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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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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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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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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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 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.

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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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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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As a business consultant and strategist, Peter Drucker encouraged more than a few nonprofit leaders to start building a community that promotes the common good. During the earlier days of his career, Peter Drucker made a name for himself through his outstanding insights regarding business management.

His articles and books are widely read, and various companies and business personalities have sought his advice. His success as a strategist has placed him in a position that would allow him to influence a group of business organizations to take part in several charitable activities.

Peter Drucker is also the author of a bestselling book that serves as a guide on how to run a productive charitable organization. The book also shared tips on how to create a foundation that would strengthen leadership in the social sector.

As a testament of his excellence, Peter Drucker has been the recipient of various awards and recognitions. In 2002, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then US President George Bush. Aside from this, he also received various recognitions from the Japanese and Austrian governments.

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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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Since 1986, Ron Terwilliger has overseen his firm in Trammell Crow Residential. The firm is considered as the biggest developer of multi-family housing in the country. Aside from his work at Residential, Ron Terwilliger is also well-identified as a humanitarian. He has, in fact, been hosting charitable efforts in the city of Atlanta together with Mayor Shirley Franklin. From 1999 to 2001, Ron Terwilliger was also the chairman of the Urban Land Institute.

In 2007, Ron Terwilliger was voted to serve as the chairperson of Habitat for Humanity International’s board of directors. Two years later, Ron entrusted $100 million to Habitat for Humanity, a gift that will assist a probable number of 60,000 families.

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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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Alice Walton is also well-known philanthropist. Most of her charity efforts center on the Walter Family Foundation, where she serves as a board member. In addition, she is an active member of the board of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock.

With the formation of Camp War Eagle, Alice Walton created a unique summer camp in Northwest Arkansas that brings together children of distinctive and socio-economic backgrounds.

Alice Walton also led the Walton Family Foundation’s participation in creating the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Crystal Bridges is visualized as a highlight spot for a national art institution contributed to American art and artists.

Apart from her involvement in philanthropic causes, Alice Walton is also known for her love and passion for horses. She trains and breeds horses at The Rocking W Ranch.

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