Look To The Stars News: Show Me Campaign

John Legend To Front Education Campaign

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:00:00 +0000

John Legend is set to front a new initiative to help lower the rate of high school dropouts.

The singer-songwriter – well known for his support of education causes – will appear in print, online and TV commercials for advertising giants Procter & Gamble to raise awareness for Communities in Schools.

“I believe that making sure that every kid has a quality education is the key to making sure that every kid has the opportunity to pursue the American dream,” Legend told The Associated Press.

John Legend Wants Equality In Education

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0000

John Legend has talked about his mission for education equality for all children in a MediaPlanet supplement to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“Many of our schools are literally and figuratively crumbling, and we’re not giving kids – especially low-income and minority kids – the chance to succeed,” he says in the piece by Steve Etheridge. "It’s currently the reality that where a child is born, what color that child is, and/or how much money that child’s parents make determines the quality of his or her education and life prospects.

“That’s not just, that’s not fair, that’s not right. But it’s happening.”

Bill Clinton Honored At Celebrity Charity Hope For Children Gala

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Regis Philbin honored Bill Clinton at a special celebrity charity event on Tuesday, June 7, in New York.

The tenth annual Samsung Hope For Children Gala at Cipriani Wall Street saw performances by a number of stars whose charities benefited from the event, including John Legend (The Show Me Campaign), Jason Mraz (The Jason Mraz Foundation), Branford Marsalis (New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village) and Harry Connick Jr. (New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village). Appearances were also made by Jennifer Lopez (The Maribel Foundation), Demi Moore (Demi and Ashton Foundation), Dan Marino (The Dan Marino Foundation), Boomer Esiason (The Boomer Esiason Foundation), Joe Torre (Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation) and Jimmie Johnson (The Jimmie Johnson Foundation) and many more.

Hope for Children is Samsung’s ongoing philanthropic commitment to help children live smarter, healthier and more sustainable lives. Through Hope for Children, Samsung works with its U.S. retailer partners and dedicated network of charitable organizations associated with renowned public figures. Collectively, these partnerships generate broad awareness and propel advancements in children’s education, healthcare and sustainability.

John Legend Shares The Stage With Students

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Last month, John Legend performed “Shine” with the KIPP Foundation orchestra at the Teach for America 20th Anniversary Summit in Washington D.C. via his Show Me Campaign.

Afterward, he gave a Twitter shout-out the to the students: “Special shout out to the students from the KIPP Orchestra from the South Bronx. It was an honor to perform with you!”

Legend’s ‘Show Me Campaign’ is a nonprofit organization that fights poverty using proven solutions like, for example, spending quality time with gifted kids who can hold their own alongside the Grammy Award-winning artist.

John Legend Supports Millennium Campus Network

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:30:00 +0000

John Legend and Jeffrey Sachs are supporting the Millennium Campus Network, a national network of university student organizations working to reduce extreme poverty and achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Both Legend and Sachs are on the Board of Directors of the MCN, which provides networking, funding, and national campaign opportunities to students across the United States. They both spoke at the organization’s inaugural conference, and John has also tweeted about the MCN, and has twice given grants to interns to work with the MCN during the summer as Fellows through his Show Me Campaign. The United Nations Millennium Campaign and United Nations Foundation have also been key donors for the network.

“This is a message for college students,” says John Legend in a recent video he made for MCN. “It’s easy to take things for granted when you get caught up in the stress of exams, deadlines and campus life. But as busy as you are, your generation is doing great things. Your generation helped elect a president, your generation helped connect the world through Facebook, and now we need your generation to do one more incredible thing – end extreme poverty. Please take one minute to visit CommitInSeptember.com and tell President Obama and Congress that you are passionate about global education, global health and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Campus Network has already collected thousands of signatures.”

Exclusive John Legend Experiences On Offer For Charity

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Want to hang out with a six-time Grammy award winner and play golf at one of the most exclusive golf courses in the world? Now, you have the opportunity while supporting the charitable efforts of John Legend’s Show Me Campaign.

Fans have two opportunities to meet the “Legend” for charity:

Enter to win a private dinner with John Legend on May 2nd in New York City. Then, on May 3rd, you and your guest will have the rare opportunity to play golf at the exclusive Liberty National Golf Course, Home of the 2009 Barclay’s and be part of John’s Celebrity Golf Tournament. You will then enjoy John’s Private Concert while overlooking the Manhattan skyline in Liberty National’s State-of-the-Art Masterpiece Clubhouse. Tickets are $2 each with a minimum purchase of 5 tickets. Hurry! This raffle ends April 27, 2010. To purchase tickets click here.

John Legend To Speak Charity At University

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Singer John Legend will speak in Goldstein Auditorium at Syracuse University in New York on September 23 to inspire students to get involved with charities.

Legend will perform songs and talk about his work with the Show Me Campaign, an organization he created to encourage social, economic, personal and educational growth of individuals, families and communities.

“John is hired as a speaker, so the event will be closer to a speech than a concert,” said Drew Sullivan, the performing arts director for University Union. “But he knows people love his voice and his music, so he will be performing songs throughout the evening.”

John Legend Headlines Four Seasons Of Hope Gala

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope, a goodwill program benefiting children and families, held its eighth annual celebrity gala last night at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

“Live with Regis and Kelly” host, Regis Philbin returned for his fifth Samsung gala and was joined by NBC Commentator Bob Costas, who returned for his third gala.

Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope recognizes the charitable efforts of sports, entertainment, and political notables, including former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Wayne Gretzky, Arnold Palmer, Jimmie Johnson, Boomer Esiason and Dan Marino through fundraising programs tied to business partners major retailers such as Best Buy, Sears, and the recently added Lowe’s as well as some of its regional partners.

