5. Taylor Swift

The Grammy-winning country star recently opened up the final rehearsal of her “Speak Now” world tour to the public in May. Ticket sales were donated to community relief funds in order to aid areas ravaged by the tornados that swept through the South last April. Swift stated that after watching the news, she simply “….wanted to do something for the families affected by the damage.”[MTV.com] The concert, which raised over $750,000, won her the 2011 Do Something Award for best charity concert in August. Swift also made a guest appearance in June with the Black Eyed Peas at “Concert 4 NYC,” which benefitted a charity fighting poverty in the city.

4. Daniel Radcliffe

As if defeating Lord Voldemort weren’t benevolent enough, the young star of the immensely successful “Harry Potter” franchise is a philanthropist as well. Last June, Radcliffe received the “Trevor Project Hero Award” in honor of his support of and inspiration to lesbian, gay, bi, and transgender youth. The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that offers support for LGBT youth in the form of services like a suicide prevention hotline, wanted to honor Radcliffe, who stated that, “…there’s no reason [LGBT youth] should grow up feeling that they’re in any way different or that their difference should separate them from their peers.” [MTV.com] What a guy…ten points for Gryffindor!

3. Demi Lovato

A singer, songwriter, former Disney channel star and philanthropist, Demi Lovato won two awards at this year’s Do Something Awards function. Partnering up with Clean & Clear Skincare and an organization called “Join the Surge,” Lovato worked to promote and encourage community involvement, political activism, and voting among teens, earning her the Do Something TV Star award. Keeping the philanthropic vibes alive, she even went on to collaborate with Joe Jonas in a performance of their song, “Make a Wave,” that benefited the Disney-sponsored charity, Friends for Change. A group that fosters environmental activism and green initiatives, Lovato and Jonas’ heartfelt performance won them the Do Something Charity Song Award, making Lovato a veritable double threat of selfless “do-goodery.”

2. Justin Bieber

When he’s not winning every musical award known to man, Justin Bieber and his hair can be found giving back to the youth across the country. The recipient of the coveted Do Something Music Artist Award, Bieber beat out fellow philanthropic powerhouses Nick Jonas and Lady Gaga by dedicating a music video to children struggling with illnesses across the globe. The prodigy of pop also works with Pencils of Promise, an organization dedicated to building schools and promoting education in less-developed areas worldwide. He may be young, but it seems that with an unwavering determination to better the lives of youth around the world, unmatched talent, and a haircut the consistency of organic whipped cream, the sky is the limit.

1. Jonas Brothers

Yes, the Jo Bro’s took first place on this list…surprised? Of course not. When it comes to acts of philanthropy, three heads are indeed better than one. Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas are the founders of their own charity, the Change for the Children Foundation, which supports programs for children and teens in the endless list of hardships and setbacks they are faced with. Through diabetes awareness, Nick Jonas, afflicted with the disease himself, educates and empowers youth on how to safely and effectively manage, live with, and overcome the daunting ailment. An adamant supporter of the Special Olympics, Joe Jonas works with other community activists to organize events, charities, and competitions for the disabled. From choosing the location to promoting the event, Joe ensures that any disabled child who ever wanted to run, jump, swim, or throw their heart out in defiance of their handicaps can do so. From the community to the voting booth, Kevin Jonas support youth activism, and maintains the idea that the younger generations are the true movers and shakers of this country, with the unified power and foresight to make a difference. Individually, the brothers would make Mother Teresa blush…but together? Now you’re talking about an angelic tri-force of halo-crowned, impossibly wavy-haired saints.

Julianne Hough

This annual fashion show promotes the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Heart Truth Campaign. The Heart Truth Campaign aims to make women more aware of the danger of heart disease. Heart disease is currently the number one killer among women.

Alison Sweeny

To raise awareness among women, celebrities took to the runway clad in red dresses, which stand as the symbol for Heart Truth’s campaign. The Red Dress is the national symbol to encourage women to empower themselves by taking action to protect their heart health and to actively lower their risk for heart disease.

Suzanne Somers

Marking the beginning of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the Red Dress Fashion Show featured celebrity models including: Julianne Hough, Audrina Patridge, Denise Richards, Dita Von Teese, Guiliana Rancic, Eve, Patti LaBelle, and Dania Ramirez.

Dania Ramirez

The event also featured a performance by pop sensation Natasha Bedingfield.

