Look to the Stars - celebrity charity information

More than 100 internationally renowned musicians have joined a worldwide call for the release of the two jailed members of the Russian feminist punk group Pussy Riot ahead of their parole appeal hearings this week.

In an open letter, coordinated by Amnesty International as part of its on-going campaign to free 25-year-old Maria Alekhina and 23-year-old Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, the musicians pledge their support and state that the impact of Pussy Riot’s “shockingly unjust trial and imprisonment has spread far and wide, especially among your fellow artists, musicians and citizens around the world.”

The letter continues, “While understanding the sensitivities of protesting in a place of worship, we ask that the Russian authorities review these harsh sentences, so that you may return to your children, your families and your lives.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10523-stars-call-for-russian-authorities-to-release-pussy-riot

Here is your chance to bid on an extremely limited number of Mattel Hover Boards personally signed by Michael J. Fox, with all proceeds benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Back To The Future Hover Boards

Fully sanctioned by Universal Studios, each signed Hover Board features “whooshing” sounds sampled directly from the original Back To The Future films and an authentic deco.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10522-michael-j-fox-signs-back-to-the-future-hover-boards-for-charity-auction

Smile Ambassadors Brooke Burke Charvet and David Charvet, along with two of their children, Rain and Neriah volunteered with Operation Smile during the organization’s recent medical mission in Guadalajara, Mexico.

During the medical mission, the family met with children suffering from cleft lips and cleft palates, whose parents were too poor to help them receive the surgery they so desperately needed.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10521-brooke-burke-visits-mexico-with-operation-smile

UNICEF, the Commonwealth Games Federation and the Glasgow 2014 Commonweath Games have today announced a partnership for children that seeks to touch the lives of children in Scotland and in Commonwealth countries across the world.

Ewan McGregor Supports UNICEF Glasgow 2014 Commonweath Games Initiative

The partnership aims to raise funds for UNICEF work in Commonwealth countries across the world, and hopes to make next summer’s sporting event a big moment for children, aiming to inspire and enable children to be the best they can be.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10520-ewan-mcgregor-and-david-beckham-support-unicefs-commonwealth-games-initiative

In a testimony to the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations last week, San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver (formerly of the Baltimore Ravens) and Oxfam America Ambassador Anquan Boldin called on members of Congress to take action to ensure that mining companies operating in West Africa respect human rights.

Boldin’s testimony reflected what he witnessed on an Oxfam America trip to Senegal in March with fellow NFL wide-receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Roddy White. Boldin was joined at the hearing by Ghanaian energy expert Mohammed Amin Adam, the Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy.

“During my visits to Africa I promised the people I’ve met that I would do everything I can to bring their stories back to the US,” said Boldin in his testimony. “Today, I call on the Congress to support measures to strengthen human rights protections for communities impacted by the in the oil and mining industries in Africa.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10519-nfl-star-testifies-on-the-impacts-of-mining-in-african-communities

Lake Tahoe was taken by storm on July 19th when 15 of the greatest names in sports battled for the title of Korbel Hole-in-One Champion.

Sports and entertainment superstars pose with Korbel California Champagne owner and president Gary Heck during the second annual Korbel Celebrity Hole-In-One contest in Lake Tahoe

With a powerful drive, Olympic Gold Medalist Skier Bode Miller landed 10 feet 11 inches away from the pin, blowing his competition out of the water to win this second-annual competition. In honor of Miller’s win, The Korbel Toast Life Foundation donated $5,000 to the Tahoe Tallac Association. The Hole-in-One Competition took place on hole 17 and is a featured event at the American Century Championship of celebrity golf, currently being played at the Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10518-bode-miller-wins-charity-hole-in-one-competition

Legendary rocker Paul McCartney has sent an urgent letter on behalf of PETA to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III asking him to press ahead with the transfer of Mali, the 39-year-old solitary and ailing elephant held captive at the Manila Zoo, to a lush, spacious sanctuary in Thailand.

“I have great regard for governments that intervene on behalf of animals, just as yours did with the May 2012 directive ordering that Mali be evaluated and considered for transfer. That said, time is passing, and it has been more than a year since that directive was issued – yet Mali seems no closer to enjoying her well-deserved retirement at an approved sanctuary”, McCartney writes. “I have heard from my friends at PETA that various government authorities are continuing to deny that Mali’s welfare should be within their jurisdiction.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10517-paul-mccartney-puts-his-weight-behind-elephant

DoSomething.org and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation have released the final crowd-sourced music video for Band Together: a national campaign that rallied young people to create a crowd-sourced music video with singer-songwriter and American Idol winner Phillip Phillips.

