Archive for category: Charity

Johnny Depp and Stephen Graham Costume Up for Sick Children

Sick Children, Johnny Depp and Stephen Graham - TBP
This week, celebrities Johnny Depp and Stephen Graham reprised their roles as Captain Jack Sparrow and Scrum, respectively, at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, Australia.

The surprise event took place when the actors felt the need to bring joy to several of the hospital’s sick children. The actors, filming the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie off of the Gold Coast, decided to spend over three hours entertaining the children, all while in character.

Depp and Graham have made a lasting memory in these children’s lives that they will soon not forget. This marks yet another memorable difference these two actors have made in the lives of the less fortunate.

No stranger to charity work, Depp and Graham are both heavily invested in charities, fundraisers and events all aimed at helping those in need.

Depp supports several organizations such as the Actors Fund of America, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, the Environmental Justice Foundation, Much Love Animal Rescue, Project HOME and more. With Depp being as generous as he is, it should be no surprise that his patronage to these charitable organizations has influenced his fans to follow suit. “Johnny’s Angels” is a group of passionate Depp fans that follow his philanthropic spirit and fundraise, organize public charity events and make large donations to Depp’s charities in the name of “celebrating [their] admiration for Johnny and [their] devotion to embracing one another and spreading hope to those who need it most.”

Graham is no stranger to charity as well, as can be seen by his tremendous efforts with Stand up to Cancer U.K. and Cancer Research U.K. He has done everything from fundraise, attend charitable events, donate to participate in a dance-off for charity, and jump off a 12-story building (in an attached safety harness of course), all in the name of defeating cancer. Graham has literally put his life on the line and spent hours of his time with these charitable organizations.

It’s truly amazing to see celebrities care about those in need, and then physically go out of their way to make a difference in the life of someone else.

– Alysha Biemolt

Sources: Look To The Stars 1, Look To The Stars 2, Johnny’s Angels, Look To The Stars 3, YouTube, Look To The Stars 4, Stand Up To Cancer, Cancer Research UK

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XPrize Sets Sights on Bringing Literacy to 250M Children Worldwide

literacy

New data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics states that global literacy rates for youths and adults have been on the rise. Sixty percent of all countries that provided data in 2012 reported overall literacy rates of 95% or higher.

Still, there is a great need for a solution in this regard. The report also said that “An estimated 250 million children around the world cannot read, write, or demonstrate basic arithmetic skills. Many of these children are in developing countries without regular access to quality schools or teachers.”

These statistics ultimately became a project for a nonprofit called XPrize. XPrize runs competitions that aim to produce technology to benefit humankind. An ongoing competition that began in 2014 requires that teams develop an open source software that enables children in developing countries to teach themselves basic reading, writing and arithmetic.

XPrize launched a 6-month registration period and all teams have 18 months to develop their own solution. Currently, there are 198 registered teams. The top five finalists with the best results will receive one million dollars. The ultimate grand prizewinner will receive 10 million dollars as the top performing team solution.

Click here for more information on how to get involved and remain updated on the progress of the competition.

XPrize believes that children are a solution to global poverty, and that many of the world’s greatest minds are untapped due to a lack of basic education. “By enabling a child to learn how to learn, that child has opportunity–to live a healthy and productive life, to provide for their family and their community, as well as to contribute toward a peaceful, prosperous and abundant world.”

For the competition’s promotional video, several children  were asked what their ultimate life goals were. So many of those goals have seemed unrealistic due to their location and state of living. However, with support from XPrize, those dreams can become a reality.

– Anna Brailow

Sources: Xprize 1, Xprize 2, Tech Crunch, UIS, YouTube
Photo: CNN

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6 Cosmetic, Clothing or Accessory Brands Working for Good Causes

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There are plenty of brands around the world that have philanthropic purposes or that have created programs and products that use certain designs in order to participate in charitable programs.

Clothing brands and cosmetic brands have also provided opportunities for many people to participate in charitable programs, while spreading awareness of causes that matter around the world.

