ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

November 10th 2008

Will Bono, Clooney and Other Celebs Face Charity Controversy?

Filed under: donations — sara @ 1:57 pm

The legitimacy of a charity seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. I’ve been amazed at the responses to the recent post on a Scientology benefit for charity. That conversation may not have been that surprising (I’m not Scientology’s OMG #1 Fan myself!), but when I heard that charities run by Bono — one of my favorite celebs ever– George Clooney, and other famous people might not be as legit as they claim, I was pretty shocked.

Apparently, Bono’s DATA Foundation (now part of One), which works to eliminate poverty and AIDS in Africa, raised $31 million in 2006–but only used $6 million of that for charity. The rest went to transportation, security, and U2 tour tickets. Clooney’s Not on Our Watch (also founded by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and others), which fights genocide, has some shady dealings with an offshore gambling company. Wyclef Jean, Osi Umenyiora, Tyra Banks, Larry King, Gary Payton, Petra Nemcova, Magic Johnson and Dyan Cannon also seem to have skeletons in their charities’ closets; read more about them here.

So what do you think? Do a few gray areas make a charity all bad? Do any of these charities sound completely illegitimate to you, or do you think they still have redeeming qualities?

October 24th 2008

After OneXOne Charity Event, Matt Damon Now Heads To Florida To Help Obama

Filed under: campaigns, donations, politics — michael @ 9:36 am

Last night, Matt Damon and Wyclef Jean helped host another charity benefit for OneXOne, an international charity targeting poor children. The event took place in San Francisco. Earlier in September, Damon and Wyclef hosted another benefit for the organization in Toronto. It was after this meeting that the pair then flew to Haiti to assist with those ravaged by the Hurricane season.

Before last night kicked off, however, Damon and Wyclef spent time with David Arquette passing out grapes at the San Francisco Food Bank’s Arriba Juntos pantry in the Mission. The three of them spent about an hour handing out food, signing autographs, and talking with folks in line. “I don’t expect anybody to know who the hell I am,” Damon told the SFGate, adding that in his travels, here and in Africa, many people he meets don’t have enough money for food, let alone a ticket to see his movies.

Next, Damon will head to Florida for the weekend to help the Obama campaign in getting out the vote. After that, he heads to Morocco to finish shooting a movie — but plans to stay involved with the political effort practically every step of the way. “I’m sure I’ll be on the phone over there after filming every night,” he said. “I’ll do telephone interviews or whatever they’ll have me do. I want to sprint to the finish with the millions of us who really have been desperate for this change.”

Regarding his previous negative comments on Sarah Palin, Damon said he would no longer talk about the Republican ticket. “The Obama campaign has decided to focus on the positive, and I should be a bigger man and be able to do that with them,” he said.

Photo credit: Goff/INFphoto.com

October 20th 2008

Wyclef Jean Blogs About His Haitian Hometown And Efforts To Help

Filed under: campaigns — michael @ 3:37 pm

Back in September, singer Wyclef Jean and actor Matt Damon traveled to Haiti to assist with relief programs and draw attention the plight of those living there. The country had been rocked by Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike leaving thousands starving, villages flooded, and desperation rampant.

Now, Wyclef has written an entry on Anderson Cooper’s 360 blog detailing that experience and his efforts to assist through his foundation YÉLE HAITI. Here’s a brief highlight from the article,

“I returned to Toronto for an annual Gala for a partner of YÉLE’s, ONE X ONE. At the Gala, I shared the devastation of Haiti with my friend and remarkable human being, Matt Damon. I was concerned that Hurricane Ike which was approaching Texas, along with all the Presidential election coverage including the announcement of the Republican Vice Presidential candidate would take all the media attention away from the four hurricanes that had really devastated not only Haiti, but many other Caribbean islands, such as Cuba. Thousands of people had lost their homes, children, family members, and were left without food and water.

Imagine Katrina’s impact on New Orleans and multiply it by 1000.

What pains me most, and much like most Americans were angered by the response to Katrina, is that these are poor people without means. Matt immediately volunteered to come with me so we could gain global media attention. Five days later, we were in Haiti.

Click here to continue reading about Wyclef’s organization and the work him and Damon put in during their time in Haiti.

September 23rd 2008

Mia Farrow Joins Fellow Celebs In Raising Awareness For Haitian Storm Victims

Filed under: campaigns, events — parrish @ 11:16 am

As Ecorazzi previously reported, stars like Matt Damon and Wyclef Jean have come out in a big way to help victims of the recent storms in Haiti that killed at least 425 people, destroyed thousands of homes and razed 60 percent of the island’s agriculture.

Mia Farrow, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, is the latest celeb to get involved and help raise awareness for the impoverished nation. On Sunday, Farrow spent some quality time with storm victims at a cathedral in Haiti and spoke with the press about what she witnessed.

Mia told the AFP, “I saw a city mostly submerged in deep mud (and) people still stranded on roof tops. Other people are still living in school and in a church. There is a sense of confusion, loss and anger. The people in the shelters had not eaten for days, (there is) not enough water coming — of course there is in no sanitation of any kind.”

The United Nations has distributed food and water to some 240,000 people, but raised only 2 percent of its US$108 million aid goal. If you’d like to be as totally rad as Mia, visit Wyclef’s Yele Haiti  and learn how you can get involved!

September 17th 2008

Matt Damon And Wyclef Jean Team Up To Help Devastated Haiti

Filed under: campaigns — michael @ 3:41 pm

Actor Matt Damon and Singer Wyclef Jean traveled to Haiti on Monday to assist with relief programs and draw attention the plight of those living there. The country has been rocked by Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike leaving thousands starving, villages flooded, and desperation rampant. Damon and Jean encouraged help for the United Nations to raise more than US$100 million for 800,000 Haitians in need. “It’s inhumane. I wish there was a word in the dictionary. No human should be living like this,” said Jean.

Mr. Jean’s charity, Yéle Haiti, is also working with the World Food Program and Organization of American States-affiliated Pan American Development Foundation to distribute food to 3,000 families.

May 26th 2008

Wyclef Jean Holds Press Conference For Food Relief Program

Filed under: campaigns, events, events: nyc — parrish @ 5:57 pm

Just a few days ago Ecorazzi told you about Wyclef Jean’s goal to help establish a food relief program in Haiti with the help of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF). Here’s a little video action from a recent press conference he had in New York. GO HAITI!!!

thanks: looktothestars.org

May 21st 2008

Wyclef Jean Establishes Food Relief Program In Haiti

Filed under: campaigns, donations, music — parrish @ 1:47 pm

Hip-hop star and Haiti native Wycelf Jean has just launched Together for Haiti — a food relief program to assist the people of his native country with the current food shortage.

The program brings together a number of non-government organizations and community groups along with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) on behalf of Wyclefs charity organization Yéle Haiti to help address the issues of food shortage and damaged soil.

I had no idea that Wyclef even had a charity organization so I did a little Wikipedia search and found out that in “2005 established the Yéle Haiti foundation. In its first year of operation, the foundation, with funding by Comcel, provided scholarships to 3,600 children in Gonaives after the devastation by Hurricane Jeane. In its second year of operation, it is almost doubling the amount of the scholarships and spreading them throughout Haiti, providing tuition in 5 regions. 6,800 scholarships will be provided to children in Port-au-Prince, Gonaives, Les Cayes, Port-de-Paix and Cap Haitian through Yéle Haiti’s efforts”

So big up’s to Wyclef for not only rocking the mic, but rocking the world as well! If you want to get involved with Together For Haiti visit the Friends Of The World Food Program website and get going!