Natasha Bedingfield

To further support the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, some of the participating designers are auctioning off the red dresses designed for the show online at Clothes Off Our Backs.

See Additional Event Images Below.

Patti LaBelle

Cat Deely

Guiliana Rancic

Laila Ali

Katrina Bowden

Garcelle Beauvais

Dita Von Teese

Camila Alves

Linda Gray

Eve

Denise Richards

Audrina Patridge

Natasha Bedingfield

All photos courtesy of Rob Rich

See the rest of the photos at our flickr or facebook page!

The Cause: Gala Co-Chairs Clare E. McKeon, and Damaris D.W. Ford, along with approximately 260 guests gathered to celebrate and raise funds for the 100th year of AFA, a nonprofit institution that organizes art exhibitions for presentation in museums around the world, publishes exhibition catalogues,and develops various educational programs. The AFA’s mission is to enrich the public’s experience of art and understanding of culture by organizing and traveling a diverse offering of exhibitions embracing all aspects of art history

The Credentials: During the evening, there was a viewing of a short commemorative video featuring artist Lorna Simpson, Metropolitan Museum of Art Director Thomas P. Campbell, and Brooklyn Museum Director Arnold L. Lehman, among others; a raffle drawing of a print by Maira Kalman and a drawing by Wolfgang Laib; and dancing and cocktails. The dinner was catered by the Metropolitan Club.

See event photos below.

Capera Ryan and Clare McKeon

Elliott Erwitt, Meryl Meltzer, Donald Sultan and Ellen Lewis

Daisy Prince, Hugh Chishom, and Clare McKeon

Eunu Chun, Scott Dahnke, and Jason Herrick

Betty Blake, Nancy, O'Boyle, and Rod O'Hanley

Scott Dahnke, Clare McKeon, DD Ford, Stephanie La Nasa, and George King

Jeffrey Loewy and Serena Rattazzi

Photographs by Anthony Behar: Courtesy American Federation of Arts

The Instructor

For this party, you will need to invite an instructor who knows all the tricks of the trade when it comes to cupcake decorating and design. This teacher could be a local baker, pastry chef, cupcake connoisseur, or even a friend or relative who has a gift for creating cupcakes. Communicate with your instructor about how you would like the class to be taught. Would you and your guests like to learn a specific design or decoration or would you rather learn the basics and allow your partygoers to experiment? Ask your cupcake coach what the necessary decorating supplies will be and if he or she would be willing to supply the necessary tools for your event. Most importantly, make sure that your instructor knows that all the proceeds from this party will be going to charity.

The Set-Up

In order to successfully and comfortably pull off this event, your decorators will need plenty of room to work and create. The instructor will also need to be clearly visible to everyone at your event. A large kitchen with plenty of counter space should do the trick. If your kitchen is a little too small or cluttered, consider renting a showroom kitchen or asking a restaurant to use their kitchen during off hours. Remember to remind them that the event is for charity and that the donations from the event will support a good cause. The host should also consider baking a couple dozen cupcakes before the event begins or having a local bakery donate plain cupcakes. That way, your guests do not have to worry about cooking anything when they arrive.

Activities

If you want to add a little flavor or a touch of spice to your cupcake decorating Party with a Purpose, you could turn the event into a competition. Once everyone has learned the basics of cupcake creation, you can divide your guests into teams and have them compete against one another to design and construct the coolest cupcake creation. The instructor can choose the best cupcakes and the winning team can decide which charity the proceeds from the party will be donated to.

Attire

Our Party with a Purpose: Cupcake Creations has the potential to get very messy. Guest should probably wear clothing that they are not afraid of getting a little frosting and chocolate on. If you want to, as Emeril would say, “Kick it up a notch”, have your guests arrive in decorated chef’s hats and aprons. Creative chef attire could be another opportunity for a contest and for fundraising.

How to raise funds

Have your guests make a donation at the door in order to participate in the cupcake class. You can take your fundraising efforts even further by selling your cupcakes creations at a bake sale. You can also turn your party into a decorating competition that can raise additional funds for your cause.

The Event:

A movie night fundraiser with a theme to match the film!

The Theme:

Choose any movie you think your crowd will enjoy… the more pronounced the theme, the better! Think Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Clue, Disney, Casablanca, Oklahoma, etc. It’s easiest to plan details if your movie has a very evident time period or geographical location.