Video: Phillip Phillips - Gone Gone Gone (Band Together Cover)

How it worked: each week, for six weeks, Phillip Phillips delivered an easy video challenge on YouTube. Young people participated in the challenge by uploading a video on YouTube of them performing the action. Each week, the creators of the best video selected a VH1 Save The Music Foundation school to receive a grant for their music programs. The best user-submitted videos were mixed into a YouTube cover of Phillip Phillips’ hit song “Gone, Gone, Gone.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10516-phillip-phillips-is-gone-gone-gone-for-charity

Paul McCartney has joined The Urgency Network to offer an ultimate Outside Lands Festival fan experience to help Save The Arctic‏.

As the fight to save the Arctic from climate change, oil drilling and other exploitation grows around the globe, a new online activism project – the Urgency Network – and some of the world’s biggest recording artists are joining with Greenpeace to spread the word and challenge the companies hoping to get rich quick while devastating the region.

“The Arctic is one of the last untouched regions on our planet, but now it’s under threat,” Sir Paul McCartney said. “Some countries and companies want to open it up to oil drilling and industrial fishing and do to the Arctic what they’ve done to rest of our fragile planet. It seems madness that we are willing to go to the ends of the earth to find the last drops of oil when our best scientific minds are telling us we need to get off fossil fuels to give our children a future. At some time, in some place, we need to take a stand. I believe that time is now, and that place is the Arctic.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10512-paul-mccartney-and-the-urgency-network-team-up-to-save-the-arctic

CHIME FOR CHANGE, the global campaign for girls’ and women’s empowerment founded by Gucci, is pleased to announce that THE SOUND OF CHANGE LIVE concert event has helped raise funds to support 210 projects for girls and women across the globe.

After VAT, the concert raised $3.9M USD to support projects in the three key focus areas of the CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign: Education, Health and Justice.

The CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign, launched in February 2013, presented its first major fundraising event, THE SOUND OF CHANGE LIVE, a global concert held on 1 June at London’s Twickenham Stadium. The concert brought together some of the world’s most talented artists and renowned activists to raise funds and awareness for girls and women. Headlined by CHIME FOR CHANGE co-founder Beyonce, the concert raised funds through ticket sales, mobile giving and online donations. Through Gucci’s underwriting of the concert event, each of the 50,000 concertgoers was able to donate the full value of their ticket price (less VAT and service fees) to projects of their choice.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10515-chime-for-change-funds-210-projects-in-81-countries

On August 10th, 2013, Project Angel Food will honor award-winning actress Jane Lynch and acclaimed celebrity chef and television personality Giada De Laurentiis at its annual Angel Awards in Hollywood.

Recently finishing up her starring role on Broadway in the musical “Annie,” Lynch will receive the Marianne Williamson Founder’s Award for her philanthropic leadership and advocacy on behalf of local-community based charities like Project Angel Food. Lynch, who can also be seen this summer as the host of NBC’s “Hollywood Game Night,” will be returning to FOX’s “Glee” this fall.

De Laurentiis will be recognized with the inaugural Iconic Chef Award for her leadership in helping people connect delicious food with nutritious eating and a healthy lifestyle. In addition to her television shows and publications, De Laurentiis dedicates time to working with Oxfam America and to Stand Up for Cancer. The Food Network star supports the core belief of Project Angel Food that nourishment equals life and that we must act “out of a sense of urgency because hunger and illness do not wait.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10511-jane-lynch-and-giada-de-laurentiis-to-be-honored-by-project-angel-food

Today, music mogul Russell Simmons announced the launch of his annual ART FOR LIFE online auction, featuring 30 incredible experiences with a legion of legendary musicians, actors, artists and entrepreneurs, at global charity auction site Charitybuzz.

As part of the auction, summer hit-maker Robin Thicke is auctioning the chance for one lucky fan and a friend to join him for an intimate day behind the scenes on his upcoming tour. The incredible “Roadie for a Day” experience includes the chance to meet the “Blurred Lines” singer and snap personal photos, watch his soundcheck and sit in on rehearsals, hang out backstage, and then kick back and relax with two VIP tickets to the show. Click here to find out more.

Other auction highlights include:

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10514-be-robin-thickes-roadie-for-a-day

Courage for Kids is pleased to announce that multiple Grammy Award Winner and Double Platinum R&B recording artist Chris Brown (through his Symphonic Love Foundation) has made a generous donation to support the work of Courage for Kids with at-risk children in Washington, DC.

