Look To The Stars News: Robin Hood

Gwyneth Paltrow Launches Robin Hood Auction

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Gwyneth Paltrow is auctioning off her old clothes for a poverty charity.

The Oscar winner is donating a selection of “vintage” clothes to one of her favorite charities.

“I thought maybe I would eBay some of my favorite and most treasured things to raise some money for the [”Robin Hood":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/532-robin-hood] Foundation, who do a lot of amazing work in New York City," she wrote on her blog. “So check it out if you are interested.”

The auction includes bracelets, necklaces, bags, sunglasses, a bikini and much more – mostly from designer Stella McCartney.

“Gwyneth is a neighbor of ours and is obviously familiar with what we do,” said Boss of Flogit4u, Phillip Davies, who is overseeing the sale on auction. “She had a big clear-out of her wardrobe and wants to raise money for one of the charities she’s involved in. There are some amazing pieces from Jimmy Choo to Lanvin to Balenciaga.”

The Robin Hood Foundation targets poverty in New York City by finding and funding the most effective programs and partnering with them to maximize results.

To view the items going under the hammer and make a bid, click here.

Stars Raise Megabucks At ICAP Charity Day

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:30:00 -0000

ICAP (IAP.L), the world’s premier interdealer broker, raised $16.3 million (£11 million) worldwide on its 16th annual Charity Day, beating the $13.7 million (£9.2 million) raised in 2007. The money raised will be donated to over 100 charities worldwide.

“To raise over $16 million in one day is an incredible achievement, particularly in the current environment,” said Michael Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of ICAP. “It is the efforts of our customers, staff and supporters that made Charity Day 2008 such a fantastic success. Many needy people around the world will benefit from their efforts.”

In New York, ICAP hosted many celebrity spokespeople from the various charities it gave to this year, including: Boomer Esiason, Gary Carter, Anna Kournikova, Don Zimmer, Amy Adams, Joe Montana, Matt Dillon, Jeff Gordon, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, and Julianne Moore.

“I was thrilled to be involved in ICAP’s charity day,” said Julianne Moore. “They were so generous and so excited to be helping so many. It was really wonderful, in a year where there has been so much economic distress, to be with a group that focused on giving so whole heartedly. Every one of us at the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance was so thankful to be included in their tremendous generosity. Thank you, thank you ICAP!!”

The charities the celebrities raised cash for included the Boomer Esiason Foundation, the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, Communities in Schools, Four Rings Family Foundation, Goal USA, Refugees International, The Jeff Gordon Foundation, Partners in Health, Equality Now, Robin Hood Foundation, and the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.

“It’s disheartening to see and hear all the bad news that’s going around these days, and that’s why we can’t change the way we look at the world and interact with others, especially those groups like ours, which focus on an illness or disease and really change it for the better,” said Boomer Esiason, veteran NFL quarterback and founder of BEF. “I want to send a heartfelt thanks to all my new friends at ICAP and their customers for such a wonderful and supportive day.”

ICAP has raised a total of $79.2 million (£53 million) for Charity Day since it was started in 1993. A full list of the charities ICAP supported this year as well as more information about how ICAP’s donation will make a difference to the many lives receiving this aid can be found at www.icapcharityday.com.

Peter Buffett Offers Album Download For Charity

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Food Bank For New York City is seeing first hand the effects of the economic downturn – finding funding has become more challenging while the need for emergency food is increasing rapidly.

The Food Bank’s Community Kitchen of West Harlem, which served 92,000 meals last year, has seen its already long lines become even longer. As demand for emergency food increases, supply continues to decrease. More than 1.3 million New York City residents turned to food assistance in 2007 – a 24 percent increase from 2004. Given the downward economic climate, compounded by skyrocketing food prices and escalating unemployment, the demand for food is reaching crisis levels.

Recognizing this time of unprecedented need, Peter Buffett, The Robin Hood Foundation, AmieStreet.com, and the Food Bank For New York City have united to help fund the Food Bank this holiday season.

Starting today, Peter Buffett’s new holiday album, Star of Wonder, is available to download for free at http://amiestreet.com/fhb. For every free download, AmieStreet.com will make a $1 donation, which will be tripled by Robin Hood, allowing the Food Bank to provide 15 meals for New Yorkers in need.

“I have always looked for ways in which the music I make can play a larger role in the lives of others,” said Buffett, the son of Warren Buffett. “And I can think of no better way to accomplish this than having the direct effect of a download of free holiday music support the Food Bank of New York City. Every day millions of New Yorkers are dependent on the generosity of others – and by simply downloading this holiday album an additional 15 meals will be provided to those in need.”

In his accomplished career, Buffett, an Emmy Award-winning musician, has authored commercials for MTV, CNN and Coca-Cola, scored part of Dances With Wolves, and collaborated with Grammy-winner Akon, which was part of a previous Download To Make A Difference campaign with AmieStreet.com. He recently launched his new ‘Concert and Conversation’ series in the Fall of 2008, which is an entertaining and informative look at Peter’s extensive background in music, punctuated with stories about his philanthropic and life experiences as the son of one of the most noteworthy investors of our time.

Pearl Jam Raises Millions For Robin Hood

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rockers Pearl Jam have raised $3 million for charity after a gig in New York City on Monday night.