Using fashion, jewelry or cosmetic products such as makeup or skin lotions, these brands convert their products into donations or awareness. In other words, their customer will not only be buying their fashion or beauty product, but they will also be contributing to a good cause.

1) LUSH

LUSH is a handmade cosmetic brand that works with organic ingredients to create fresh cosmetic products. This brand uses little or no preservatives in its products and uses vegetarian ingredients.

This brand believes in protecting humans, animals and the planet, showing that they are committed to create their products as natural and as ecologically-friendly as possible.

LUSH is also devoted to work as a campaigner brand that supports animal rights, environment protection and many humanitarian causes, using activism and charitable giving. The brand has a product called “Charity Pot,” which is a hand and body lotion that, whenever is purchased, 100% of the price goes to humanitarian causes in the country or around the world.

2) Satya Jewelry

Satya is a jewelry brand that created modern jewelry pieces with a meaning. The Satya Foundation, along with its jewelry, supports different children groups and charities around the world.

The brand’s foundation is partnered with different organizations, orphanages and projects. Some of the brand’s partners are Commit 2 Change, Charity: Water, and the Manjushree Orphanage, among others. These projects and organizations have different purposes, but each one is dedicated to a worthy humanitarian cause.

3) FEED

“Creating good products that help feed the world” is the phrase that this brand uses as their slogan. This brand creates bags, accessories and clothing out of natural fabrics and artisan-made materials that help with a donation to provide meals around the world to people in need.

The brand has forged partnerships with many other brands, such as Target, Disney, Tory Burch, Godiva, TOMS and many others.

4) Lemlem

Lemlem is a brand that sells women’s and kids apparel, accessories and home items. Founded by model Liya Kebede, this brand empowers and partners with local artisans in the creation of their products.

The brand’s motto, “Made in Ethiopia,” proves that there are different ways and destinations for clothing and accessory production.

5) Warby Parker

This brand sells designer eye wear at an affordable price, and at the same time donates to a humanitarian cause.

They believe that everyone has the right to see, so every time a person buys a pair of Warby Parker glasses, the brand makes donations to their nonprofit partners that cover the donation of glasses to people in need.

Their primary partner, VisionSpring, trains men and women in developing countries to give eye exams and sell glasses to very affordable prices, while also spreading awareness.

The brand believes that selling the glasses at a very affordable price helps these low-income communities to earn a living through their improved vision.

6) Same Sky

This is a jewelry brand that offers products for both men and women. They provide job opportunities to women who are struggling and living in extreme poverty.

The brand has the vision to provide a second chance to these women struggling to make a living. They offer the employment, fair pay, training and education that these women need in order to empower themselves and live self-sustaining lives.

– Diana Fernanda Leon

Sources: LUSH, Satya Jewelry, Feed Projects, LemLem, Warby Parker, Same Sky
Photo: NorthPark Center

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Heifer International Takes a Holistic Approach to Community Development

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Heifer International follows the “teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime” philosophy.

The charity organization teaches families living in hunger and poverty how to practice sustainable agriculture and trade. Heifer International provides livestock and other agricultural resources that support financial independence. It also works with public and private partners to ingrain the entrepreneurial drive into the hearts of many developing nations.

Founded in 1944 by Dan West, Heifer is an exemplar in the fight against global poverty.

So far, Heifer has joined forces in more than 125 countries, helping more than 22.6 million families break the cycle of poverty.

In investing in local economies, Heifer has had incredible success.

In 2013, Heifer instituted its Global Impact Monitoring System that collects reference data related to its development work. With this system, the impact is more greatly measurable. This “values-based” system monitors all projects at the group-level and global-level. Heifer further reviews its work by evaluating its projects on five key elements: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.

Heifer projects cover Africa, Asia and the Americas.

The Sahel Program in Africa develops local livestock production in the Sahel region. By providing sheep and goats, the program will impact 516,000 families between 2014 and 2024. The goal is to build resilient and sustainable farming livelihoods.