The Set-up:

Using a projector, show the film on a screen or blank wall. And don’t forget speakers for the audio! Be sure to have chairs for people who want to sit and enjoy the movie, but also enough space  for those who prefer to mingle. If you want to incorporate dancing into the event, plan for a separate dance floor or make sure furniture can be easily moved.

Food and Drinks:

Obviously, any movie night needs popcorn. Beyond that, it is up to your budget and time constraints to determine your food options, whether dinner, appetizers, dessert, or simply classic movie theater treats. While you may want to keep certain staples on the menu, research popular food and drinks from your film’s setting and consider incorporating them into the night.

Activities:

Obviously, the movie itself will be the highlight of the night. However, consider adding a dancing portion of the night, especially if you can incorporate your theme into the music or style of dance. Other options include a costume contest (see “Attire” section below), raffles (with themed prizes, of course), or even an opportunity for movie buffs to act out their favorite scene from the movie.

Music:

Whether you plan on having a designated time for dancing or simply background music, make sure your playlist reflects your theme. For instance, include music from the 1960s if you show Breakfast at Tiffany’s. If possible, also include music from the movie’s soundtrack. You can, of course, add modern favorites to your music choices, but having at least a few themed songs will add to the fluidity of your event.

Attire:

Ask guests to dress to theme, if possible. Perhaps include suggestions in your invitations or advertisements. Western costumes or over-the-top 1980s outfits may be easy to find; however, asking people to dress like characters from Gone with the Wind might be easier said than done.

The Cause:

Choose any cause you feel passionate about. If you really want to reach your theme’s maximum potential, you could choose a charity that matches your film. For instance, choose Oceana for the film Jaws. Or, for those who simply love movies in general, consider benefitting a charity that supports the performing arts.

How to Fundraise:

Charge an admission fee for a ticket. Keep in mind that a typical trip to the movies costs $10 per adult (without snacks). If you will be providing dinner or other food, factor that into your calculation. Other aspects during the event, like a raffle, could be a supplementary way to raise funds for your cause.

Keep in mind that you can make a movie night as simple or intricate as you desire.  While you could spend months planning every last detail, you could also just as easily create a successful event the week before.  Everyone loves movies; with a classic, you can’t go wrong!

What movie would you choose to be the focus of your fundraiser?

If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?

“It’s not what any individual does one time, whether it’s really good or really bad, it’s what an individual does over a lifetime or career in the public eye.”

Learn how his near-death experience changed his perspective (and his music), what item he would save from his burning home, and how he is changing San Francisco, the United States, Bali, East Timor, and the world with the power of music.

How can music be a vehicle for change, social justice, and, inspiration?

Music can do three things. It can highlight social issues that are not very well known. It can also raise money for particular issues. Perhaps most importantly music can serve as an inspiration to help people believe that change is possible, and inspire them to work through hard times to make that change come to life.

If you could choose any place in the world, besides San Francisco, to hold a free concert, where would it be?

I would love to play music where people don’t have access to it, so any place where there’s need for music. I’ve played in a lot of prisons and schools and on the streets in cities in developing nations. In the past few years I’ve spent a lot of time in Bali. I would love to do a concert there, but really anywhere I go I’m happy to play for whoever wants to listen.

Finish the sentence: “Social justice begins with…”

“Social justice begins with…” the belief that all people have a right to basic needs, the freedom from tyranny and threat of violence, the freedom of self expression, access to clean food and water, safe homes, and religious freedom and the opportunity to pursue their dreams for themselves and their families.

There’s been a backlash against charitable celebrities. How can ordinary citizens tell which celebrities are truly altruistic?

It’s not what any individual does one time, whether it’s really good or really bad, it’s what an individual does over a lifetime or career in the public eye. It’s easy to become skeptical of someone who appears to be opportunistic or has had a series of public scandals and is trying to refashion their image, but ultimately I believe that any act of generosity or appeal to others to help the greater good is a step in the right direction. No artist should do it with the expectation of something in return.

You had a near-death experience when your appendix ruptured. In what way did that episode change your perspective on life?

It gave me a deeper appreciation for simple things that I often have taken for granted, like seeing the sun for the first time in the morning, or hanging out with my friends, or eating a really delicious piece of fruit. The same week my surgery took place I had my first song ever go into the top forty after more than twenty years of making music and while this was a really exciting thrill in my career, it paled in comparison to just being able to live another day and be surrounded by the people I care about the most.

As a CARE ambassador, how do you share your passion for the organization’s mission?

