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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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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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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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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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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Born on the 4th of December 1973, Tyra Banks is the founder and host of the CW reality TV show, America’s Next Top Model; host of her own TV talk show, The Tyra Banks Show; as well as the co-creator of True Beauty.

Raised in Inglewood, California, she joined the Elite Model Management agency during her senior year in high school. Over the years, Tyra Banks became the recipient of numerous recognitions. She was hailed as the Supermodel of the Year in 2005 by the Michael Award and Woman of the Year in 2000 by Sports Illustrated.

In 1999, Tyra Banks successfully established the leadership and life skills development program, TZONE. The program was created for the primarily disadvantaged teen girls all over the greater Los Angeles area.

At present, the Tyra Banks TZONE Foundation has offered several useful resources to a number of community nonprofits. The members of the foundation are empowered to take control of their lives by engaging in several productive activities such as filmmaking, community activism, dance, sports, leadership, writing, and even entrepreneurship at an early age.

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In 1991, the NBA star proclaimed to the world that he had HIV. He retired abruptly that year, though he was invited to play in the 1992 All-Star game.

It was this experience which prompted him to form the Magic Johnson Foundation. The foundation was Johnson’s instrument to connect with the community. The foundation caters to programs such as Community-based Grants, Social Programs & Resources, Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program and Empowerment Centers.

Since 2003, the foundation has aided over 38,000 Americans in 16 major cities by providing free HIV/AIDS test. Moreover, the program has educated virtually 280,000 people about HIV and the risk factors related with the disease. Since his retirement, Earvin Magic Johnson has become an active promoter for HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as a motivational speaker and philanthropist. He also founded the Magic Johnson Enterprise, which lives by the motto “We are the communities we serve.”

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Aside from being an artist and actress, Dolly Parton is also a philanthropist. In fact, she instituted the Dollywood Foundation as her base for charity programs. The foundation was set up in 1996 and has a record of allocating over 2.5 million free books to children every year. In 2006, her cookbook-Dolly’s Dixie Fixin’s: Love, Laughter and Lots of Good Food-was published. Its net profits were allocated to the foundation.

Dollywood is known for creating jobs and tax revenues to a region that used to be depressed.

Dolly Parton has also raised funds in behalf of a number of other humanitarian issues and causes that include several HIV/AIDS-related charities and the American Red Cross. In May 2009, Dolly Parton delivered the commencement address for graduates of the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Onstage, she imparted her life lessons and encouraged the graduates to keep dreaming.

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Carmelo Anthony, or Melo, as he is fondly called by fans, is a speaker for the Family Resource Center and aids in organizing “A Very Melo Christmas,” a Christmas party for underprivileged children. He donated $1.5 million to the Living Classrooms Foundation, a non-profit organization that offers modern education, job training and community service programs for more than 35,000 children, youth and young adults in the East Baltimore community.

After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Melo Anthony bestowed the relief efforts with $35,000, which came from a regular game against San Antonio and Houston where each of his points was worth $1,000. He also donated $3,000,000 toward the newly-planned basketball practice facility at Syracuse University. The facility will be named the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center.

Carmelo Anthony was also ranked 8th in 2006’s The Giving Back 30 List of Largest Charitable Donations by Celebrities.

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Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Jada and Will’s foundation offers support to the youth in urban inner cities. It was given the David Angell Humanitarian Award by the ASA (American Screenwriters Association) in 2006 in recognition of the foundation’s projects that focus on education, violence prevention and family wellbeing.

In December 2006, Jada Pinkett-Smith gave $1 million dollars to the Baltimore School for the Arts in honor of the famous late rapper Tupac Shakur, who used to be her classmate and good friend in her schooldays.

In 2007, the Will and Jada Smith Foundation, in cooperation with Maybelline and the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), held the initial “Butterflies Over Hollywood” at the El Rey Theatre, LA in support of Smith’s aunt who was diagnosed with the lupus disease. There were more than 300 guests and celebrities who showed up to help raise funds for professional educational programs and the LFA.

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Apart from specializing in business, Richard Branson also focuses on philanthropic activities. For a time, he was contributing initiatives for South Africa. In fact, he worked with singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel to contribute to the founding of The Elders, a group of world leaders working together to solve world issues. The organization was also supported by South African leader Nelson Mandela.

