When we think of celebrities, we really don’t think too much about what other activities they are involved in other than whatever it was that made them famous – music, movies, books, etc. We also tend to forget that celebrities are just like us and not the ‘untouchable’ icons we made them to be. So what do celebrities care for? Are they philanthropic? Do they care about social issues and politics? Yes they do. Here are some celebrities who have really made a difference and have chosen to attach their names to causes and charities they believe in:
John Salley
- 1st NBA player to win 4 championships with 3 different teams
- Vegan/PETA supporter
- Actor in Bad Boys and Bad Boys 2
John Salley became a spokesperson for Walking with Anthony, a charity dedicated to raising money and awareness for Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI). For more information about this charity, please visit their website:
PAUL MCCARTNEY
- Was lead singer of one of the most known and successful bands of the 20th century – The Beatles
- Was lead singer of Paul McCartney and Wings, had a huge hit with ‘Band on the Run’
- Performed on Band-Aid’s charity single and participated in Live-Aid
Patron of ‘Adopt-A-Minefield’, a campaign of the United Nations Association of the USA, which engages individuals, community groups, and businesses in the United Nations effort to resolve global landmine crisis. The campaign helps save lives by raising funds for mine clearance and survivor assistance and by raising awareness about the landmine problem.
Hosted PETA’s “Party of the century” gala in 1999, honouring his late wife Linda and those who have committed themselves to carrying on her work for animals.
In 2000, McCartney released A Garland For Linda, a choral tribute album to his wife, who died of breast cancer. Proceeds went to The Garland Appeal, a fund to aid cancer patients.
Along with his daughters, Mary and Stella, Paul is a Patron of the Vegetarian Society: “As Patron, I am more than pleased and proud to be associated with the Vegetarian Society and to show my support for its work. If you think about it, what could be better than enjoying great tasting food that is not only good for your health, but also far better for the planet and the creatures that live with us upon it?”
Today (July 26, 2012), after hearing from PETA India about the plight of a young elephant who has been beaten and is kept in chains, former Beatle Paul McCartney broke from rehearsals for his performance at the London Olympics to send an urgent letter to Indian Forest Minister Dr Patangrao Shripatrao Kadam.
- 2001, released her second album, Missundaztood with estimated worldwide sales of 13 million.
- 6 Billboard Top 40 cds (5 reaching Top 10)
- 23 Billboard Top 40 singles (12 reaching Top 10 and 3 reaching # 1)
P!nk began a petition asking KFC to make sure that the birds killed for its buckets each year aren’t abused.
Pink agreed to become the face of Australia’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) campaign to encourage teenagers to be kinder to animals.
With PETA, she criticized the Australian wool industry over its use of mulesing.
Pink headlined a concert in Cardiff, Wales on August 21, 2007, called PAW (Party for Animals Worldwide).
- Real name is, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta
- Sold 1.1 million copies of her 2nd cd ‘Born This Way’ in its opening week
- Born This Way debuted at # 1 on Billboard’s album chart
- Over 23 million albums and 64 million singles sold worldwide
We want women to feel strong and feel strong enough that they can remember to protect themselves. To have this lipstick as a reminder in your purse, that when your man is laying naked in bed, you go into the bathroom, you put your lipstick on, and you bring a condom out with you…There are no exceptions.” – Lady Gaga, VIVA Glam campaign against AIDS and HIV
Gaga partnered with Virgin Mobile on her Monster Ball national tour offering premium VIP tickets to fans who volunteer their time to homeless youth organizations, which raised more than $80,000 in proceeds to support homeless youth, and generated 30,000 hours of community service for hundreds of charities across the country.
One of the recipients, The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), is a nonprofit, non-partisan, organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. NAEH is partnered with the Re*Generation homeless youth organization and Gaga supports and joined Re*Generation at a pre-concert visit to Eva’s Phoenix, a Toronto youth shelter, wearing her full stage out fit to the shelter. While there she took a tour of the facilities and hung out with the kids, posing for photos and signing autographs.
Re*Generation partners include Green Chimneys, a non-profit organization restoring possibilities and creates futures for children with emotional, social, behavioral, and learning challenges, including runaway and homeless youth, with specific programming for LGBTQ youth.
- 2 time Academy Award winner for his roles in Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2008)
- Married Madonna in 1987 then divorcing in 1989
- Placed a US$56,000 advertisement in the Washington Post asking then President George W. Bush to end a cycle of violence (referring to the ‘war on terror’)
On October 18, 2002, Penn placed a US$56,000 advertisement in the Washington Post asking President George W. Bush to end a cycle of violence.
In September 2005, Penn traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana, to aid Hurricane Katrina victims.
Also in 2005, Penn visited Iraq to witness humanitarian work, and presented Sister Helen Prejean with the Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award for her work opposing the death penalty.
Penn attended the Hollywood premier of the full-length documentary, Crude, in support of Amazon Watch who hosted the event.
After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Sean Penn co-founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization and has been running a 55,000 person tent camp.
Due to his visibility as an on-the-ground advocate for rescue and aid efforts in the aftermath, Penn was designated by president Michel Martelly as Ambassador-at-Large for Haiti, the first time that a non-Haitian citizen has been designated as such in the country’s history. Penn received the designation on January 31, 2012.
COALITION OF POSITIVE ENERGY 