The Southern Africa Goat Value Chain Program targets food and income security by establishing producers associations, cooperative management and market infrastructures, according to the Heifer site.

The Africa Climate Change Adaption and Mitigation (ACCAM) Program also tackles food security. On the Heifer website, the ACCAM profile lists its goals: creating adaptive climate resilient food systems, increased access to renewable energies, sustainable management of natural resources, increased access to water for agricultural production, sanitation and hygiene, and increased women’s participation in control of resources, leadership and decision-making.

In Asia, Heifer launched similar value chain programs in Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam. They focus on increasing supplies and management of local commodities such as beef, dairy, goat, swine, chicken and other staple foods.

The GANASOL Agricultural and Livestock Program in Central and South America connects local farmers to market resources. The PROMESA Coffee and Cocoa Program revolves around the coffee, cocoa, cardamom and honey value chains. The PROCOSTA Coastal and Mangrove Ecosystems program addresses climate change, income and food security, and the subsequent issues that affect the mangrove and coastal zones.

This work continues in several other programs, all of which foster self-reliant livelihoods in primarily agriculturally dependent regions.

Heifer International believes in achieving zero hunger by supporting small-scale farmers.

– Lin Sabones

Sources: Heifer, Vimeo
Photo: The Global Journal

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“Va por mi cuenta” Movement

Malnutrition_in_Mexico
Ending child malnutrition in Mexico is the main goal for the “Va por mi cuenta” (“It’s on me”) movement. They serve more than 20,000 meals per month to children living under vulnerable conditions.

As of today, the “Va por mi cuenta” movement has four “Nuestro Comedor” dining rooms located in the state of Mexico: in Metepec, Chalco and Ecatepec. The fourth dining room is located in Mexico city.

The movement plans to collect a minimum amount of 100 million pesos during a period of 5 years in order to construct ten “Nuestro Comedor” child dining rooms. According to the movement’s website, these dining rooms will provide 2,530,000 meals and feed 2,300 children daily.

“Va por mi cuenta” has the support of different companies, brands, and restaurant chains that, through different mechanics of collection, provide help advance the movement’s prospects.

Some of the brands that collaborate with “Va por mi cuenta” are Alsea, Starbucks, Burger King, Domino’s, PayPal, Flock, X Design, California Pizza Kitchen, Chili’s, and Pei Wei, among others.

Alsea is the responsible for addressing and responding to the concerns and requirements that participants may have. Alsea is also responsible for coordinating the movement’s partnerships.

This foundation canalizes the funds raised by the movement into the construction and operation of “Nuestro Comedor” dining rooms, and it monitors and reports results.

The fast food restaurant chain, Burger King, has also partnered with the “Va por mi cuenta” movement. All Burger King locations in Mexico support the movement by making a donation for every single ice cream cone the restaurant sells.

In 2013, Burger King donated 1 peso for every single ice cream cone that the restaurants sold, and 2 pesos for every double ice cream cone.

Domino’s, the pizza restaurant chain, also contributes to the movement. Domino’s Mexico locations allocate a percentage from the sale of two of their products to the “Va por mi cuenta” movement.

The sale of the restaurant’s “Canelazo Bites” and “Pakecompartas”—a package deal that includes a pizza, chicken strips, and french fries—funds Domino’s donations to “Va por mi cuenta”.

Domino’s also contributes to the movement by encouraging Mexican artists to contribute their own designs for pizza and “Canelazo Bites” boxes. Notable Mexican artists that have contributed to this project and the “Va por mi cuenta” movement are Kari Mayo, Jorge Tellaeche, and amoATO Studio.

The Starbucks coffee chain’s Mexican locations have begun to sell bracelets with the Starbucks and “Va por mi cuenta” insignia written on them in order to contribute to the “Va por mi cuenta” movement. The purpose of the bracelet is to invite children that are most in need to a meal.

By visiting the restaurants that have signed on to help the “Va por mi cuenta” movement, consumers are also becoming a part of the effort by contributing their purchases.

Individuals could also independently contribute to the cause by making donations through Banco Santander, or by contributing an “invite” to meals via PayPal.

