Look To The Stars News: Alliance For The Lost Boys

Alliance for the Lost Boys Nominated for a ‘Stevie Award’

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:11:00 -0000

The 6th annual Stevie Awards will be presented on June 12 in New York City, and the Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan has been named as a finalist in the Public Relations category for its fundraising/awareness campaign video: “Mission SSS.”  

The Stevie Awards were created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of companies and business people worldwide. More than 2,600 entries from companies in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories, including Best Overall Company, Best Executive, Best New Product or Service, Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program, and new categories including Best Management Team and Best Corporate Environmental Responsibility Program.

Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan will be competing in the Public Relations category with their “Mission SSS” awareness and fundraising video that was launched in schools across the US this year.

  “We are extremely honored to be named as finalist in the prestigious 2008 Stevie Awards. It’s incredible to think that we made this video with a budget of zero dollars, and yet, we are being honored among finalist of the most prominent corporations in America,” Ms. Hecht, Founder and President of the Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, said. “We hope that the national exposure from this esteemed honor will bring us a broader support base and recognition for our foundation and the people that we serve. I am extremely thankful for the  commitment and dedication of our Board of Directors, local Lost Boys, and everyone who has contributed their time and talents to make our foundation and this campaign a huge success.”

Celebrities who have supported the Lost Boys’ cause include Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Manute Bol, and Luol Deng among others.

The ‘Mission-SSS’ campaign video was written, directed, and co-produced by Joan Hecht along with assistance from a local production specialist.  

“Because of the Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, lives are being changed and, in many cases, saved due to the selfless efforts and compassion of everyday people who have joined their hands and hearts to help those in need.”

  The Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala on Thursday, June 12 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Look to the Stars congratulates and applauds the Alliance for the Lost of Boys of Sudan for their hard work and dedication. Hopefully, they bring home the ‘Stevie statue,’ which was designed by R.S. Owens, the same company that makes the Oscar, Emmy, and Clio Awards. The Stevie trophy is a 16 inch tall, hand-cast 24-karat gold statuette, holding aloft a crystal pyramid that represents the hierarchy of human needs, a system developed in the 1960s by psychologist Abraham Maslow, who observed that after their basic needs are met, human beings seek the esteem of their peers. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at www.stevieawards.com/aba.

 Established in 2004, Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan is an all-volunteer 501 C-3 foundation that assists with the health and educational needs of Lost Boys/Girls. To date, the Alliance has assisted  over 50 Lost Boys and Sudanese refugees with college tuition and books and has provided life changing surgeries and medical treatment for numerous Lost Boys and their families, both in the US and Africa. They support numerous projects in Southern Sudan, such as the building of hospitals, schools and orphanages. In addition to educating Lost Boys and Sudanese refugees in the US and Sudan, Alliance president Joan Hecht and local Lost Boys speak at schools and organizations around the US in an effort to educate the American public on the atrocities occurring in Southern Sudan and Darfur.

The Stevie Awards created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of companies and business people worldwide. Their mission is to raise the profile of exemplary companies and individuals among the press, the business community, and the general public.

2008 Golden Globes Roundup

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:54:19 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

There may have been no red carpet, acceptance speeches, or flash of cameras for the winners of the 2008 Golden Globe Awards, but Look To The Stars takes this golden opportunity to recognize some of those who were honored and nominated.

Johnny Depp won his first Golden Globe after being nominated seven times since his career began, picking up the Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical award for Sweeney Todd. Despite his dark performance, there really is a lighter side to the actor. In the past, Depp’s charitable work garnered him the Courage to Care Award for his contributions to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

The Best Actress Award went to veteran Julie Christie, who was up against heavyweights such as Angelina Jolie, an outstanding supporter and contributor to charitable causes. Some of the charities she has supported include the Afghanistan Relief Organization, the Alliance For The Lost Boys, Fran Drescher’s Cancer Schmancer Movement, Doctors Without Borders, and the Daniel Pearl Foundation.

Daniel Day Lewis won Best Actor for his performance in “There Will Be Blood”, beating out celebrity humanitarians George Clooney and Denzel Washington. Like Jolie, Clooney is a major force in trying to make the world a better place, and he is a noted supporter of Cinema For Peace, Make Poverty History, Rock For Darfur, United Way, and the World Food Programme. Washington has spent time visiting wounded soldiers at Fisher Houses, hospitals which provide housing for injured soldiers’ families at little or no cost, and once made a large donation to the Fisher House Foundation. He is also the spokesperson for the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, honorary chairperson for Save Africa’s Children, and a founding member of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

Australian-born Cate Blanchett took home the gold in the category for Best Supporting Actress. Charities Blanchett supports include the Australian Conservation Foundation, Kids Help Line, and SolarAid. In the past, Blanchett filmed a special appeal for SolarAid that was screened at the Hay Festival. The video is available to view on YouTube.

Queen Latifah took home the Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries, for her role in “Life Support”. A supporter of several charities, Queen Latifah once helped design a pair of shoes for the Stuart Weitzman charity shoe auction benefiting ovarian cancer awareness and research, and has been involved with Citymeals On Wheels and the Harry Holmberg Memorial Foundation.

