Oct 17, 2016 01:30 pm
Staples and global superstar Katy Perry teamed up and helped hundreds of teachers bring learning to life through the 2016 Staples for Students program, which fulfilled $1 million in classroom projects through the non-profit organization DonorsChoose.org.
Katy Perry attends the Staples for Students Winners VIP Celebration
Credit/Copyright: Casey Rodgers/AP Images for Staples
In April, Staples announced a $1 million donation to DonorsChoose.org, a charity that has funded more than 800,000 classroom projects for teachers and has positively affected more than 20 million students across the country. As a result, Staples fulfilled 1,072 classroom projects across the country, providing 787 teachers in 402 schools with their classroom needs, and impacting 98,609 students.
Additionally, Staples customers nationwide donated more than $330,000 toDonorsChoose.org at Staples stores and www.StaplesForStudents.com in the lead-up to back-to-school season.
“We’re grateful to our customers and thank them for donating to the Staples for Students campaign, which helps teachers and classrooms across the country through DonorsChoose.org,” said Frank P. Bifulco, Jr., executive vice president global marketing, Staples. “It was a pleasure to once again team up with Katy Perry to raise awareness around this important cause and to help teachers bring learning to life for students.”
The program was driven by a statistic from the Education Market Association that an estimated 99.5 percent of all public school teachers use their own money to equip their classrooms, frequently at a cost of more than $400 per year.
“Teaming up with Staples in 2014 taught me firsthand how important it is to support our nation’s teachers, and how often they are forced to dig into their own pockets to provide even the most basic school supplies for their students,” said Katy Perry. “It was an honor to be able to work with Staples and DonorsChoose.org again this year, and I am delighted that our efforts have helped pave the way for students to realize their dreams.”
“We’re so grateful for Staples’ continued partnership in helping teachers and students to succeed, as well as for the support of its loyal customers and Katy Perry,” said Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org. “This year marks the third time that we’ve worked with Staples to help teachers make more happen, and we’ve again heard directly from teachers that Staples and DonorsChoose.org have made a lasting impact on their classrooms.”
$50,000 Scholarship Winner
Katy Perry presented the grand prize winner of the Staples for Students Sweepstakes, Patricia O’Keefe and her son Matthew, Deep River, Conn., with a $50,000 scholarship at a Winners VIP Celebration in Los Angeles on October 13th. Matthew is a senior in high school and is currently applying to colleges for enrollment in fall 2017. Four lucky first prize winners and one guest each also joined the celebration and met Katy Perry.
On Oct. 23 the GRAMMY Foundation will host Living Histories Live: An Evening With Iggy Pop And Don Was, an event highlighting the musical contributions of Pop and Was, creative collaborators who share deep and common roots in Detroit.
Hosted by GRAMMY Foundation Vice President Scott Goldman, the special evening will feature an engaging discussion and close with a joint performance by Pop and Was. In addition, fellow Michigan native Dean Fertita (Queens Of The Stone Age, the Dead Weather) will be the guest artist.
This up-close-and-personal live experience is presented by Iron Mountain Inc., supporting partner of the GRAMMY Foundation Living Histories program. While in town, Pop will be interviewed for the Living Histories archive, which chronicles contributions of key influencers and illustrates the impact of music on culture.
The event, which will be held at The Majestic Theatre at 8 p.m. in Detroit, is open to the public, and tickets can be purchased for $35 per person.
Oct 17, 2016 11:15 am UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Victoria Beckham and her son, Brooklyn Beckham, have completed a three-day mission to Kenya with Born Free Africa andUNAIDS to raise awareness about HIV.
Victoria Beckham with the girls team at the launch of the national football campaign Maisha Kick Out HIV Stigma
Credit/Copyright: UNAIDS
Their visit focused on preventing new HIV infections among newborn children and keeping their mothers healthy and the urgency of promoting HIV testing, prevention and treatment for young people, especially adolescent girls and young women.
During the mission, Victoria and Brooklyn Beckham travelled across the country visiting exciting projects that aim to reduce the effects of HIV in Kenya. They met with community and health workers to understand the challenges they face in their work and learned about their many successes. Victoria and Brooklyn spent time with children and talked to young people and adults living with or affected by HIV, hearing first-hand their personal stories and experiences of HIV.