In addition, he also established the Branson School of Entrepreneurship, an institution that works in partnership with Virgin Unite, in South Africa in 2005. The school works on the improvement of the economy in the country by promoting startup companies and small businesses with mentors, skills, networks, finance arrangements and services. Richard Branson was on trips to regions in South Africa to coach and mentor students.

Moreover, Richard Branson was the first famous guest in Reserve Dinners, a renowned charity fund raiser, raising money of more than $75,000 in one night toward his Virgin United aid group.

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As an active philanthropist, Tony Robbins formed his own charity called the Anthony Robbins Foundation. It started out as a campaign to give away bags of groceries anonymously to poverty stricken homes every year at Thanksgiving Day. Through the years, it has improved and now serves over 500,000 individuals each year all over the world. His philanthropic organization performs such deeds particularly during the holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. What Tony Robbins’ foundation also does is inspire, educate and train those who are deprived financially and emotionally in the society.

Writing inspirational books is his other way of helping other people. In fact, he has created book and audio programs titled Awaken the Giant Within, which motivates readers and listeners in controlling their physical, financial and emotional health; and Unlimited Power, which aims to make people trust in themselves in overcoming fears.

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Apart from engaging in film and martial arts, Jet Li began getting involved in the Red Cross Society of China as its “philanthropic ambassador” in 2006. He donated 500,000 Yuan (or $62,500) of box office profits from his movie Fearless to the Red Cross psychological sunshine program that supports mental health.

In 2007, Jet Li put up his own nonprofit organization called The One Foundation, as Jet Li was moved by a near-death experience in the Maldives during a tsunami in 2004. The foundation promotes global disaster relief programs in partnership with the Red Cross, and other causes like suicide prevention and mental health awareness. Ever since the establishment of the organization, Jet has contributed to recovery efforts in various calamities, one of which was during the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan.

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Apart from being a popular comedian and an opinionated liberal who has her own mind, Rosie O’Donnell has earned a reputation in charitable philanthropy for her work with children. As a mother of three adopted children, she would attribute her persistent advocacy to children’s welfare to her difficult childhood, having lost both parents to cancer at an early age.

In 1996, she used $3 million of the advance for her memoir Find Me to fund the establishment of the For All Kids Foundation, a public charity. She also became vocal in calling for instituting national standards for day care in the US. Since 1997, O’Donnell’s For All Kids Foundation has awarded more than $22 million in Early Childhood Care and Education program grants to over 1,400 child-related nonprofit organizations.

Rosie O’Donnell’s creativity and penchant for comedy has boosted her charitable work. She has often found a way to cultivate philanthropy out of her detractors. Her partnership with Listerine where the company donated $1,000 to charity for every kiss to O’Donnell was a way to counter her designation by a rival company as “unkissable.” She was able to raise more than $350,000.

Personal donations by O’Donnell have also supported various causes. In 2006, she donated $50 million in an irrevocable trust to charity as well as for the rehabilitation of war veterans whose limbs were ravaged by the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

In 2003, she helped establish Rosie’s Broadway Kids, a foundation which provides free instruction in music and dance to public schools and students. It has served more than 22 schools and more than 5,100 students, teachers and their family members. All of the net profits from her 2007 book Celebrity Detox were donated to the foundation, helping the foundation build the Maravel Center, a state-of-the-art school for performing arts.

In 2007, O’Donnell collaborated with various artists on the True Colors Tour, a cause-oriented concert to benefit the Human Rights Campaign, P-Flag and the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

For her exemplary work with children, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children recognized O’Donnell in 2006.

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Ashley Judd has spent most of her time among the ill and sexually exploited in Third World countries since becoming a global ambassador for YouthAIDS. This foundation is a prevention program under the Population Service International, where Ashley Judd has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2004. Being the humanitarian that she is, Judd has traveled to Cambodia, Kenya, Rwanda, and many more places affected by illnesses and poverty.

During her travels, she has witnessed the life of the poor and uneducated, and has since then become an advocate for preventing poverty and promoting awareness among the world. In her efforts, she has met political and religious leaders, heads of states, diplomats, and leaders to lend her voice to the deprived, and to convey the message to those who have the power to bring about political and social change.

