Clooney famously founded the charity Not On Our Watch with his Ocean’s 11 co-stars Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt, as well as producer Jerry Weintraub and David Pressman. The organization’s main goal is to put an end to genocide in Sudan – a conflict directly and indirectly claiming the lives of thousands of people every day. The charity has donated millions of dollars to help those suffering in the region, with much of the funding going through the United Nations World Food Programme.

Clooney has visited the region and spoken personally with victims of rape, abuse and torture. He has even sat down one-on-one with President Barack Obama to discuss the action that can be taken to put an end to war in the Sudan.

Not On Our Watch also supports charitable organizations in Burma and Zimbabwe.

That’s not Clooney’s only cause, however. The handsome star has been known to give generous donations to the homeless, is a supporter of Bono’s ONE Campaign against global poverty and is also on the Board of Trustees for the United Way.

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The Hanson brothers made headlines recently after they announced that they would be hosting a walk in order to raise money for charities, including foundations that benefit organizations in Africa. The mile-long walk will take place in Oakdale, Connecticut, prior to a concert, and is just one out of 165 “Take the Walk” fundraisers that brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zachary, have hosted over the years, the New Haven Advocate reports.

“Together we can realize our potential to impact the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves, creating partnership for the future and facing today’s greatest challenges, one action at a time,” Take the Walk’s website states. “The real difference happens when you begin, when you decide to move from awareness to action.”

The Hanson brothers made other headlines recently when they downplayed comparisons to teen heartthrob Justin Bieber. In an interview with the Baltimore son, Zac said that his band differed from the mop-topped singer.

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Immediately after his big break, DiCaprio donated $35,000 toward the creation of the Leonardo DiCaprio Computer Center at the Los Feliz branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, just blocks from where he grew up.

For his 2006 movie Blood Diamond – which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture – Leonardo spent time with 24 orphaned children from the SOS Children’s Village in Maputo, Mozambique.

Perhaps most famously, however, DiCaprio has his own eponymous charitable foundation. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation works to build awareness of environmental issues – including global warming, species endangerment and alternative and renewable energy sources – through participation with organizations including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Global Green USA, the International Fund For Animal Welfare and National Geographic Kids, among others.

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Jonathan Lipnicki may be best known for his role as the adorably bespectacled kid in the Oscar-winning film Jerry Macguire, but that’s not what he wants to be remembered for. Instead, the actor is working to make sure his legacy lies more in charitable contributions than childhood movie roles.

The little boy from the movie is all grown up now: At 19, Lipnicki has become a speaker for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and is actively involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Starlight Children Foundation and the NBA’s Read to Achieve program. In fact, JDRF named Lipnicki one of its “Heroes of 2001″ when he was only 10 years old for his work with the organization. Famous pals say the actor, who also voiced Stuart Little and starred in The Little Vampire, is getting heavily involved in his charity work, despite the convention that people his age are more interested in themselves and their love lives.

And that’s not all Lipnicki is doing for good causes. He’s also an international spokesperson for Pediatric Chiropractic and Kids Day America/International. What’s more, his work doesn’t stop with people – the actor also happens to be an animal lover who is reportedly working with animal rights groups such as Pets and Their Stars and the Nuts for Mutts group.

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The positive pop-rocker has supported charities including the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Musicares, Project Clean Water, the True Colors Fund and the Save the Music Foundation, to name only a few.

Earlier this year, the charitable arm of the Surf Industry Manufacturer’s Association honored the laid-back rocker as its Humanitarian of the Year for his work with dozens of surf-related nonprofits, including Life Rolls On and Surfer’s Healing. Accepting the award, Mraz took with him his guitar and a couple of concert tickets – and proceeded to auction them off for charity.

The singer, who has two Grammys, also made headlines for attending the 2010 ceremony in an “eco tux” designed by British designer Simon Carter and made from recycled water bottles, which he paired with a tie made from old cassette tapes. And it isn’t just Mraz’s fashion that is green – the singer’s house runs entirely on solar power and the trips he made for his recent tour were fueled mainly by biodiesel.

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Evelyn Haas will always be remembered as a patron of the arts, a civic leader, as well as an active philanthropist. Her previous involvement in numerous civic and cultural initiatives has helped quite a number of people. All in all, Evelyn Haas has managed to donate more than $364 million worth of gifts to a wide variety of civic, cultural, and social service organizations.

Born in 1917, Evelyn Danzig Haas was raised in New York City. She is a graduate from the Wheaton College in Massachusetts, where she eventually developed a passion for art. Evelyn Danzig also attended the prestigious Harvard Business School, where she met her husband Walter A. Haas Jr.