CARE is determined to help people in need help themselves and what makes CARE unique is that it’s not an organization that provides handouts, rather CARE provides a helping hand enabling farmers to grow for themselves and individuals to start businesses through microfinance and providing girls in developing nations access to education and the opportunity to become powerful leaders in their families and communities.

The PTTP Festival is one of the largest free musical, art, and action events in the county. What do you think the majority of the 70,000+ attendees will gain from the experience?

PTTP is a day when we remember September 11th as a day to volunteer to make the world a better place. We bring together over 100 different social justice organizations, everything from youth gang prevention to environmental causes and veterans groups, and help people to plug into ways they can have a direct impact on the world.

The Global Action Forum & CARE Celebration the night before the festival will feature a video from your recent trip to East Timor for CARE’s Peace and Conflict Resolution Programs. In what ways did this trip have an impact on you?

East Timor is a place I had heard a lot about in the news as their struggle for independence had made international headlines, but it wasn’t until I went there that I realized that for most people independence was not just a political struggle, but a day to day struggle for existence. I learned that something as simple as a 40ft by 40ft plastic tarp to collect water during the rainy season meant the difference between having access to irrigating crops during the dry season and starvation.

If your house were on fire, what is the one thing you would grab?

After making sure my family was safe and I had taken photos that were irreplaceable, there wouldn’t be anything I couldn’t let go of. The most important material possession that I have is my passport because it allows me access to places in the world that people in many nations do not have access to, but my passport is very easily replaceable.

You’ve dabbled in a variety of musical styles. What is one genre you will never attempt?

I don’t think there is a genre that I would “never” attempt. There are many that I’m sure I would not do well at attempting. I’m not a huge fan of classical music, so you probably won’t see me writing a symphony any time soon.

Your new album “The Sound of Sunshine” comes out September 21^st. What should listeners expect?

Well, most of the songs were written after my appendix surgery, so most of the songs are songs of upliftment. It’s a very upbeat record that is intended to help people get through difficult times by laughing, dancing, and connecting with people they love the most through music.

Listen to the 30 second audio sample of new song, “Hey Hey Hey”, which will appear on the upcoming album THE SOUND OF SUNSHINE.

Can you suggest one way in which others can give back in their everyday lives?

A lot of times people ask me what they can do to help others and my response is “do what you can”. One time I met a woman who owned a hair salon and she had a woman come in one day who was undergoing chemotherapy and she cut this woman’s hair and spent the afternoon talking with her about her situation. After that she decided she was going to dedicate time each week to taking care of the hair needs of women who are undergoing chemotherapy. This may seem like something really small, but it was the thing she knew how to do best and so she gave of her best. Each of us have to figure out what it is we know how to do and figure out a way to apply it to helping others.

Join Michael Franti at Power to the Peaceful!

The annual Power to the Peaceful Festival, featuring CARE Ambassador Michael Franti and more than 50,000 music fans, will take place in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, September 11, 2010. The night before, on Friday, September 10, at 8 pm, CARE and Michael Franti will kick off this Festival with the second annual Global Action Forum & Celebration at the Fillmore Theatre in San Francisco. The evening will feature the screening of two short films, one about Michael’s recent trip with CARE to East Timor and another about a girls’ education crusader from Mali. The films will be followed by an intimate conversation with top experts in global women’s issues and an acoustic performance by Michael Franti.

Visit www.care.org/forum for more information and to buy tickets.

http://www.powertothepeaceful.org/

1. Crude (2009)

Crude is the epic story of one of the largest and most controversial environmental lawsuits on the planet. The inside story of the infamous “Amazon Chernobyl” case, Crude is a real-life high stakes legal drama, set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures

2. The Cove (2009)

The Cove follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and free divers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, shining a light on a dark and deadly secret. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide

3. Crash (2004)

Crash is more intense, ambitious, and disturbing than most dramas. This film braids together a series of vignettes featuring a veritable United Nations of characters whose fates are intricately and inextricably intertwined. At the center of this web is bigotry in all its forms and gut-wrenching racism permeates the film. However, the script is ultimately sympathetic, illustrating how empathy and understanding can triumph intolerance

4. Food Inc. (2008)

Food Inc. lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment

5. Sicko (2007)

Sicko is a straight-from-the-heart portrait of the crazy and sometimes cruel U.S. health care system, told from the vantage point of everyday people faced with extraordinary and bizarre challenges in their quest for basic health coverage. Sicko uses humor to tell these compelling stories, leading the audience to conclude that an alternative system is the only possible answer