The “Va por mi cuenta” movement is fighting to eradicate child malnutrition in Mexico. By constructing “Nuestro Comedor” dining rooms, and with the help of different brands, restaurant chains and corporations, the movement is little by little making a greater impact on Mexican children who suffer from malnutrition.

– Diana Fernanda Leon

Sources: Alsea, Eclecticmex, Dominos, Movimiento va por mi cuenta 1, Movimiento va por mi cuenta 2, Movimiento va por mi cuenta 3
Photo: Movimiento va por mi cuenta

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David Bowie and Iman’s Philanthropic Activities

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Having been married for two decades, supermodel Iman and heavy-rocker David Bowie have walked a consistent pathway in relieving several communities of hardships pertaining to third-world threats such as the harrowing HIV/AIDS threat.

In late 1990, the dynamic pair participated in a fundraising event, 7th on Sale, for the enhanced medical research in treating and curing AIDS. The pair would go on to serve as recurring donors and participants in foundations that conducted deep, thorough studies of the then-unknown sexual catastrophe throughout the remainder of the 90’s.

But even with impactful collaboration in donor work as a married couple, the pair has never ceased in aiding disadvantaging areas on a separate, individual basis.

In 1998, Iman partnered with fellow philanthropist Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott in a charitable cosmetic line, Misdemeanor Lipstick, where proceeds collected from each item sold were issued to the nonprofit Break the Cycle, an organization that works to minimize domestic hardships and abuse to help young children and teenagers to live safely.

Around this time, other philanthropic measures taken by the supermodel included her support for organizations alleviating the mistreatment against Somali native women, world hunger and HIV/AIDS-related crises. A majority of Iman’s charitable endorsements were further supported through her organization IMAN Cosmetics, which supports the “Raise Hope for Congo Campaign,” an initiative aimed at protecting and empowering Congolese women and girls.

With his spouse generating similar awareness, David Bowie has headlined global concert tours that assist in the betterment of drastic illnesses that take a toll on developing nations. Along with his famous contributions was his feature in the 1985 Live Aid concert, which generated funds to minimize threats of climatic and AIDS-related dangers.

Moreover, Bowie went on to utilize his live performing skills through another charitable opportunity, this time in loose hand-in-hand with wife Iman. In 2006, the groundbreaking rock musician collaborated with Grammy-winning R&B musician Alicia Keys. The two artists sung and performed live at a New York concert as part of Keys’ nonprofit Keep a Child Alive, an organization that works to rid African children of AIDS and poverty-induced restraints.

Iman was also involved in the lively event, as she and comedian Wanda Sykes served as hosts of the event’s black-tie dinner in celebration of the initiative’s planning and success.

It would not be long until Keys and fellow organizers appointed Iman as the initiative’s Global Ambassador for Keep a Child Alive after noting the model’s sincere elements in raising awareness for multiple pandemics across the globe. With a newly designated role, Iman launched not only additional fundraisers to support a variety of causes but also programs like “I am African,” a tool utilized to build awareness of the AIDS pandemic greatly affecting her native Somalian homeland.

As years have progressed, nothing has stopped this power couple’s path to giving back to those in need. With social media tools redefining the nature of networking for a passionate cause, Iman and David Bowie still remain fixated and up-to-date on endorsing as many foundations as they possibly can to improve the world.

– Jeff Varner

Sources: Philly.com, Billboard, CNN, Slice, Iman Cosmetics, Getty Images
Photo: ENCA

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The Body Shop Foundation

Body Shop Foundation
Human rights, the environment and animal protection are all causes that The Body Shop Foundation advocates for.

This charitable company works closely with The Body Shop International, a company that sells beauty and makeup products, making many of The Body Shop products an option to donate to charity.

Since 1989, the foundation has been funding and giving money to different projects around the world that focus on working for a social and environmental change.

Besides The Body Shop beauty products, they create various fundraising activities that allow them to manage their three different grant programs: animal protection, environmental protection and human rights.