The YouthAIDS three award-winning documentaries have starred Ashley Judd as the subject, which aired throughout the world, in channels such as the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and VH1. Through her work with the organization, she has come across the need for a balanced and integrated approach to empower human rights and global health, and to prevent social atrocities. Judd has also been involved with organizations such as the Women for Women International, and Equality Now, as well as other non-government organizations that bring attention to social, educational, health, economic, cultural, and financial funding of the unfortunate.

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After retirement, < ahref='http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,624659,00.html">Jordan has been active in business and humanitarian work, having made various contributions to charity to support children, family issues and disaster relief. He has auctioned off some of his basketball equipment and memorabilia for charity and holds the Michael Jordan Golf Invitational to raise funds.

• In 1994, Jordan founded the James R. Jordan Boys and Girls Club and Family Life Center in the memory of his father. Located in Chicago, Illinois, Jordan gave $2 million to construct the sprawling facility that houses a computer center, science lab, healthcare, clinic, gym, day care center and more. The Center caters to more than 1,000 children and families each week.

• He collaborated with Nike-subsidiary Jordan Brand to make a donation of $500,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana’s Slidell Unit to help finance the construction of a new athletic gymnasium that the kids of the Boys and Girls Club will use for their activities and community events.

• In 2006, he donated $450,000 to Habitat for Humanity to aid rebuilding efforts in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Through Hoops for Homes, a program created to benefit the relief operations, several pairs of Michael Jordan autographed Air Jordan shoes were auctioned off to raise additional funds. The auction money helped rebuilt the homes ravaged by the hurricane in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.

• Jordan also supports education initiatives. Parts of the proceeds from his auctions go to Jordan Fundamentals, an education program which grants $1 million annually for teachers. In 2006, he and his then-wife Juanita made a $5 million donation to Chicago’s Hales Franciscan High School.

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His generous pursuits began when he founded Landmark Communications (currently known as Landmark Media Enterprises) of which he was the chairman and CEO for a number of years.

Frank Batten Sr.’s experience as a media and entertainment mogul covers newspapers, radio stations, televisions, and even a new cable station that became a household name (The Weather Channel). Other affiliations include the distinguished Associate Press for which he served as chairman from 1982-1987. He graduated from the Culver Military Academy in 1945, earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Virginia in 1950, and attended Harvard University for his master’s degree in business administration in 1952.

At present, The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked Frank Batten Sr. as 23rd in The Philanthropy 50: Americans Who Gave the Most in 2008. With a total commitment of $93 million in 2008, he earned the reputation of being one of the devoted leaders in education philanthropy.

• Frank Batten Sr.’s 2008 biggest beneficiary is Culver Academies, a private secondary school whose main thrusts are personal responsibility, leadership, teamwork and accountability. An emeritus member in the Culver Educational Foundation Board of Trustees, he has been a consistent financial pillar in his 24 years of being part of the committee. In 1984, he became Culver’s 17th Man of the Year.

• The Batten Fellows Program, established with his $20 million donation, aims to provide the faculty with opportunities for professional development as well as merit-matched salaries. The second part of Frank Batten Sr.’s commitment is The Batten Leadership Challenge, in which he will match the amount the fundraisers are able to pull in for as much as $50 million. This grant program will run until January 31, 2010.

• Hollins’ Batten Leadership Institute is also running on a $2 million gift from Frank Batten Sr. and his wife.

• Slover Library Foundation I Norfolk, Virginia received an endowment of $20 million for the city’s 2012-targeted $50 million library project in honor of Mr. Batten’s uncle, Col. Samuel L. Slover.

• In championing higher education, Frank Batten Sr. gave $100 million to create the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy in the University of Virginia, $60 million to Darden Graduate School of Business in Virginia, and $32 million to Harvard Business School.

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George Clooney is one of those actors who use their considerable star status to enhance the profile of a cause. In July of 2005, he was part of the “Live 8” event that called attention to eliminating poverty through free concerts taking place in different parts of the world.

Clooney is also a huge supporter and member of the ONE Campaign, alongside entertainers such as Bono, Al Pacino, Salma Hayek, Tom Hanks and many more. The campaign aims to increase government funding for humanitarian aid, specifically to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa.

His biggest charity effort is his active cooperation in the Save Darfur Coalition, which is an advocacy group that calls attention to the Darfur Conflict in Eastern Africa. The group has built a worldwide movement and has gained a heavy level of concern from the public.