Make Time For John Legend's Show Me Campaign

Wed, 27 May 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Fans of John Legend have the chance to get their hands on a limited edition watch from Audemars Piguet engraved with his signature for charity.

The watch is just one of 500 produced, and proceeds from the auction will go to Legend’s Show Me Campaign. Founded in 2007, the campaign envisions a world in which all people have the opportunity to flourish free of the devastating effects of poverty. Their mission is to end poverty through sustainable development, education and service.

The self-winding Millenary Pianoforte watch features a black and white piano key-inspired dial fashioned of mother-of-pearl with date display and centre seconds, a 45 × 40mm white gold case, self-winding movement, transparent sapphire caseback and black crocodile strap with deployment buckle. It is water resistant to 20 meters.

John Legend Performs For Show Me Campaign

Thu, 21 May 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Singer John Legend hosted a benefit for his Show Me Campaign on Tuesday, May 19, that raised over $300,000.

Along with Wyclef Jean, Jeffrey Sachs, former New York Giants player Tiki Barber and many others, Legend rocked a rooftop performance to raise support of the campaign he started two years ago to encourage social, economic, personal and educational growth of individuals, families and communities.

“Our organization by itself can’t do it, but we believe we can be part of the solution and we don’t want to wait around for everybody else to do it,” he said. “We’re funding a village in Tanzania and we’re seeing positive results on the ground that show that our work is making a positive impact over there, and if we were just to replicate that throughout the world, we can see a lot of progress made.”

John Legend To Perform Charity Concert In Korea

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Prior to his first solo concert in Seoul Sunday evening, Grammy Award-winning R&B singer John Legend will first host a charity event on Saturday March 28 to benefit Korean orphans.

The ‘Night of Charity for Children’ may be the hottest ticket in Seoul right now. With only 75 tickets available, those fortunate enough to get in will enjoy a duet between Legend and Korean R&B singer T Yoon Mi-rae. All proceeds raised will go to various Korean orphanages as well as Legend’s Show Me Foundation, which funds programs to eradicate poverty in Mbola, Tanzania. 

There will be a VIP reception for the attendees, and U.S. Ambassador to Korea Kathleen Stephens will be the special guest of honor. For information, e-mail seoulfoundation@yahoo.com.

Legend, Doolittle Honor Sachs and Soros

Mon, 19 May 2008 10:56:00 +0000

The Millennium Promise and Malaria No More Annual Benefit took place last week at The Tent at Lincoln Center, raising over $2 million for the fight against extreme poverty and disease. The event honored the charities’ founders, Raymond G. Chambers, Peter Chernin, Professor Jeffrey Sachs and George Soros.

Grammy-winner John Legend presented an award to Jeffrey Sachs. Sachs’ book, The End Of Poverty was a catalyst in Legend’s forming of the Show Me Campaign. American Idol’s Melinda Doolittle presented an award to Peter Chernin, and performed “Amazing Grace” as part of the evening’s entertainment. Ann Veneman, the Executive Director of UNICEF, and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank, presented awards to Ray Chambers and George Soros, respectively.

Millennium Promise is on a mission to end extreme poverty by 2025. They have begun by taking steps to achieve the eight globally-endorsed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa by 2015.

John Legend Hosts Online Auction For The Show Me Campaign

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 14:40:46 +0000

Five-time Grammy winner John Legend and Golden State Warrior Stephen Jackson have banded together for an auction to benefit the Show Me Campaign.

The auction, which will take place on eBay, runs from March 10 to March 17, and the winner will receive a VIP package for two which features:

Two lower level tickets to the March 21, 2008 Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets game.

A Legendary Evening In The Fight Against Poverty

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:59:30 +0000

It was a large and enthusiastic crowd that filled the Roone Arledge Auditorium at Columbia University on Monday night, and anticipation crackled through the air like electricity. Over 1,300 students and members of the public packed the building, looking for a good time, an entertaining time, and an informative time.

“I know you all came here to hear me sing, right?” joked Earth Institute Director Jeffrey Sachs as he took to the stage with Grammy Award winning recording artist John Legend.

But they weren’t. They were there to learn how they could change the world.

Musicians Start The Year With Generosity

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:45:39 +0000

2008 has only just begun, but already celebrities are straining at the leash to spread generosity among those who need it. And a host of musicians have kicked off the year with donations and events to raise money and awareness for a number of good causes.

Pop group OK Go are set to release a charity EP on iTunes on February 5, with all proceeds going to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The 5-song release, “You’re Not Alone”, will coincide with Mardi Gras 2008, and will benefit New Orleans-based musicians displaced by the 2005 disaster.

“New Orleans is one of the last places in America where music is truly a fundamental part of everyday life,” said OK Go singer Damian Kulash, whose hits include “A Million Ways” and “Here It Goes Again”. “People get together on the weekends and parade through the streets just playing songs; 12-year-old-kids learn funk on the tuba; everyone dances. Life elsewhere in the world simply isn’t as celebratory. If we allow the culture of New Orleans to die by leaving its musicians marooned around the country, America will have lost one of its great treasures.”

John Legend says ‘Show Me’

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:55:28 +0000

R&B singer John Legend’s song “Show Me,” presented some heavy questions to God about life, death and suffering. Then, after reading Jeffrey Sachs’ book The End of Poverty, Legend extended those questions to his fellow man, and to himself.

The book made him realize how possible it could be to set impoverished villages into an uphill spiral of self sufficiency and progress, so Legend created his own Show Me Campaign to raise the required funds, and partnered with Sachs’ Millennium Promise to serve needy African villages.

Rather than doling out money to destitute villages though, the organizations are doing practical things like providing mosquito nets to curb the millions of avoidable deaths from malaria, free meals to children attending school which raises attendance rates and health, safe water points, local clinics and fertilizer to improve crop production and eradicate food shortages.