine Waters and David Dreier, Sheriff Lee Baca, and others.

For over 50 years, the Los Angeles Mission has served the people of Hope Central (known as Skid Row), providing emergency services such as shelter, food, clothing, as well as professional medical and dental services. In addition, the Los Angeles Mission also offers long-term residential rehabilitation programs including education, job training/placement, transitional housing and counseling.

Celebrity guests in the past have included Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Melissa Gilbert, Michael Douglas, Minnie Driver, Leeza Gibbons, Sally Kirkland and Kevin Nealon, all of whom have helped prepare, serve and clear plates. Last year, more than 3,000 people were fed a full course Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.

Kirk Douglas Encourages School Children

Tue, 12 May 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Veteran actor Kirk Douglas has blogged about his support of the young people who attend the high school named after him in California.

“A few weeks ago, I made a visit to the Kirk Douglas High School,” he wrote on his MySpace page. "I am proud that they asked to name their school after me. One of my pet projects is to try to inspire young people to at least have a high school education. Then, I try to encourage them to go to college. As a small inducement I give every graduate a $500 check.

“When I spoke to the students I was surprised that they each gave me their personal pledge of what they wanted to do in life to improve our world: from volunteering in hospitals and local schools, to supporting our troops by sending letters and care packages. One student has agreed to help the elderly by volunteering at a convalescent center (I wonder if I inspired him).

“I am proud of the students of Kirk Douglas High School.”

Kirk Douglas is well known for his community work. The 92-year-old holds an annual star-studded event at the Los Angeles Mission every Thanksgiving in which celebrities help volunteers feed the homeless.

He also has a keen interest in improving LA’s playgrounds. Along with his wife, Anne, he established the Anne & Kirk Douglas Playground Award to provide assistance to the Los Angeles Unified School District to enhance their schools’ outdoor and recreational spaces. The award supports and encourages Los Angeles public school communities in creating playgrounds that will be the keystones of campus revitalization and give the city’s children the fulfilling experiences and opportunities they deserve.

To watch a video of Douglas addressing the school, click here.

Cindy Crawford Feeds The Homeless

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Love Hewitt were among the stars who helped out at Kirk Douglas’ annual Thanksgiving Meal for the Homeless on Wednesday.

“It’s a great cause,” said actor Ross McCall. “What a wonderful thing that you get to deliver a hot meal to someone who needs it.”

Between 2,500 and 3,000 people benefited from the celebrity meal, which also featured free health checks.

“It’s just about recognizing how fortunate we all are,” said Crawford. “It’s a way for us to just put our heads in the right state of mind for being truly thankful and it’s great to interact with the guests of the Los Angeles Mission and just be able to serve them a warm meal.”

Hewitt – who is a regular at the annual event – was also full of praise for the work of the Los Angeles Mission, where the event was staged: “What they do all year round, besides just what they do on the holidays, is really inspiring.”

Celebrities Expected For Kirk Douglas Thanksgiving Meal

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Yesterday, Look To The Stars brought you news about Kirk Douglas’ annual Thanksgiving Meal for the Homeless. We can now announce the lineup of stars expected to join the 91-year-old at the Los Angeles Mission.

Making a difference for Thanksgiving this year are Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer), Cindy Crawford, Corbin Bleu (High School Musical III), Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty), Neil McDonough (Desperate Housewives), Rebecca Mader (Lost), James Black (Starter Wife), Wilmer Valderrama (Fast Food Nation), Christopher Knight (Brady Bunch), Adrianne Curry (America’s Next Top Model), Doug Rinehardt (The Hills), Deniece Williams (Singer-Songwriter), Katherine Kelly Lang (the Bold and the Beautiful), Daren Kagasoff (Secret Life of the American Teenager), Nora Zehetner (Heroes), Natasha Alam (the Women), Alaina Huffman (Smallville), Christa Campbell (Day of the Dead), Shirly Brener (Righteous Kill), Kate Linder (the Young and the Restless), Ross McCall (Band of Brothers), Brandon Barash (General Hospital), C. S. Lee (Dexter), Jorge-Luis Pallo (Secret Life of the American Teenager), and Casey Reinhardt (Laguna Beach). And, as in past years, there will be a few more surprises on the day.