George Clooney traveled to Darfur in 2006 with his journalist father, Nick Clooney, and filmed a documentary, A Journey to Darfur. In 2008 it was released in DVD format with proceeds going to the International Rescue Committee.

Another one of his many charitable efforts is his involvement in the “Not On Our Watch” campaign, which creates lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection for the deprived, vulnerable and displaced.

Time Magazine has named George Clooney as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World after seeing how he “uses star power to illuminate the crisis in Darfur.” The UN has also named the actor a “Messenger of Peace” in January 2008.

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After garnering prestigious awards in music and theatre, she ventured in moviemaking, setting up her own production company, Barwood Films in 1972. The company’s first movie, Up The Sandbox, highlighted the growing women’s movement and jumpstarted Barbara Streisand’s career not only as a serious moviemaker but an advocate of political activism. She later produced more movies that dealt with various political issues of personal significance to her.

The Rodney King riots impressed upon Streisand deeply, strengthening her conviction to do her part in addressing the problem of violence among youth in under-served communities across America. Acting on her personal belief that this violence is an unfortunate but understandable reaction to economic hardships and social injustice, she established the Streisand Foundation in 1993 initially to help disadvantage youth.

Since then, the scope of the Streisand Foundation’s advocacy has broadened. It has contributed over $16 million dollars to national nonprofit organizations advocating women’s issues, civil rights, race relations, civil liberties, gay rights, voter education, nuclear disarmament, gun control, poverty, and AIDS.

A long-time advocate of women’s health, Streisand donated $5 million dollars to the Cedars-Sinai Women Center in support of women’s cardiovascular research.

Barbara Streisand is also sympathetic to environmental causes. In support of the global climatic change initiatives of former US President Bill Clinton, she donated $1 million dollars to the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation.

In recognition of her contributions to philanthropic work, ABC News proclaimed her as the third most generous celebrity among the biggest philanthropists convened by the Giving Back Fund. She was also inducted as an Honoree of the Kennedy Center.

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As a rock star, his music with U2 has earned him legions of devoted fans across the world. Right from his early months with U2, Bono refined a reputation for being able to connect with fans on several levels during the band’s performances. Bono is also humanitarian and crusader for the world’s poor. Bono’s rare ability to effectively straddle the spheres of both entertainment and politics remains rivaled by few in the realm of popular culture.

Bono is the co-founder of organizations such as DATA and the ONE Campaign. In early 2005, Bono, his wife Ali Hewson, and New York-based Irish fashion designer Rogan Gregory launched the socially conscious line EDUN in an attempt to shift the focus in Africa from aid to trade.

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At an early age, Paul displayed an early interest in the theater. At the age of seven, he made his acting debut, playing the court jester in a school production of Robin Hood. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he completed his degree at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio; graduating in 1949. Later he studied Drama at Yale University, graduating in 1954.

Within the years of his acting career, Paul became interested in his activities outside acting. He joined car races and was socially active in issues such as gay rights. In 1982, Newman co-founded Newman’s Own, a line of food products. The brand initially sold salad dressing but has expanded to encompass a wide range of food including lemonade, pasta sauce, popcorn, wine, and salsa. Newman also created a rule that all proceeds from the sale of Newman’s Own products, after taxes, would be donated to charity.

One of his beneficiaries is the “Hole in the Wall Gang Camp,” a residential summer camp for seriously ill children, which is situated in Ashford, Connecticut. Newman co-founded the camp in 1988. Newman’s college fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, adopted “Hole in the Wall” as their “national philanthropy” in 1995. One camp has expanded to become several “Hole in the Wall” camps in the U.S., Ireland, France and Israel. The camp serves 13,000 children every year, free of charge. In June 1999, Paul Newman gave away $250,000 to Catholic Relief Services to help refugees in Kosovo. As of early 2006, the franchise has resulted in excess of $250 million in donations.

On September 27, 2008, Paul Newman died after battling lung cancer. He lived life as a celebrity without scandal.

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Elton John has earned a reputation as a philanthropist – having used his wealth and popularity for good causes, making him in fact one of Britain’s most generous individuals.

He has been active in AIDS charities following the deaths of some of his closest friends, Ryan White and Freddie Mercury. He collaborated with various artists such as Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick to record singles for the benefit of the American Foundation for AIDS Research. Together with close friends, he has performed in outdoor concerts to generate funds for AIDS awareness. He has also auctioned some of his artwork, cars and wardrobe to increase funding for the foundations he supports.