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After Wellcome’s death in 1936, his will provided for the creation of the Wellcome Trust, a global foundation dedicated to improving human and animal health. In the past 70 years, the organization has grown to become the largest charity in the UK. Wellcome Trust provides philanthropic funding to a variety of focus areas, including biomedical science, technology transfer, public engagement and biomedical ethics. There are fellowships and grants available for those with goals of translating research into useable health products.

Most recently in October 2010, Wellcome Trust began providing research training programs for physicians who wish to pursue careers in academic medicine. The foundation is also currently supporting clinicians’ research in developing a treatment for obesity based on natural appetite suppression. The foundation currently spends over $600 million a year in medical research funding.

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Born in June 1920 in Jamestown, Rhode Island, Russell E. Train primarily lived a life of politics. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in political science and served as an officer in the army during World War II. He is best known, however, for his dedication to environmental charities and for fostering an environmental awareness in the American public.

Train served as the second Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from 1973 to 1977, placing environmental issues on the presidential and national agenda.

In 1960, Train, along with Nick Arundel, Jim Bugg, Kermit Roosevelt and Maurice Stans founded the African Wildlife Leadership Foundation, Inc., later named the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), to ensure that African lands and wildlife remain undisturbed from industry and poaching. 80 percent of its current staff is African because the organization believes that the first step in environmental conservation is encouraging the people living on the land to become its caretakers.

Most recently, AWF has launched its Leasing Land for Conservation program in southern Kenya, under which landowners are paid by AWF to conserve their land rather than to convert it for agriculture or sell it to developers. The Lomako Conservation Science Center opened in 2009 in the remote forests of the Congo to intensely study the life of the bonobo, a species of endangered ape, as well as the ecology of the rainforest in general.

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Damon co-founded H2O Africa, its name changed to Water.org in 2009, an organization whose mission is to raise funds to purify water in developing countries. First, Water.org identifies the countries most in need and funds local partner organizations that will sanitize the water, promote health and hygiene, and organize community involvement. The foundation has assisted communities in gaining access to safe water in Africa, Asia and Central America.

Along with celebrities George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle and Jerry Weintraub, Damon co-founded Not On Our Watch, an international advocacy group bringing awareness to global crises. He has also supported the ONE Campaign which combats AIDS and poverty world wide. He is also an ambassador for ONEXONE, a non-profit group dedicated to improving the lives of children. ONEXONE hosts a number of annual charity events with Damon in attendance and has featured musical performances by Snow Patrol, Mary J. Blige and Collective Soul.

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Having garnered much wealth at a very young age, John Ilhan decided to contribute a large percentage of his earnings to charity. Before he died at the age of 42 in October 23, 2007, John Ilhan was also known as one of the country’s most generous philanthropists. He has provided regular donations to a wide range of charitable organizations.

In order to maximize his contribution to charity, he created the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation. The foundation was primarily established using John Ilhan’s $1 million donation. John Ilhan was prompted to initiate the non-profit organization right after he learned of his daughter’s severe allergy to peanuts.

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Also known for her philanthropic work, Shakira was given the honor as a guest at the University of Oxford on December 7, 2009. There she discussed about her work with children and education. She was chosen to speak by the Oxford Union and joined the ranks of several US Presidents and several cultural symbols such as Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, and the Dalai Lama XIV. Shakira expressed her intent to show the youth of 2060 to see the nation advocating global peace not by sending 30,000 soldiers, but sending 30,000 educators to Afghanistan.

In March 2010, she was given a medal by the United Nations’ International Labor Organization in appreciation of being an ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice as UN Labor Chief Juan Somavia put it.

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She was named the most powerful female entrepreneur in the National Post and was named “Global Leader of Tomorrow” in the World Economic Forum in the year 2001. A year after, in 2002, Belinda Stronach was ranked no.2 in Fortune Magazine’s list of the world’s most powerful women in business. The following year, she earned one of Canada’s oldest and most distinguished awards, the Beth Shalom Humanitarian Award. The award was in recognition of her exceptional achievement in humanitarian service. In April 2004, she was listed as one of Time Magazine’s world’s 100 most influential people.

On November 9, 2006, Belinda Stronach co-chaired the Millennium Promise Convention in Montreal, which was a nationwide campaign to recruit Canadians to help keep off malaria from the children Africa. Together with TV personality Rick Mercer, Belinda Stronach initiated the Spread the Net campaign to raise funds for insecticide-treated bed nets for families in Africa. For the efforts of her campaign, Belinda Stronach was awarded an honorary degree from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario in 2009.

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He migrated to Canada in 1956, arriving in Toronto with nearly no funds. Christopher Ondaatje initiated the restoration of his family fortune, building a career as a stockbroker. He became one of the founding members of Loewen Ondaatjie McCutcheon, and became a multi-millionaire by founding the Pagurian Press.

