Look To The Stars News: Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation

Will Smith Donates $1.3 Million To Charity In 2008

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Will Smith gave away over US$1.3 million to charitable causes over the last year.

Along with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, the actor donated the money to a variety of religious, civic and arts groups through his Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation.

The single biggest contribution of $250,000 went to the Yesha Ministries of Philadelphia, a born-again Christian-based organization run by Reverend James Robinson. Another $200,000 went to a Christian ministry in Los Angeles called Living Waters. The Church Of Scientology religion also received hefty donations from the couple, with $67,500 going to the New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Fund, $50,000 to the group’s Celebrity Centre in Hollywood and $5,000 to ABLE.

The Smiths also donated thousands of dollars to a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and to the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel. They also gave $25,000 to the Progeria Research Foundation. Progeria is a disease that causes rapid aging.

In May, the couple also gave $1million to help set up a school for children of all religions.

“About 10 years ago Jada and I started dreaming about the possibility of creating an ideal educational environment, where children could feel happy, positive and excited about learning,” he said.

Project Angel Food Hosts Celebrity Shopping Spree

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:30:00 -0000

With the Holidays around the corner, Project Angel Food kicked off their annual DIVINE DESIGN on Thursday December 4th, celebrating style and philanthropy with a big dose of holiday shopping.

David Arquette, Eric McCormack, and Elton John’s partner David Furnish were some of the stars who helped out during the weeklong event, in which top designers sold fashion, furniture, beauty and gift items, with proceeds going to provide meals for victims of HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. For every $5 spent at Divine Design, Project Angel Food can cook and deliver a meal to someone facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other debilitating illnesses.

Divine Design kicked off in the heart of Beverly Hills with a special gala evening held at the Beverly Hilton, featuring a runway show presented by Divine Designer honoree, Tadashi Shoji, and an awards presentation. Honors were also given to Man of Style, David Furnish and Woman of Style, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Over 500 celebrities, designers and supporters of Project Angel Food attended the opening night which also included a live fantasy auction and an exclusive night of VIP shopping. Following the awards ceremony, the gala attendees returned to shopping in the marketplace at 9900 Wilshire Boulevard (formerly Robinson’s May building and generously donated by Candy & Candy), where cash registers rang in the holiday shopping season all in the name of love. The Divine Design marketplace opened to the public on Friday December 5th at 11am.

Opening night attendees enjoyed NUVO Cosmopolitans and listened to jazz and blues by KJAZZ.This year’s gala night also featured one-of-a- kind Live Auction items to bid on including a unique BARBIE Holiday Tree donated by Mattel and created by the lead designer for Barbie; a New York Fashion Week package which includes first class airfare for two on American Airlines, front row tickets to the Tadashi Shoji Show at New York Fashion Week in Bryant Park and a dress made especially for you by Tadashi Shoji himself; sponsor a day of meals for Project Angel Food clients. These fantastic auction items and others were auctioned off by the vivacious auctioneer, Ed Beardsley of Bonhams & Butterfields and the beautiful actress and Project Angel Food supporter, Lisa Rinna.

One of the companies that donated items to the event was luxury bag designers Trina, who provided over $20,000 worth of products to the event. For anyone who wasn’t able to make it to the shopping event last week, Trina are currently auctioning off some celebrity-sign bags online, with all proceeds to go to Project Angel Food.

Visit eBay to bid on bags autographed by John Mayer, Adam Sandler, Ryan Seacrest, Neil Patrick Harris, and the casts of Ugly Betty and Lost.

Divine Design was born 16 years ago in response to the devastation the design community was experiencing from HIV/AIDS. Since its inception Divine Design has raised more than $13 million to help fund Project Angel Food’s meal-delivery program throughout Los Angeles County. Founded in 1989, Project Angel Food provides life-sustaining meals and nutritional counseling each day to more than 1,400 men, women and children disabled by HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Thanks to a devoted core of 1,500 volunteers, meals are cooked and delivered daily to people’s homes throughout Los Angeles County.

(Photos copyright Alex J. Berliner)

Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Tomiko Put the Spotlight on Lupus at Charity Event

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:18:01 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

With co-host Malcolm-Jamal Warner by her side, Maybelline model Tomiko promised to put “the fun in fundraiser” at a charity soirée to raise awareness and funds for Lupus research in Los Angeles on Saturday night. The mission was accomplished. The event, sponsored by the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation took on a 20’s Cotton Club atmosphere, complete with jazz band. Attendees dressed the part, helping to set a nostalgic tone amidst an event where the subject of Lupus was in the spotlight.

The cause to raise awareness about Lupus is very personal to Jada and Tomiko. In a serious tone, Jada explained that her high school friend, aunt and cousin all have been diagnosed with Lupus. For Tomiko, it is her sister that suffers from the disease. When asked what prompted her to create this event, Tomiko said, “I created this event out of the love for my sister.”

Tomiko is a role model for supporting this cause with passion, but was not the only model present; Mercedes Scelba from Season two of “America’s Next Top Model” was on hand to support the event. Mercedes has Lupus, and her condition was the focus of an episode of the show.

And where does Malcom-Jamal Warner fit in all of this? Malcom is close friends with Tomiko’s husband and has witnessed what Tomiko has gone through trying help her sister. Tomiko said the change in her sister was rapid, drastically debilitating her within a week.

Others in attendance to support the charity included actress Tisha Campbell and her husband, actor Duane Martin. General Hospital star Kent Masters King, “I Wanna Be A Soap Star” YVES, "Project Runway’’ reality stars Kayne and Jeffrey were also on hand, while recording artist Res gave a performance.

Lupus manifests itself so differently in people. Its consequences can include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, kidney failure and death. There have been no new drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for lupus in more than 40 years. No one is safe from lupus; it affects men and women, although women are more likely to acquire the disease. It tends to strike the range of women of color more commonly.

The commitment to raising Lupus awareness continues with a walk for Lupus on November 4th in Los Angeles. For more information contact Sherise Bright of Lupus Foundation of America, +1-213-742-9048, sherise@brightkarma.com.

Look To The Stars News: Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation

Will Smith Donates $1.3 Million To Charity In 2008

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Project Angel Food Hosts Celebrity Shopping Spree

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Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Tomiko Put the Spotlight on Lupus at Charity Event

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