In the 2011 values report of The Body Shop International, BSI, the foundation’s money, during the years 2009 and 2010, was spent in Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas and Africa Global.

For this foundation, the natural environment means everything, and fighting to preserve and protect the animals and the environment is an important aspect to conserve the planet. Some of the animal and environment protection organizations that The foundation has supported are PAMS, the World Cetacean Alliance, the Orangutan Foundation and Wateraid, among others.

In the human rights area, The foundation has the belief that all basic rights should be given to everyone. The foundation supports organizations that fight for these means and give a voice to those who do not have one. Some of the human rights organizations that the foundation has supported are Cybersmile, Kaibosh, Changing Faces, Compassionate Hearts and Children on the Edge.

According to the 2014 impact report of the foundation, wildlife conservation, animal welfare, climate change, domestic violence, disability, poverty, child protection, access to water, recycling, forest conservation and water conservation were some of the funded issues by the foundation.

As another option, the foundation also provides volunteer opportunities in the areas of London and Littlehampton as another charitable method to advocate for the humanitarian causes they support.

The Body Shop’s 2015 fundraising product is called “Soft Hands Kind Heart.” The product is a hand cream sold in every The Body Shop store worldwide, and every purchase becomes a donation to the foundation.

For every “Soft Hands Kind Heart” cream sold, The Shop will donate £1.50 (US$2.33) to the foundation, helping it with the creation and success of its charitable programs. This beauty and makeup company is making a difference that contributes with the betterment of the world through charitable activities and fundraising projects.

The BSI, working hand in hand with the foundation, is an example of a company that provides and sells quality products to its customers at the same time as it provides donations to the organization. In tandem, it is also able to support and advocate for their three focuses: human rights, environmental protection and animal protection.

– Diana Fernanda Leon

Sources: The Body Shop Foundation 1, The Body Shop Foundation 2, The Body Shop Foundation 3, The Body Shop Foundation 4, The Body Shop Foundation 5, The Body Shop USA
Photo: The Body Shop Foundation

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Charitable Footwear: Is One for One Enough?

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Charitable footwear brand TOMS has become a sort of gold standard for companies working toward being ethical. On their website, they boast of having improved maternal health, education and a variety of other areas in life through their “one for one” giving model, which supports these programs for each pair of shoes purchased.

But is this model followed by TOMS and a variety of other companies enough to break the cycle of generational poverty?

Although the model provides aid to those in need, it also does nothing to deal with issues of widespread unemployment and unfair wages. In an interview with GOOD Magazine, international aid expert Saundra Schimmelpfennig described TOMS as “quintessential whites in shining armor.” Critics have accused the one for one model of enforcing stereotypes of the developing world—portraying them as helpless—and as a part of a marketing ploy with a deeper focus on pity than active empowerment.

It is why many top brands, such as Warby Parker and soleRebels, have transitioned to a model of social enterprise, focusing on empowering local businesses and providing fair wages to workers. These brands focus on the idea that breaking the cycle of generational poverty must include the creation of well-paying jobs and greater opportunity for the next generation.

This is not to entirely dismiss the one for one model. This Bar Saves Lives, for instance, is a brand that provides life saving plumpy’nut to children suffering from malnutrition. There is an importance in education that requires similar levels of action.

Still, despite the need for certain programs, the increase of brands focusing on social enterprise perhaps represents a new attitude toward the nature of the charitable business, focusing on empowering as a quintessential part of one’s business model, and not a later effort.

– Andrew Michaels

Sources: TOMS, GOOD, SoleRebels, This Bar Saves Lives, Warby Parker
Photo: Huffington Post

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How Sevenly Raises Awareness and Funds Through Art and Design

Sevenly’s Socially Conscious Brands-TBP
Sevenly has become an outlet to create awareness about different causes around the world and collect funding.

They team up with different charities and organizations to create purchasable art. Every purchase that a person makes results in a donation to charity. People can buy shirts, prints, special edition products and many other things in the Sevenly Finds collection.