The celebrities are expected to gather at the Los Angeles Mission – on the corner of E. Fifth Street and Wall Street – at 10:45am tomorrow, November 26, and start dishing out meals to the city’s homeless at 11am. The event will run until 3pm.

Kirk Douglas To Feed The Homeless For Thanksgiving

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Kirk Douglas will host his annual Thanksgiving Meal for the Homeless on Wednesday, November 26.

Along with his wife, Anne Douglas, and a host of celebrities that will be announced just before the event, the 91-year-old actor will be dishing out meals at the Los Angeles Mission on the corner of Wall Street at 11am.

Celebrity guests in the past have included Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Melissa Gilbert, Michael Douglas Minnie Driver, Leeza Gibbons, Sally Kirkland, and Kevin Nealon, all of whom have helped prepare, serve and clear plates. Last year, more than 3,000 people were fed a full course Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.

Kirk Douglas Receives Honor For Playground Work

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Kirk Douglas has been honored for his work improving children’s playgrounds across Los Angeles.

The 91-year-old received the Good News Makers of the Year Award with his wife, Anne, at the annual High Flying Fundraiser luncheon held by the Good News Foundation last week.

The Douglases’ interest in improving LA’s playgrounds started in 1997, when Anne Douglas learnt of the deplorable condition of Los Angeles’ public school playgrounds. Along with her husband, Anne established the Anne & Kirk Douglas Playground Award to provide assistance to the Los Angeles Unified School District to enhance their schools’ outdoor and recreational spaces. The award supports and encourages Los Angeles public school communities in creating playgrounds that will be the keystones of campus revitalization and give the city’s children the fulfilling experiences and opportunities they deserve.

Kirk Douglas – who suffered a stroke in 1996 that has affected his ability to speak – volunteers at the Los Angeles Mission every Thanksgiving, and earlier this month spoke to communicative disorder students in Cal State Long Beach about speech therapy, life, show biz and surviving a stroke.

“When you have a stroke, you must speak slowly to be understood,” he said. “And I discovered that, when I speak slowly, people listen. They think I’m going to say something important.”

Douglas will also receive an honor at the Ambassadors for Humanity Gala Dinner on October 22.

2007 - The Year The Stars Gave Back

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:11:14 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

2007 was a year of giving, both on grand and not-so-grand scales. Celebrities from all fields, be it movies, music, sport or general entertainment, showed compassion beyond the call of duty, and in most cases had a lot of fun doing it.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest events of the year was Live Earth in July, where stars new and old shone in all of the corners of the Earth to raise awareness of the plight of the planet. The shows were generally well-received, and led to organizer Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

But celebrities also participated in smaller, more personal acts of kindness in 2007. Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Melissa Gilbert, and Michael Douglas all donated their time to feed the hungry at the Los Angeles Mission, Fran Drescher launched the Cancer Schmancer Movement, and Ewan McGregor visited UNICEF projects during his epic motorcycle trip across Africa.

In January, Kevin Bacon launched www.sixdegrees.org, a website designed to marry the concepts of social internet networks and charities. The site aims to help people fundraise for their chosen causes, and features celebrities such as Kyra Sedgwick and Ashley Judd.

Bette Midler, founder of the New York Restoration Project, launched the Million Trees NYC initiative with Mayor Michael Bloomberg in October, to get city dwellers to plant more trees. The project plans to increase New York’s urban forest by 20% in the next ten years.

“To walk under the branches of a tree that you have planted connects you to the roots of our past and the aspirations of our future,” said the 62-year-old singer and actress.

Another singer with a sense of community in 2007 was Jon Bon Jovi who, as well as participating in various benefit concerts, also worked with Project HOME to revitalize a deteriorated lot in Philadelphia and transform it into homes for fifteen families.

And then there was Shakira, co-founder of the Latin America for Solidarity Fund and Pies Descalzos, who donated $40 million to victims of natural disasters in Peru and Nicaragua, and another $5 million to benefit education programs for children across Latin America.

The California wildfires that ravaged much of the state in November also spawned a spate of celebrity donations, with Linkin Park, the Eagles, and Gwen Stefani all making substantial contributions to both victims and firefighters.

