From the Fall 2003 Issue
PEOPLE
Celebrities Who Care
Stars Making a Difference
(And So Can You...)

Angelina Jolie

Cause:
Since filming Tomb Raider in Cambodia, Angelina has become very involved in the eradication of landmines. She's also a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees— www.unhcr.org

What You Can Do:
Host a dinner party at your school or home to raise funds and awareness for the Adopt-A-Minefield program. To register your event go to the "Night of 1000 Dinners" site at www.1000dinners.com

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Dave Matthews

Cause:
Dave has been involved with Rock the Vote, an organization founded by recording artists dedicated to the political empowerment of young people.

What You Can Do:
Check out www.rockthevote.org to find out how to start a Community Street Team in your neighbourhood. Even if you're not old enough to vote, you can still make your voice heard. Teenagers in Arizona formed Generation Now, an organization dedicated to granting the right to vote to 16 and 17 year-olds.

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Justin Timberlake

Cause:
His foundation has joined forces with the American Music Conference, an organization that advocates for music education at a young age.

What you can do:
Write a letter to your Member of Parliament, telling them why music is important to you. Hold a fundraising drive at your school to buy instruments for the band.

Check the AMC website for teens:
amc-music.com/advocacy/teens - they've got sample letters, on-line petitions and a music education advocacy toolkit you can download to use in your community.

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Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay

Cause:
Chris advocated for fair trade laws through Oxfam, dedicated to finding lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice.

What You Can Do:
Look for fair trade labels on food, and pressure your local grocery to supply products that adequately compensate farmers for their crops. Check out www.maketradefair.com for more information.

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Jay-Z

Cause:
The Jay-Z Scholarship Fund has partnered with the New York City Mission Society to raise funds for underprivileged city kids.

What You Can Do:
Have a bake sale at your school to raise money for Breakfast for Learning www.breakfastforlearning.ca - They provide breakfast, lunch and snack programs in schools across the country to ensure that every child in Canada is well nourished and ready to learn.

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Nelly Furtado

Cause:
Nelly played at the Women Rock! Girls and Guitars breast cancer awareness benefit.

What You Can Do:
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's "Run for the Cure" takes place across the country every October. You can run or walk 5k or 1k and gather sponsors to raise money. Last year more than 140,000 Canadians participated to raise 14.7 million dollars for the organization. You can register for the run on the foundation's website at www.cbcf.org

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Alicia Silverstone

Cause:
Alicia modeled pleather for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She also contributed vegan recipes to their celebrity cookbook and made a television public service announcement encouraging high school students to protest dissection.

What You Can Do:
Check out www.petakids.com. Teens around the world have demanded vegetarian meals in their cafeteria, adopted shelter animals and offered computer program alternatives to animal dissection.

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Of course, there are a lot more celebs out there doing their part but we obviously couldn’t list them all. But the point is, if they can find time in their crazy busy schedules to give back, then we all can too. :-)

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