Later, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) in the United States in 1992 and in the United Kingdom in 1993 to expand his initiatives. It has become one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations and a top grant-maker for HIV/AIDS advocacy, raising over $150 million to support significant programs in 55 countries worldwide. EJAF derives support for its work mainly through proceeds from special fundraisers, cause-related marketing projects and donations from individuals, corporations and foundations.

EJAF’s thrusts are on eradicating the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS through education and advocacy, prevention programs, political lobbying and direct services to include treatment, testing, counseling, social services, food distribution, and legal services.

Elton John has become one of the most visible and outspoken AIDS activists in the world, testifying before Senate hearings, appearing at press conferences, writing editorials, and delivering speeches before political bodies. For his passionate and steadfast commitment to AIDS awareness and prevention, Elton John was given the CARE International Humanitarian Award in 1997.

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Britney Spears launched one of the most successful and influential careers in the record industry, boasting of 32 million sold albums in the US and an estimated 83 million record sales worldwide. Britney Spears believes in giving this success back to people in need, especially children.

She started the Britney Spears Charitable Foundation, Promises Foundation and became part of The Giving Back Fund’s family of charities. She believes that children can make their dreams come true while they are young. She donated profits from her Dream Within a Dream tour to fund the construction of a performing arts summer camp for underprivileged kids in Massachusetts. From those proceeds, she also donated $1.00 for every ticket sold to help children of the New York police officers and firefighters killed during the rescue of the victims of 9/11.

Britney Spears has become a spokesperson for efforts that help create awareness for funding organizations that help seriously sick children. One of these organizations is the Starlight Children’s Foundation, a group that provides funding for in-hospital and outpatient services. She gives her time by visiting many sick children who are battling serious illnesses like cancer.

She also donates personal items to various auctions like the NASCAR Driver Auction and a $50,000 donation to Gilda’s Club Worldwide, a cancer support network throughout North America.

Britney finds fulfillment in helping others and believes that by giving back to her fans, and to the communities, she will give meaning not only to her own life, but to others as well.

Britney Jean Spears was raised in Kentwood, Louisiana and is listed by the Guinness World Records as having the “Best-selling album by a teenage solo artist” for the album Baby One More Time; her debut album that sold over thirteen million copies in the United States alone.

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With her equally high-profile partner Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie donated more than $8.5 million to their Jolie-Pitt Foundation in 2006 alone. Among the recipient charitable organizations are Global AIDS Alliance, Doctors Without Borders, the Daniel Pearl Foundation, Namibia Red Cross Action Program, the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation and Global Green USA. It also supports victims of the Iraq war, particularly the children affected. Other programs work toward providing relief for Darfur refugees. In 2008 the Jolie-Pitt Foundation was given all the proceeds of the $14 million-worth exclusive photos of the couple’s newborn twins. People magazine and British Hello! Magazine paid for these snapshots of Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Léon, born July 12 that year.

Also in 2008, the couple worked with Global Health Committee. The non-profit group received the gift of $2 million for the construction of a center for AIDS and tuberculosis-afflicted children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In honor of their generous donation, the clinic will be named after Zahara, who Jolie adopted from Ethiopia.

Angelina Jolie became a committed humanitarian advocate in 2000 when her filming of Tomb Raider took her to Cambodia and opened her eyes to its harsh realities. With the realization that the situation in the country was a mere echo of so many other afflicted communities, she decided to be the change herself.

Since her appointment in 2001, Angelina Jolie has been a devoted United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ Goodwill Ambassador. By 2003, Angelina Jolie became the first recipient of the United Nations Correspondents Association’s Citizen of the World Award. Two years after, UNA-USA also recognized her humanitarian work with the Global Humanitarian Award. In the same year, she established the National Centre for Refugee and Immigrant Children. The year 2005 also saw Angelina Jolie awarded with Cambodian citizenship for her dedication to the Asian country’s betterment. In 2007, the Freedom Award was duly given to her by the International Rescue Committee.

Angelina Jolie has also taken her advocacy to the political level by becoming a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in 2007. Everyday life for her entails a balance between her acting career, philanthropic efforts, and her role as mother to her three adopted children (Maddox, Pax, Zahara) and three fathered by Brad Pitt (Shiloh, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline).

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