This donation will support the nonprofit’s GIVE BACK-pack Initiative, which provides children in early childhood education programs at Bright Beginnings and CentroNia with backpacks filled with school supplies to take with them when they enter Kindergarten.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10510-chris-browns-symphonic-love-foundation-makes-donation-to-courage-for-kids

Cleveland Indian and AL All-Star pitcher, Justin Masterson, has spoken out about his partnership with Bright Hope to feed and educate 1,400 children living on less than $1 a day in a slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Video: MLB All- Star Justin Masterson Speaks up for the Extreme Poor

“It’s incredible what you can do by changing one life,” said Masterson. “We’re living on a lot more than just a dollar a day, so it’s only right that God has called us to help out those who aren’t.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10504-mlb-pitcher-justin-masterson-speaks-up-for-those-in-need

James Anderson, Lancashire and England cricketer, and the man responsible for taking 10 wickets during the first Ashes test, helping England to victory, shares his top 10 favourite tracks of the moment to mark his ambassadorship of music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins.

The ten tracks on James’ Spotify playlist are:

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10509-cricketer-james-anderson-names-his-top-10-songs-for-charity

South African President Jacob Zuma wishes the founding father of the nation and first President of a united democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela, a happy 95th birthday.

Madiba remains in hospital in Pretoria but his doctors have confirmed that his health is steadily improving.

“On behalf of government and all the people of South Africa, we wish Madiba a joyous 95th birthday. We are proud to call this international icon our own as South Africans and wish him good health. We thank all our people for supporting Madiba throughout the hospitalisation with undying love and compassion. We also thank all for responding to the call to give Madiba the biggest birthday celebration ever this year,” said President Zuma.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10513-happy-birthday-nelson-mandela

The Will Rogers Institute (WRI) has announced Casey Affleck as its 2013 Summer Theatrical Fundraising Spokesperson.

Casey Affleck Will Rogers Institute 2013 Summer PSA Spokesperson

The fundraising campaign, happening right now in participating movie theaters across the United States, is a time-honored tradition that began in 1936 and featured James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis in its first public service announcement.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10508-casey-affleck-fronts-will-rogers-institute-campaign

The ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) today announced that 18,336 pets were adopted or reunited with their owners during the first month of the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, a three-month competition where 49 animal shelters from across the country are working to increase adoptions in order to win a piece of the more than $600,000 in ASPCA prize grants, including a grand prize of $100,000.

During the first month of the contest, many shelters tried out new methods of driving traffic to their adoption centers – many held big adoption events, unique promotions and discounts on adoption fees, and more.

“Month one of the contest has been a thrill to watch, with many of the contestants breaking their own records,” said Bert Troughton, vice president of community outreach for the ASPCA. “The City of Corpus Christi Animal Care Services of Texas, for example, boasted more adoptions in one day than in the past five years for the entire month of June. Over at Humane Society of Pinellas of Florida, their June 13 adoptions total matched the number of adoptions in all of June of last year, despite being closed for a day and a half due to Tropical Storm Andrea. On June 22 and 23, Lost Dog & Cat Rescue of Virginia adopted out more animals than they ever have in a weekend, finding homes for 91 dogs and cats at an adoption event. Moreno Valley Animal Shelter in California saw a 79 percent increase in the number of adoptions during the first Saturday in June compared to last year. Animal Rescue League of Boston in Massachusetts scored more than twice as many adoptions the first weekend of June as they did the same month last year. And these are just some of the amazing stories we’ve heard after only one month of the contest.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10507-rachael-rays-100k-aspca-challenge-helps-18000-pets-during-first-month

Asher was just another big black dog in a high-kill Los Angeles shelter five years ago, when, suddenly, his luck changed. Asher’s story is the backdrop for an evocative new black and white PSA where Kristin Bauer van Straten, star of HBO’s “True Blood,” challenges the myth that shelter animals are somehow damaged.

Kristin Bauer and Asher
Credit/Copyright: BestFriends.org

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10506-true-blood-star-supports-no-kill-animal-shelter

Magic Johnson is to honor students and celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Magic Johnson Foundation's Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program at a special brunch on July 27.

Magic Johnson will be on hand at a FedEx-sponsored brunch to honor new and graduating scholars who earned the Magic Johnson Foundation’s Taylor Michaels Scholarship, which develops future leaders by supporting socioeconomically challenged high achievers through completion of their undergraduate degrees.

This year, MJF has teamed up with the FIAT brand to award one graduating scholar with a brand new Fiat 500. The winner will be announced during the event’s program. Highlights from the TMSP:

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10505-magic-johnson-to-honor-students-at-brunch