Every week, Sevenly chooses a certain charity and organization and gives $7 of each purchase to that charity.

The apparel company was founded in 2011 and, according to an article published by Mashable, Sevenly sold 864 shirts in their first week, raising $6,125 for charity. Sevenly’s mantra is “People Matter,” and they focus on promoting the causes of the charities they work with by creating videos that explain the mission of each one.

According to an article published by the Los Angeles Times, Sevenly makes donations to seven causes—anti-slavery, clean water, hunger relief, medical help, disaster relief, miscellaneous aid and anti-poverty.

Every week that Sevenly chooses a charity, their designers create typography and images that they can put on their t-shirts, bags, hoodies and different products. These products are sold for seven days to raise money for the cause that they are supporting that specific week.

Sevenly also created a project in which each subscribed customer receives a box of different goodies worth $150 of Sevenly’s socially conscious brands. Seven percent of each CAUSEBOX purchased is donated to various charities and world-changing causes.

According to Sevenly’s CAUSEBOX website, the CAUSEBOX is a way to provide meals, education, jobs, water and many other necessities to people around the world that are in need.

A PRWeb’s article mentions that Sevenly’s CAUSEBOX products are specifically created for this box. Each subscriber will have this box delivered every three months and there are two options for subscriptions. Customers can subscribe in a quarterly subscription of $54.95 per box or in an annual subscription of $199.80 that includes 4 boxes a year for $49.95.

Another part of the CAUSEBOX by Sevenly is that subscribers can choose the charity to which their donation goes.

Fans and CAUSEBOX subscribers are able to share their thoughts and love for the causes that this box supports by joining the community with #CAUSEBOXLOVE in social media.

This apparel company has the purpose to support good causes around the world by generating awareness by the products they sell. From shirts and hoodies to jewelry and prints, Sevenly approaches these causes with the use of art and design and raises $7 for each bought product.

CAUSEBOX by Sevenly is a different approach that the company uses to spread awareness and donate to good causes around the world. It is more interactive in that, while subscribers obtain a box worth $150 of Sevenly’s socially conscious brands, they also get to select the cause to which they wish to donate.

– Diana Fernanda Leon

Sources: Mashable, Sevenly 1, Los Angeles Times , Sevenly 2 , PR Web
Photo: Blog

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Geeks for Peace: The Comic-Con Fundraiser

Geeks-For-Peace-Comic-Con

While Comic-Con can be seen by some as only a weekend where nerdy, shut-in individuals gather in flocks for a week of waiting in lines and buying memorabilia from their favorite comic or TV show, it can now also be seen as something greater. More importantly, it can now be seen as an opportunity for charity.

Geeks for Peace is a fundraising event first created by Morgan Spurlock, best known for his work with the movie Super Size Me, after he was presented with the Peace Hero Award by Kids for Peace in 2013.

The event in question will be “a dynamic evening of music, dancing, live art, silent auction, and organic food and drink,” with all proceeds donated to Kids for Peace in order to expand their programs to undeserved youth in the United States, Pakistan, Iraq, Liberia and Kenya.

These programs include providing school supplies, uniforms, books and toiletries to children in need, purchasing beds for children in orphanages, and spreading awareness and educating the public about the issues that these children face.

With tickets selling at $250 each, unique artwork on sale, and several popular television personalities in attendance, the event is expected to raise quite a lot of money for Kids for Peace.

The event will take place on July 10th at the San Diego Comic-Con and will be attended by many popular individuals such as Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad, Frances Fisher, Greg Grunberg from Heroes, Scott Grimes from American Dad and Justified, Efren Ramirez from Napoleon Dynamite, Eddie Matos from Finding Carter and Adrian Pasadar from Heroes and Agents of Shield.

It is admirable to see all of these individuals take time out of their busy schedules to come together for an evening that is for a good cause and will surely make a difference in a child’s life.

– Alysha Biemolt

Sources: Look To the Stars, Geeks For Peace, An Englishman In San Diego, Kids For Peace Global
Photo: Highlight Hollywood