Sir Philip Christopher Ondaatje is an important benefactor, with the following groups in his list: Blundell’s School, The Sir Christopher Ondaatje Devon Cricket Centre at Exeter University, Somerset County Cricket Club, Dalhousie University, Pearson College of the Pacific, the National Ballet School, the Royal Ontario Museum, Massey College in the University of Toronto, the Chester Playhouse, Lakefield College School and Lester B. Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

The Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture from the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize is named after Christopher Ondaatje.

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If money is tight, people are going to pay for things like rent, heating bills and food before they buy anything else. This prompted one group to step up to help cover the cost of clothing, something there isn’t usually money left over to purchase. KXLY4’s Kalae Chock reports.

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Aside from his success in the basketball court, Dwight Howard is also a philanthropist in the making as he established the Dwight D. Howard Foundation as part of his off-court activities.

Founded in 2004, the Dwight D. Howard Foundation offers scholarships for students who are interested in studying in his alma mater, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. The foundation also offers grants to Lovell Elementary School and Memorial Middle School in Orlando, Florida.

The Dwight D. Howard Foundation organizes basketball camps for boys and girls in the summertime. The basketball program opens its doors to kids who are eager to be trained by high school and college coaches and players. Dwight Howard also gives the kids an opportunity to play with his fellow NBA players at the camp.

On April 16, 2010 Dwight Howard personally donated $100,000 to the displaced Haitian children who were hit by the 2010 earthquake.

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Aside from music, Alicia Keys is also a renowned philanthropist, serving as the co-founder and Global Ambassador of Keep a Child Alive, a non-profit organization that provides medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa.

In 2005, Keys and U2 frontman Bono played a cover version of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush’s “Don’t Give Up”, in acknowledgment of World AIDS Day of that year. Their version of the song was later changed to “Don’t Give Up (Africa)” to mirror the nature of the charity it was aiding.

She also visited African nations such as Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda to support care for children affected by AIDS. The activity was documented in the Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland video documentary.

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In 1988, he founded the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic organization that gives out scholarships and dynamic assistance to Hong Kong’s youth through a variety of outreach programs. Over the years, the foundation has broadened its areas to comprise provision of medical services, assistance to victims of illness and natural disasters, and projects that give aid to Hong Kong-based recipients.

Through the foundation, Chan has contributed to several major projects which includes The Jackie Chan Challenge Cup Intercollegiate Invitation Tournament, Hong Kong Girl Guides Association Jockey Club Beas River Lodge, The Jackie Chan Family Unit, The Jackie Chan Whole Person Development Center, The Jackie Chan Gymnasium at Lingnan University.

Jackie Chan’s foundation has also given medical donations in Hong Kong, medical funding in Mainland China, and support for performing arts and youth development programs.

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March 22nd is World Water Day.

More than 1 billion people on the planet don’t have access to clean drinking water. For $20 a person, non-profit charity: water funds clean water solutions like shallow wells, deep wells, rainwater harvesting systems, and spring protections to provide people in need with clean and safe drinking water.

Find out how you can help give one person clean drinking water at http://www.charitywater.org/donate

charity: water’s latest promo video features the well-drilling work we fund in the forgotten Central African Republic. Directed by Simon Willows, “Time Bomb” track donated by Beck.

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Aside from his prominence in the fast-food chain industry, Samuel Truett Cathy is also famous for his numerous donations and contributions to charity. The entrepreneur’s idea of service goes beyond just selling boneless chicken sandwiches. Samuel Truett Cathy is also a philanthropist; he has dedicated much of his time and money to various philanthropic causes, especially those related to the welfare of needy children.

In order to maximize his support for charity, Samuel Truett Cathy established the WinShape Foundation, which recently provided around $18 million to fund the development of foster homes and a summer camp. Aside from that, the foundation’s hefty donations have also funded several college scholarships and marriage counseling programs.

Due to its contributions to charity, Samuel Truett Cathy’s WinShape foundation was awarded as the annual winner of the William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership in 2008.

The altruistic businessman even goes beyond corporate philanthropy; it is a well-known fact that he has welcomed homeless children into his home and has taught in Sunday school sessions.

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In 1985,Steve Wozniak, along with Steve Jobs, received the National Medal of Technology award from then President Ronald Reagan. In December 1989, he was awarded with an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He also contributed funds to make “the Woz” Lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder. In 1997, Steve Wozniak earned a fellowship in the Computer History Museum, where he was a donor and patron to the San Jose’s Children’s Discovery Museum.

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Having garnered a tremendous amount of wealth, Mohammed Al Amoudi decided to donate a large percentage of his fortune to quite a few charitable organizations. In 2007, Mohammed Al Amoudi made a donation of more than 25 million Birr to help fund the construction of the Harar Cultural Center.