Today, alongside his mother, Brooklyn took part in a national football campaign “Maisha kick out HIV stigma”, which aims to motivate young people to get HIV tested. HIVtesting, prevention and treatment services are critical to ending the AIDS epidemic, but often people, in particular young people, do not access services owing to lack of information and the stigma and discrimination linked to HIV. Brooklyn joined the football match and showed off his footballing talents on the pitch.
UNAIDS estimates that 1.5 million people are living with HIV in Kenya, with about 71 000 new HIV infections among adults in 2015. One third of all new HIV infections occurred among young women and adolescent girls aged 15–24 years, who are at particularly high risk. There were 6600 new HIV infections among children in 2015. The Government of Kenya is committed to ending AIDS and in addition to funding its own national HIV work has recently pledged US$ 5 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and US$ 500 000 to UNAIDS to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
There have been many successes in the AIDS response, but Ms Beckham used the opportunity to highlight that the AIDS epidemic is far from over. “We have come such a long way together to overcome AIDS — we know the facts, we have the tools, but we need commitment, action and funding to see this through! Ending AIDS can happen, but will only happen if we join together and end all forms of stigma and discrimination.”
“Having the support of our International Goodwill Ambassador is extremely important for Kenya in moving towards ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat,” saidUNAIDS Country Director, Jantine Jacobi.
The mission was organized by the Kenyan Ministry of Health, Born Free Africa andUNAIDS.
Long-standing UNICEF UK Ambassadors Jemima Khan,Robbie Williams and James Nesbitt led the fantastical turn out for Unicef UK’s annual Halloween Ball on Thursday, 13th October, raising more than half a million pounds to help Unicef protect Syria’s children in danger.
High-profile personalities from the worlds of TV, entertainment and fashion including Gillian Anderson, Erin O’Connor, Amber Le Bon, Cel Spellman and Princess Beatrice arrived at London’s One Embankment for the magical Malice in Wonderland themed party. Guests were treated to dazzling performances by 2016MOBO Award nominee Laura Mvula and music legend and Unicef UK Ambassador, Robbie Williams.
Long-standing Unicef UK Ambassador Jemima Khan said, “Tonight’s Halloween Ball was about coming together to support Unicef’s vitally important work to keep Syrian children safe and warm. The conflict in Syria is the largest humanitarian crisis since World War 2. The shocking images we’ve seen of children suffering inside Syria and those making terrifying journeys across Europe in search of safety are utterly heart-breaking. With freezing temperatures coming and no way of keeping warm these children will struggle to survive. Unicef is on the ground right now providing life-saving humanitarian aid, including warm blankets, but their work remains desperately underfunded.”
The money raised at the Halloween Ball will help Unicef, the world’s leading children’s organisation, provide blankets, life-saving food, clean water, health care and psychosocial support to children whose lives have been devastated by the conflict.
Unicef UK Executive Director, Mike Penrose said, “Over eight million children have been affected by the conflict in Syria. So many have lost their school, their home, their friends, even their family. After five years of war, the situation for Syrian children has never been more critical. Unicef is one of the few humanitarian organisations working to protect children in Syria and across the region, as well as for refugee children in Europe, but we cannot do it alone. The funds raised at events like Halloween Ball are vital in ensuring we continue to reach the millions of children in desperate need.”
Robin Williams’ family has launched an auction last week featuring a vast collection of bicycles owned and ridden by the late actor to benefit two nonprofits dedicated to serving individuals living with physical disabilities: the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
The auction is being hosted on Paddle8.com, the premier online collecting destination, from Oct. 13-25.
An avid cyclist, Williams was beloved by the cycling community and collected a number of high-end and custom bicycles. A selection of 87 bicycles from his personal collection are being sold in support of CAF and the Reeve Foundation, including a Dario Pegoretti Responsorium and Love #3, Serotta Ottrott, Trek Madone 7 Diamonds and a Zipp racing bike. The auction can be viewed at paddle8.com/robinwilliams.