The band played an impressive 26-song set during a private show at the Big Apple’s 2,800-capacity Beacon Theater and raised the cash for the Robin Hood Foundation’s poverty fighting initiatives, bringing the Seattle-based band’s current tour to a successful and charitable close.

The show – to which some fans forked out $2,250 for a ticket – followed the band’s announcement last week that they are to back a campaign to raise money for patients fighting health insurance companies for payouts. A pre-concert fundraising party was held before the band’s concert in Connecticut on Friday, organized by Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness leader Jennifer Jaff.

The band were made aware of the plight of patients by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, who has battled Crohn’s disease – a bowel disorder – for the last 25 years.

“Jennifer Jaff is one of the best advocates for patients I have ever seen,” said McCready. “It’s super-important for her to fight against the insurance companies that will deny people any kind of coverage for their pre-existing conditions. The work she does is justified, and I just love it. We live in the greatest country in the world, and I have lived here my entire life, but we need to invest our money back into things that look at a broader scope, not just things that are going to make us money. If people are going to die because some legislation didn’t go through, that, to me, is abhorrent. That’s not what America means to me.”

Celebrities Raid The ARK In Charity Auction

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A role in the next film made by Uma Thurman, a Damien Hirst painting, a Fiat 500 decorated by the artist Tracey Emin, and a private jet tour of the Château Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem wineries were all up for auction on Wednesday night to raise money for ARK.

The event was the annual ARK Charity Dinner, and was held at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London. A host of celebrities attended the function, including Sarah Ferguson, Jemima Khan, Elizabeth Hurley, and Simon Cowell, each paying up to $98,000 for a table of 10.

The 1,000 attendees were entertained by a special performance by Stevie Wonder and a speech from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Over £25.5 million ($50.23 million) was raised this year, coming close to meeting the success of last year’s £26.6 million ($53 million) event. A downwards trend is currently being seen across the board – the Robin Hood Foundation in New York raised $56.5 million for charity in an evening last week, $15 million less than a year earlier.

ARK, or Absolute Return for Kids, is an international charity whose purpose is to transform children’s lives. Founded in 2002 by a group of senior figures in the alternative investment industry, the organization works to pool the skills and resources of the industry to improve the life chances of children.

Robin Hood Gets Merry For Charity!

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The stars came out for the Robin Hood Foundation’s annual fundraising gala last week, in an evening that shone, sparkled, and made the charity millions of dollars.

About 4,000 people gathered at the event held at the Javits Center in New York, including rapper Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, Tom Brokaw, Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein, and American Idol winner David Cook. The proceeds from the event, which included an auction, will go to more than 240 poverty-fighting programs in the city, including Abraham House in the South Bronx, which offers social services to relatives of prison inmates; the Children’s Defense Fund, which seeks better access to health care for poor children, and Broadway Housing Communities, which provides shelter for the homeless or the mentally ill.

The auction was co-hosted by Conan O’Brien, and the evening also featured performances by Shakira, Sheryl Crow, and John Legend.

“Every single penny raised tonight goes to help people claw their way out of poverty and build better lives for themselves and their families,” said David Saltzman, Robin Hood’s executive director. “Despite what’s going on in the economy, people who are in a position to help others step up, and during tough times they step up even more.”

Pearl Jam To Play Charity Gig

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:36:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rockers Pearl Jam are to play a one-off charity gig next month.

The band, formed in Seattle in 1990, will play New York’s Beacon Theatre on July 1 to raise money for the Robin Hood Foundation, an organization that targets poverty in the city.

The band is well known for their social campaigning at gigs, with singer Eddie Vedder often changing lyrics of his songs to attack political issues.

Tickets for the gig come with a price – attendees must first donate $100 to the charity, and then purchase tickets starting at $250. The event is expected to raise $3 million for the Foundation.

Celebrities Fuel Robin Hood Charity Excess

Mon, 07 May 2007 20:19:47 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

This year’s Robin Hood fundraiser saw top-tier investors driven by good-natured rivalry and celebrity encouragement to give a massive $71 million to charity.

Individual pledges of up to $10 million were made, totalling around $40 million, and guests participated enthusiastically in an auction of unique and decadent lots.

Winning bids included $400,000 to sing a song with Aerosmith (whose singer Steven Tyler performed for two hours of the evening), $1.3 million for a 10-person dinner with celebrity chef Mario Batali, and $2.2 million for an insider trip to the Beijing Olympics.

The annual event is expertly marketed to its guest list of hedge fund managers and private equity high-fliers. Presiding auctioneer Jamie Niven, of Sotheby’s, said, “They put these things together that in your lifetime you couldn’t do. It’s the secret for that audience. You can’t give them a week in Rome. They can do that.”

Tom Brokaw began the evening, and comedian
Jon Stewart played host. Mingling with the super-rich was a liberal sprinkling of further celebrities including Michael Douglas, Ben Affleck, Jimmy Fallon, Zach Braff and Martha Stewart.

This year’s donations exceeded those of last year by 32 percent, and the Robin Hood event has given more than $900 million in cash and donated services since it began in 1990, when it raised $700,000.

Look To The Stars News: Robin Hood

Gwyneth Paltrow Launches Robin Hood Auction

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