Mohammed Al Amoudi covered half of the estimated amount needed to construct the cultural museum in Harar. According to Bushira Mohammed, Harar’s public relations officer, Mohammed Al Amoudi gave the pledged amount right after the cornerstone was laid at the construction project’s site, which happened after the closing session of the monthlong Harar millennium celebration.

The museum, which consists of several features including a public library, international gymnasiums, and conference rooms, was named after the Ethiopian businessman and philanthropist as a tribute to his efforts and generous contribution.

Sources:

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In addition to founding one of the world’s largest chain of hotels, Conrad Hilton is also the founder of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The philanthropic trust was established in 1944. It eventually became the primary beneficiary of the Hilton estate after Conrad Hilton’s death in 1979. As of 2009, the foundation’s assets had reached an approximate total of $2 billion.

The Conrad Hilton Foundation has donated almost $900 million worth of grants since its inception. As a family foundation, the trust’s board of directors is mainly composed of Hilton family members who are basically in charge of the foundation’s grantmaking and financial responsibilities. In addition to these duties, the staff also administers the Conrad Hilton Humanitarian Prize and works to support various charitable programs and initiatives worldwide.

The Conrad Hilton Foundation currently maintains headquarters in Reno, Nevada and Los Angeles, California. The foundation mainly focuses on ten priority areas including various programs and initiatives such as providing safe water, preventing substance abuse, and ending chronic homelessness among others.

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Jon Huntsman is also known as one of America’s most generous philanthropists. In fact, he has donated to a wide variety of causes. So far his contribution to philanthropy has exceeded $1.2 billion.

Jon Huntsman Sr is the founder and principal benefactor of theHuntsman Cancer Institute, a cancer research facility and hospital based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The institute was established with the help of Jon Huntsman Sr’s pledge of $100 million. Since the institute was founded, he has given a total of over $250 million (coming from his own pockets) as donation.

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As a philanthropist, John Templeton Foundation is dedicated to helping explore the core of spirituality and science. So far, the foundation has donated more than $3.6 million to the International Society for Science and Religion, a group that promotes and encourages the development of the dialogue between religion and science. Aside from this, the foundation also donated about $2 million to another similar organization, the Spiritual Enterprise Institute.

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Aside from focusing on her musical career, Sarah McLachlan also helped other female musicians pursue a career in the music industry by creating the Lilith Fair tour. These concert tours took place from 1997 to 1999. As a testament to its success, the Lilith Fair is touring once again. Tours are scheduled from June to August 2010.

In addition to the Lilith Fair concert tours, Sarah McLachlan has also been involved in several other philanthropic causes. In 2005, she became part of a star-studded tsunami disaster relief telethon, which was aired on NBC. Aside from this, Sarah McLachlan was also one of the Canadian artists and musicians who became part of a benefit concert in Vancouver, the One World: The Concert for Tsunami Relief benefit show.

Sarah McLachlan is also a supporter of the animal welfare and ASPCA. As a supporter, she filmed an advertisement for the organization and helped raised about $30 million for the ASPCA.

The singer’s philanthropic passion is also evident in the Sarah McLachlan Foundation, which is actively involved in coming up with music outreach programs for the inner-city youth of Vancouver.

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Aside from his Google endeavors, Larry Brilliant was also part of the successful smallpox eradication program of the World Health Organization. He participated from 1973 all the way up to 1976. After working with the World Health Organization, he returned to the US to work as an international health professor at the University of Michigan.

While he was teaching international health to students, Larry Brilliant started to establish more than a few business and charitable ventures. Eventually, in 2005, he was appointed to supervise eBay’s Skoll Urgent Threats Fund.

Aside from working for eBay co-founder Jeff Skoll, Larry Brilliant also spent one half of 2005 volunteering for the World Health Organization. He participated in WHO’s campaign to eradicate polio. That same year, he spent a significant part of his time helping out numerous victims of the tsunami in Sri Lanka.

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Born on the 15th of October 1924, Lee Iacocca was raised by Italian parents in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He earned his degree in industrial engineering at the Lehigh University in Bethlehem. After graduation, Lee Iacocca received a Wallace Memorial Fellowship and he then flew to New Jersey to study politics and automotives at Princeton University. Lee Iacocca worked for the Ford Motor Company. After his stint at Ford, he went on to serve as one of the executives for the Chrysler Corporation.

Aside from working in large automobile companies, Lee Iacocca also created the Iacocca Family Foundation, an organization that supports diabetes research. The foundation was established in 1984 using the proceeds of Lee Iacocca’s bestselling autobiography, Lee A. Iacocca. Apart from helping diabetes patients, Lee Iacocca initiated the foundation in honor of his late wife Mary Iacocca, whose death was caused by the complications of type 1 diabetes.

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