Jeremy Piven beat his “Entourage” co-star Kevin Dillon to win his second award for Best Supporting TV Actor. Piven once hosted the fourth annual Fashion Rocks event, which benefited Alicia Keys’ Keep A Child Alive Foundation.

Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees for all the work that you do in front of the camera and behind the scenes to inspire a better world.

NBA Stars Support The Lost Boys Of Sudan

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:33:22 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

One by one, celebrities have stepped up to take action against the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and now Chicago Bull Luol Deng can be added to the growing list of sports-stars lending their name to this worthy cause.

On January 6, Deng joined the Chicago Association for the Lost Boys of Sudan to host the ‘Hope for Sudan Celebration’ at Truman College in Chicago. The celebration marked the third anniversary of Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and doubled as the official birthday of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” refugees (immigration paperwork marks January 1 as the birthday of all Sudanese boys). Guest speakers included NBA legend and humanitarian Manute Bol, Mr. Kenneth Elispana (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Army, Chapter of Illonois) and Dr. Wayne Watson (Chancellor City Colleges of Chicago). Guests were also treated to live music and cultural performances by the Sudanese Womens’ Dance Group and the Lost Boys Musicians-SEDC Team.

“I’m from a nation where my whole lifetime and the life before me have been struggling,” said Deng in USA Today, when asked why it was important to give back to the community. “To be blessed and to do what I’m doing puts a smile on everybody’s face. It’s not just me that’s blessed. It’s all of us. The little things that Americans see every day, we don’t see that often. [Manute Bol’s] time was before me, so I just try to make things special for all the kids from Sudan instead of them hearing negative all the time.

“Playing in the NBA is a dream come true. Charity work is something that is a lot more powerful. I enjoy basketball, but giving back is something a lot of people can’t do.”

Sudanese-born Deng moved to Britain at the age of nine when his family fled civil war. He spent his formative years in the United Kingdom before moving to the States at aged 14 to play basketball on a scholarship.

In addition to the Chicago event, the Arizona Lost Boys Center will hold their Journey of Hope Fundraiser Dinner on February 9th, at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas. The event’s honorees are two of the original “Lost Boys”, Yai Atem and Jany Deng (no relation to Luol).

“I was seven when we began the walk,” said Atem, referring to his 13-year, 1,000-mile odyssey that took him from the Sudan to Ethiopia, back to the Sudan, and eventually to a refugee camp in Kenya as he and fellow “Lost Boys” escaped a bloody civil war. “We ate tree leaves and drank our own urine to survive one more day.”

Their story is one of hope, and both Atem and Deng have earned U.S. citizenship and received degrees from Arizona State University. “As some of the first graduates of a major university, Jany and Yai are perfect role models of how to get an education while working. And, despite their past, they are optimistic, hopeful, friendly and forward-seeking,” said Ralph Serpico, executive director of the Arizona Lost Boys Center.

The “Lost Boys of Sudan” is the name given by aid organizations to refer to the more than 27,000 boys who were displaced and/or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War, where over 2 million people were killed. In 2001, approximately 3,800 Lost Boys were granted refugee status in the United States. While Arizona has the largest population of Lost Boys, others have settled elsewhere, including Chicago and Florida. In 2007, Brad Pitt produced a documentary about the refugees, and along with Angelina Jolie donated $100,000 towards a medical center for the “Lost Boys” in the Sudan.

Since 2001, over 600 “Lost Boys” have found their way to Arizona and made it their home. The Arizona Center is the only one of its kind in the US, providing a home base for the boys to gather, receive support from one another, and acquire the skills and resources they need to thrive in America. The center is currently seeking donations for silent auctions, live auctions, and raffle prizes for their Journey of Hope Dinner. For additional information, visit the website at http://www.azlostboysbenefit.org.

Currently, there are 135 Lost Boys living in Jacksonville, Florida, which is home to the Alliance For The Lost Boys. Founder and President of the Alliance, Joan Hecht, recently wrote a book, “The Journey of the Lost Boys”, which tells the story of the thousands of boys who fled refugee camps in Ethiopia. It also illustrates the incredible compassion of NBA legend and humanitarian, Manute Bol.

As told by one of the Lost Boys to Joan Hecht: “We were starving, many of us were dying from the lack of food, water and medicine or attacks by enemy soldiers and wild animals. One day, a famous athlete from America came to visit our camp. His name was Manute Bol, and he had been born and raised in Southern Sudan. When he saw us he bowed his head and cried for a really long time. He was very sad to see us that way.” Before leaving, Manute promised to return to help the young children, vowing to tell the world about their suffering and that of his people. A short time later, helicopters appeared in the sky, and landed inside their camp. It was Manute Bol, making good on his promise, bringing food and medicine for the children and reporters to tell their story.

For more information, or to purchase a copy of the book, visit www.allianceforthelostboys.com.

Look To The Stars News: Alliance For The Lost Boys

Alliance for the Lost Boys Nominated for a ‘Stevie Award’

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2008 Golden Globes Roundup

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NBA Stars Support The Lost Boys Of Sudan

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