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It's #GivingTuesday: Here's How Some Celebrities Choose to Give Back

It's #GivingTuesday: Here's How Some Celebrities Choose to Give Back
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Elton John AIDS Foundation

Today is #GivingTuesday and we are highlighting the acts of kindness and philanthropy from your favorite celebrities.

From Oprah to the Obamas, many celebrities use their fortune for the betterment of humanity. Millions of dollars are donated to causes from education to LGBTQ+ protection every year in an attempt to help those in need.


Oprah Winfrey

It's safe to say that Oprah is the queen of philanthropy. Oprah is a talk show host and billionaire media mogul. With her fame and fortune, Oprah has donated millions of dollars towards various causes and organizations.

Some of her philanthropic work includes:

  • A donation of $10 million to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts
  • Lobbied for the "Oprah Bill" (a.k.a. the National Child Protection Act) that establishes a national database of convicted child abusers
  • Donated $50.2 million on education, health care, and women's advocacy in 2007 alone

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton is a legendary country singer-songwriter who has won a numerous amount of Grammys for her iconic singles such as "Jolene" (1974) and "I Will Always Love You" (1974).

In 1995, Dolly Parton started her Imagination Library program, which mails free books to children ages zero to five in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Republic of Ireland. In 2018, Parton donated her 100 millionth to the Library of Congress.

In 2020, Parton donated $1 million to Covid-19 research at Vanderbilt University and is accredited in The New England Journal of Medicine and the official preliminary report of the Moderna vaccine as a contributor to the research.

For more info on Dolly Parton's program please visit: https://imaginationlibrary.com/

Rihanna

Rihanna is a singer and businesswoman known for her multiple Grammys and cosmetics line, Fenty Beauty.

In 2012, Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation Global Scholarship Program in honor of her grandparents Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. The program supports students from Caribbean countries who seek a higher education.

Rihanna was awarded the 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian Award for her efforts in higher education.

For more info on Rihanna's program please visit: https://claralionelfoundation.org/foundation/

John Legend

John Legend is a singer-songwriter known for his multiple Grammys and Academy Award.

In 2007, Legend launched the Show Me Campaign which seeks to provide every child with a quality education.

In 2014, Legend launched LRNG Innovators in partnership with The National Writing Project and support from The MacArthur Foundation that aims to empower teachers to redesign learning and preparing students for the real world.

In 2016, Legend launched FREEAMERICA, a campaign focused on ending mass incarceration.

For more info on John Legend's causes please visit:

Chance the Rapper

Chance the Rapper is Grammy award winner and has been named one fo the most influential people in the world. Chance has also been awarded the 2017 BET Humanitarian Award by Michelle Obama.

In 2017, Chance launched the New Chance Arts & Literature Fund and also raised over $3.2 million for Chicago public schools in 2017 alone.

The New Chance Arts & Literature Fund grants a $100,000 gift for three years to principals, in order to create their vision school.

For more info on Chance the Rapper's fund please visit: https://www.socialworkschi.org/initiatives/support...

Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson is an NAACP Image Award winning actress known for her roles in Rent (2006) and The Lego Batman Movie (2017).

In 2004, Dawson co-founded Voto Latino, an organization that encourages members of the Latinx community to get engaged with politics.

In 2011, Dawson also co-founded an ethical fashion start-up called Studio 189 that enables less-fortunate communities in Ghana to take advantage of the global fashion market.

For more info on Rosario Dawson's causes please visit:

The Obamas

The former family of the White House donated over $1 million to various charities during their time in office, with 54% of the donations going towards causes for children.

Over the course of six years, the family donated $392,000 to the Fisher House Foundation that supports families of veterans.

In 2017, the Obamas also donated $2 million to summer job programs in Chicago.

For more info on the Fisher House Foundation please visit: https://fisherhouse.org/

Emma Watson

Not only is Emma Watson an award-winning actress, she is also a U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador and a key member of the HeForShe initiative.

In 2009, Watson launched an ethical fashion line with PeopleTree, a pioneer company is sustainable Fair Trade fashion.

In 2017, Watson donated approximately $1.4 million to the UK Justice and Equality Fund that campaigns against sexual harassment.

Another charity that Watson consistently donates to is the Small Steps Project that supports children around the world who live on rubbish dumps and survive from scavenging.

For more info on Emma Watson's causes please visit:

Laverne Cox

Laverne Cox is an actress and LGBTQ+ advocate who broke out in her role on Orange is the New Black (2013-2019).

Cox is very involved with the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs that aim to protect the member of the LGBTQ+ community and end all forms or violence.

In 2015, Cox also helped raise $1.6 million for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, one of the most prominent industry-based HIV/AIDS fundraising organizations.

For more info on Laverne Cox's causes please visit:

Elton John

Elton John is an idolized singer-songwriter known for his multiple Grammys, Academy Award, and Golden Globe.

The rocket man himself topped the Sunday Times Giving List in 2016 for donating an estimated $38 million to various charities with most of the musicians money donated to fighting against HIV/Aids.

In 1993, Elton John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, a non-profit that helps fund frontline partners to prevent infections, fight stigma, and provide treatments to the most vulnerable groups affected by HIV around the world.

For more info on Elton John's foundation please visit: https://www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org/

Beyoncé

Beyoncé is one of the most famous singers and performers in the world, with multiple Grammys and awards to her name.

In 2005, Queen Bey co-founded the Survivor Foundation with Kelly Rowland to provide transitional housing for hurricane evacuees.

In 2013, Beyoncé also founded the Beygood Foundation that supports such causes as relief efforts around the world and toy giveaways for children in need while inspiring people to be kind, charitable, and good to others as well as themselves.

For more info on Beyoncé's foundation please visit: https://www.beyonce.com/beygood/

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo is an actor widely known for his role as Hulk in the Marvel franchise.

In 2014, Ruffalo was awarded with The Humanitarian Award for his foundation Water Defense at the BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards.

The known environmentalist also supports green campaigns such as The Solutions Project that pushes for a transition using 100% clean energy for everyone and is a member of Artists Against Fracking.

For more info on Mark Ruffalo's causes please visit:

Whether you're a celebrity or not, helping one another is one of the most important things we can do. On this #GivingTuesday, remember to help those in need and be kind to one another.

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Makayla Leilua