6. God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of Lost Boys of Sudan (2006)

God Grew Tired of Us explores the indomitable spirit of three “Lost Boys” from Sudan who leave their homeland (orphaned by a tumultuous civil war), triumph over seemingly insurmountable adversities and move to America, where they build active and fulfilling new lives but remain deeply committed to helping the friends and family they have left behind

7. Earth (2007) and Oceans (2009)

Earth and Oceans, both presented by Disneynature, boldly chronicle the vast beauty and mystery of our planet. Earth brings you a remarkable story of three animal families on a journey across our planet — polar bears, elephants and humpback whales, while Oceans explores the harsh reality and the amazing creatures that live within the waters that cover nearly three-quarters of the Earth’s surface

8. Babies (2010)

Babies simultaneously follows four babies around the world – from birth to first steps. The children, Ponijao (Opuwo, Namibia), Bayarjargal (Bayanchandmani, Mongolia), Mari (Tokyo, Japan), and Hattie (San Francisco, United States), re-define the nonfiction art form, as Babies joyfully captures on film the earliest stages of the journey of humanity that are at once unique and universal to us all

9. Blood Diamond (2006)

Blood Diamond tells a story, amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, of two men (an ex-mercenary turned smuggler and a Mende fisherman) who join forces for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman’s son, who has been captured by rebel forces. Blood Diamond shapes gripping human stories and heart-pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact

10. King Corn (2007)

King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. In King Corn, these two best friends move to Iowa to learn where their food comes from. They plant and grow a bumper crop of America’s most productive, most subsidized grain, but when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat – and how we farm

11. The Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (2006)

The Crude Awakening tells the story of how our civilization’s addiction to oil puts it on a collision course with geology. Compelling, intelligent, and highly entertaining, the film visits with the world’s top experts and comes to a startling, but logical conclusion – our industrial society, built on cheap and readily available oil, must be completely re-imagined and overhauled

12. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

An Inconvenient Truth is a passionate and inspirational look at former Vice President Al Gore’s fervent crusade to halt global warming’s deadly progress by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. With an emphasis on hope, An Inconvenient Truth ultimately shows us that global warming is no longer a political issue but rather, the biggest moral challenge facing our civilization today

13. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is one question away from winning India’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”.  Jamal is arrested on suspicion of cheating; no one believes a street kid can possibly know so much. A jaded Police Inspector spends the night probing Jamal’s past, from his riveting tales of the slums to his heartbreak over a girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of Jamal’s story reveals where he learned the answers to the show’s seemingly impossible quizzes

14. Tapped (2009)

Tapped is an unflinching examination of the big business of bottled water. Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right, or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? From the plastic production to the ocean where so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry and the communities which were the unwitting chips on the table

15. Darfur Now (2007)

Darfur Now is a story of hope in the midst of one of humanity’s darkest hours – a call to action for people everywhere to end the catastrophe unfolding in Darfur, Sudan. In this documentary, the struggles and achievements of six different individuals from inside Darfur and around the world bring to light the tragedy in Sudan and show how the actions of one person can make a difference to millions

16. Earthlings (2007)

Earthlings reveals the suffering of animals for food, fashion, pets, entertainment and medical research. Earthlings is nicknamed “the Vegan maker” for its sensitive footage shot at animal shelters, pet stores, puppy mills, factory farms, slaughterhouses, the leather and fur trades, sporting events, circuses and research labs. Today, Earthlings is considered the definitive animal rights film by organizations around the world

What movies have changed your life? Do you have any to add to the list?

1. Oprah Winfrey

Is there any surprise here? Oprah has held titles few others could live up to: the richest African American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, the richest black person in the world, the most influential woman in the world, and the most philanthropic celebrity. Whether encouraging others to help the underprivileged with Oprah’s Angel Network, teaching classes via satellite at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, raising money for worthy causes through appeals to her dedicated audience, or personally donating millions to various charities, there is no doubt that Oprah is deserving of each of her honorary titles.

2. Angelina Jolie

Not many celebrities physically see the benefits of their charity work, but Angelina Jolie is the exception. As a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, she has personally met with refugees in more than 20 countries. She has also been active on the political scene, both speaking on behalf of humanitarian causes and personally meeting with legislators. And as the mother of children adopted from Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Vietnam, Angelina truly lives out her title: Citizen of the World.