American Idol gave back in April, with two shows that raised over $60 million to benefit organizations funding relief programs in America and Africa, featuring performances by Kelly Clarkson, Madonna, and others. Organized by Simon Cowell, American Idol Gives Back also led to a $100,000 donation by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Another talk show host to shine this year was Oprah Winfrey, who opened a state-of-the-art school in South Africa for disadvantaged girls.

“I am creating everything in this school that I would have wanted for myself—so the girls will have the absolute best that my imagination can offer,” said the 53-year-old, who poured $40 million of her own money into the project.

Brad Pitt took on the mission of rebuilding New Orleans by donating $5 million towards new houses, and also set up the Make It Right Foundation to assist in his work. Meanwhile, his wife Angelina Jolie set out to do what her character Lara Croft does best – save the world. As well as donating $100,000 to build the Duk Lost Boys Medical Clinic in the Sudan in March, Jolie also traveled to Iraq and Syria to raise support for those displaced by war.

Although literally tonnes of articles were written about Jolie’s efforts during 2007, even more was reported on Don Cheadle’s and George Clooney’s work to publicize the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The stars of Ocean’s Thirteen established a charity for the Sudanese region called Not On Our Watch, and personally raised over $9 million to help those affected by conflict in the region. The pair were awarded a special peace prize by Nobel laureates for their efforts.

And no round up of the year’s events can be complete without mention of Bono, who continued being Bono by doing what Bono does best – raising awareness for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the needy, and the disadvantaged.

We at Look To The Stars would like to wish all of our readers a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year, and we look forward to continuing to bring you celebrity charity news in 2008.

Celebrities' Festive Gifts

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:21:24 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A pledge to walk one of the biggest man-made structures in the world, a successful celebrity auction, a tour of far away places, and a donation of time and energy were just some of the ways celebrities gave to the poor, the sick, and those unable to spend time with their families this Christmas.

Singer Olivia Newton-John met with the founders of Welsh breast cancer charity In The Pink over Christmas to discuss fund raising opportunities, and revealed her plans to walk the length of the Great Wall of China in April. Proceeds from the walk will go to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Australia, and the 59-year-old breast cancer survivor will also donate items to In The Pink to auction later in the year.

Meanwhile, socialite Kathy Hilton organized a charity auction over Christmas, featuring a selection of items donated by some of her famous friends. Mel Gibson’s jeans, Tom Cruise’s sunglasses, and an Ocean’s Thirteen script signed by the movie’s stars, including George Clooney and Brad Pitt, raised money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“Christmas is my favorite time of the year,” said Hilton, mother of Paris Hilton. “I have worked with Make-A-Wish before, and I wanted to do something really special. Hopefully… I’ll make it an annual event.”

Robin Williams, Lance Armstrong, Kid Rock, and Lewis Black were also busy over the festive season, and joined current Miss USA Rachel Smith on a 14 show tour with the USO in Afghanistan.

The shows were well received by soldiers from all nations, stationed away from their homes and families this Christmas.

“Afghanistan is sometimes called the forgotten war,” said one soldier who watched the shows. “We don’t get a lot of attention here, and conditions are pretty miserable. So it means a lot.”

The USO organized 52 celebrity tours in 2007 – which included over 300 shows.

And in Los Angeles, Jennifer Love Hewitt joined her new fiancé Ross McCall, as well as Melissa Joan Hart and Melissa Gilbert, to dish out dinners to the needy at the Los Angeles Mission.

“I have made it a point to come to the Los Angeles Mission at Christmas,” said the 28-year-old actress. “There are so many hurting people on the streets of our city, but when I’m here I get to see the smiles of the children and the great food for everyone. I come to give something back, but invariably I get more blessings than I give.”

Celebrities, Volunteers Step Up To The Plate

Thu, 23 Nov 2006 09:28:02 -0000

Written by Jill Marie Elliott

On the eve of Thanksgiving Day, the homeless men, women and children along Los Angeles’ Skid Row were served a holiday dinner in what has become an annual event. The Los Angeles Mission provides the meals while close to 400 volunteers, including Kirk Douglas and wife Anne, Minnie Driver, Leeza Gibbons, Sally Kirkland, and Kevin Nealon help prepare, serve and clear plates. Last year, more than 3,000 people were fed a full course Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.

Look To The Stars News: Los Angeles Mission

Kirk Douglas Will Feed The Hungry On Thanksgiving

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