3. Brad Pitt

It is no coincidence that Brad Pitt falls right next to his partner Angelina Jolie on lists of celebrity philanthropists. After all, the pair did found the Jolie-Pitt Foundation together, an organization dedicated to eliminating extreme rural poverty, protecting natural resources, and conserving wildlife. Another of Brad’s passions is architecture, which he puts to use rebuilding homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina with the Make it Right Foundation.  Overall, Pitt’s commitments to green living, eradicating poverty, and human rights are evident in his philanthropic lifestyle.

4. Madonna

When Madonna began Raising Malawi in 2006 with Michael Berg, she did not merely seek to create an organization to help others donate; instead, she pledged to match all donations received. The foundation aims to provide vulnerable children in Malawi, Africa, with nutritious food, proper clothing, secure shelter, formal education, targeted medical care, and psychological support. Beyond her monetary and moral support of the cause, she has also adopted two children from Malawi, including her controversial legal battle to adopt Mercy in 2009.

5. Bono

Not just anyone gets knighted and nominated for three Nobel Peace Prizes. However, Bono is certainly not just anyone when it comes to celebrity philanthropists. Since he first visited Ethiopia with World Vision in 1986 and developed an educational program using music and acting, he has become a leader in fighting poverty. He has helped found the ONE Campaign, Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA), (RED), and EDUN, all of which support Africa in fighting poverty and AIDS.

6. Justin Timberlake

Although other names may come to mind first when thinking of celebrity philanthropists, Justin Timberlake actually has the largest impact when it comes to raising money. In 2009 alone, he can be thanked for raising over $9 million for Shriners Hospital for Children. This support comes in part from his annual golf tournament supporting the cause. He also founded the Justin Timberlake Foundation, which funds and supports music education in public schools. That’s music to any philanthropist’s ears!

7. George Clooney

You may recall the enormous success of the Hope for Haiti benefit concert and telethon. The man behind the magic? George Clooney. Clooney pulled off the event in an incredibly short period of time with the help of generous friends. Another cause that is close to is heart is Not on Our Watch, an organization founded by Clooney and Ocean’s 11 co-stars Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt to end genocide in Sudan. Also serving on the Board of Trustees for the United Way, it’s clear that Clooney is as diverse in his philanthropic efforts as in his acting.

8. Matt Damon

Along with founding the aforementioned Not on our Watch, Matt Damon started H20 Africa, now known as Water.org. He is also passionate about ending the conflict in Darfur, and has supported many campaigns to resolve the crisis. As an ambassador for ONEXONE, which improves the lives of children at home, and a board member for Tonic Mailstopper, which works to prevent the destruction of trees for junk mail, Damon has made his mark on many causes in the philanthropic world.

9. Rihanna

Twenty-two year-old Rihanna proves that there’s no minimum age for philanthropic work. At the age of 18, she began the Believe Foundation, which aims to inspire and protect children around the world. Through raising awareness and recruiting bone marrow and other donors, the foundation is dedicated to relieving the medical needs of children. However, it also hopes to provide the educational, financial, and social support children need in order to believe. Hopefully we will see Rihanna topping lists of philanthropic celebrities for many years to come.

10. Reese Witherspoon

America’s sweetheart Reese Witherspoon is living proof that true beauty shines from the inside. Since 2007, she has partnered with the Avon Foundation to end violence against women. And in March 2010, she joined Avon, the State Department, and Vital Voices to launch the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women, formed to assist women who have been or will be affected by violence. It focuses on domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking: the three most pervasive forms of violence against women.  In the future, look for global advocacy campaigns in India and Argentina and see the benefits of Reese’s passion.

Who do you think should be added to our list of celebrity philanthropists?

If you were a celebrity, what cause would you support?

Their most recent film, Toy Story 3, is a perfect example. Using the same familiar characters from the two prior Toy Story films, TS3 focuses on more mature issues than the formers, such as letting go and accepting the inevitable, with the toys’ owner, Andy, all grown up and moving to college. But this is exactly what Pixar is known for—focusing on real-life issues that create empathy in the viewers, as well as a sense of hope.

With Andy being the son of a single mother, TS3 is a perfect example of Pixar incorporating family issues into their films, an element in which both children and adults can often relate. Other examples include last year’s Oscar-nominated Up, which centers on an elderly widower (the death of his wife brings tears to the viewer’s eyes within the first twenty minutes of the movie) who, in an attempt to take one final trip, ties a bunch of balloons to his house and flies away. He accidentally ends up stuck with Russell, an adorably chubby Wilderness Explorer dealing with an absent father. In Finding Nemo, Marlin, a clown fish, loses his wife and children, with the exception of one, Nemo, when they are killed by a barracuda. While these characters are animated fish, this does not obscure the viewer’s natural inclination to empathize with the characters in their struggle.
On a more mature note, in The Incredibles, Mrs. Parr (superhero Elastigirl’s alias) suspects that her husband, Mr. Parr (Mr. Incredible), is having an affair when he starts sneaking away to do superhero work, despite having quit the business years before. While some of these themes may whiz over a child’s head, adult viewers are bound to find plotlines like this to add some depth to what might otherwise be just another children’s film.

Pixar films also do a great job of usually having multiple protagonists, allowing for both children and adult viewers to identify with at least one character throughout the film. While the “adult-relatable” characters aren’t always adults (they can be toys, monsters, fish, or cars, etc…), Pixar definitely does not create family films solely for the children. This can also be seen in Pixar films’ humor, which often includes puns or allusions that only an older audience might understand. For example, in Monsters, Inc. one character named Bile goes by the name Phlem, a play on words that a child might not catch. In Finding Nemo, a group of sharks attempting to maintain a vegetarian fish-free diet attend Alcoholics Anonymous-style meetings to curb their cravings, another reference that would most likely surpass a young viewer but give a chuckle or two to an adult.

While Pixar films do include action, suspense and some manifestation of evil in their films, the villains are usually creatures that, in reality, are not that frightening to children. In TS3 the villain is Lotso, a pink Lots-O-Hugs bear. While he may be cruel in the film, the fact that he is a teddy bear makes him non-threatening for children. In A Bug’s Life the evil villain is Hopper, a grasshopper, who is large compared to the ants he is ruling over, but not anything too scary to a child. Even in Up, Alpha, the Doberman Pinscher-leader of a pact of talking dogs owned by the movie’s villain (an old man), has a high-pitched voice (resembling what a voice might sounds like after inhaling helium), making him less intimidating despite being somewhat frightening looking.

Perhaps what might be the most appealing aspect of Pixar films is the fact that the main characters in their films often start off feeling isolated and out of place. This is a feeling that almost all people experience at some point, especially in childhood, and therefore the audience is able to relate to characters as “outsiders.” In Ratatouille the protagonists is a French rat with a passion for cooking, who helps an awkward, spazzy garbage boy form a cooking career. In Finding Nemo, Nemo stands out because he has one deformed mini-fin, caused by the accident with the barracuda. However, what makes these movies endearing is the fact that the lonely and out-of-place characters end up being commended for their uniqueness, as opposed to changing themselves to find their place in the majorities.

Of course, while having recognizable celebrities voicing characters who visually or personality-wise resemble them (Albert Brooks as the neurotic, anxiety-ridden Marlin in Finding Nemo) definitely adds appeal for adult viewers, what really makes Pixar such a genius filmmaking studio is their ability to create touching stories that both children and adults and everybody in between can find amusing and relatable. They’ve taken the Disney formula that has created heart-warming movies for decades and added dimensions, both visually and story-wise, resulting in consistent success at the box office.

The Event: San Francisco Ballet 2010  Student Showcase Dinner and Performance        

The Cause: The event was to raise funds to support the scholarship and financial aid programs of the San Francisco Ballet School, one of the leading ballet schools in the world.

Event Co-Chairs : Beatrice Wood, Lola de Avila, and Deborah Taylor

The Credentials: The evening began with a cocktail reception at 5pm and a live auction and dinner at 6pm at The St Regis San Francisco, followed by the performance at 8pm at the Novellus Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.    The live auction was new to this year’s event, and it featured eight packages, ranging from a print by Erik Tomasson, to a special party to be held in conjunction with the SF Ballet premiere  of Balanchine’s Coppélia.

Student Showcase Performance: At the performance, audiences got a glimpse of the progression in ballet training, from beginning students giving class demonstrations, to advanced-level students on the verge of professional careers. The advanced-level students performed excerpts from SF Ballet Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson’s production of The Sleeping Beauty and the premiere of two new works, choreographed by Shaun Amyot, faculty member at Canada’s National Ballet School, and SF Ballet School faculty member Parrish Maynard.