As well-known for his philanthropy as he was for his acting, Williams was devoted to a number of charitable causes and served as an ambassador to CAF and the Reeve Foundation to raise awareness for the millions of Americans living with disabilities. As a result of his fierce dedication, both organizations have advanced their shared mission of helping individuals living with physical challenges achieve improved health and quality of life, while promoting greater inclusion and independence.
Williams’ children, Zak, Zelda and Cody, are continuing their father’s philanthropic legacy through their ongoing commitment to CAF and the Reeve Foundation. The auction on Paddle8 will raise critical funds for both organizations and further support the communities they serve.
From Robin’s children
“Though bright, skin-tight spandex still remains one of the more embarrassing outfits to regularly witness your Dad wearing growing up, the sport of biking and the people Dad helped through his love of it will always hold a special place in the hearts of our family. Causes like the Reeve Foundation, championed by his longtime friends Chris and Dana Reeve, and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, in whose triathlons he often biked, were both deeply important to him and we’re honored to be able to continue to support them both in Dad’s name.
“We hope these bikes will bring their new owners as much joy as riding them, and helping these causes, always brought him. And though not required, may we suggest wearing the loudest, most vibrant and brightly-patterned, skintight biking gear possible when riding them?
“Keep the tradition alive.”
Robin’s Relationship with the Challenged Athletes Foundation
Robin Williams was instrumental in the growth of CAF’s mission to provide opportunities and support to people with physical challenges so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics.
Williams and his family were fixtures at CAF events, including the San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC). Robin was an 11-time participant in the SDTC, where able-bodied individuals and challenged athletes compete side-by-side to display the power of the human spirit. At the triathlon, Robin participated as the cyclist on Team Braveheart. His teammates included Scott Tinley, two-time Ironman World Champion and Hall of Fame inductee, and Rudy Garcia-Tolson, a double amputee and two-time Paralympic gold medalist swimmer. In addition, Robin was an enthusiastic participant in the CAF 3-day NorCal Back to Back Cycling Challenge and came out annually to share words of encouragement with riders at CAF’s Million Dollar Challenge, a week-long 620-mile bike ride from San Francisco to San Diego.
In March 2015, the organization hosted A Celebration of Will, a CAF gala to honor the legacy of Robin Williams that raised over $2 million dollars for the Challenged Athletes Foundation Endowment in Memory of Robin Williams.
“When Robin participated at events for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, he would always say, ’It’s like coming back to family,’” said Jeffrey Essakow, Chairman of the Board, Challenged Athletes Foundation. “Robin was family and served as a beacon of hope for athletes with physical challenges. He showed the world that the power of humor and kindness can make a tangible difference. We are honored to join the Reeve Foundation and recognize Robin through this auction.”
Robin’s Relationship with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
Robin Williams was equally as influential in advancing the Reeve Foundation mission to cure spinal cord injury and improve the quality of life for all individuals living with paralysis. With the Williams family’s steadfast support, the Reeve Foundation has invested over $122 million to speed the development of treatments for spinal cord injury and realize Christopher Reeve’s dream of a world of empty wheelchairs. Williams also championed Dana Reeve’s vision to enhance quality of life through the Reeve Foundation’s Paralysis Resource Center, a constellation of services to serve families impacted by paralysis.
Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams met in 1973 as roommates at the Julliard School and became lifelong friends. After Reeve sustained a spinal cord injury, Robin joined the Reeve Foundation Board of Directors and continued to support the organization following Reeve’s passing in 2004.
The Reeve Foundation honored Williams in 1998 with the inaugural “Human Spirit Award” and recognized him again in 2007 for his tremendous impact. His family continues to remain active and involved by participating in events, including the Foundation’s gala, A Magical Evening.
“Like Christopher Reeve, Robin Williams was an unmovable force. To have them in the same room, let alone fighting for the same cause, was extraordinary,” said Peter Wilderotter, President and CEO, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. “Robin provided unending support without fanfare or question, and became a powerful voice for the 5.6 million Americans living with paralysis. Thanks to his efforts and the generous contributions of his family, cures for spinal cord injury are now within reach. Being part of this auction with Challenged Athletes Foundation is a beautiful way to honor his legacy of giving.”
Oct 17, 2016 07:30 am
As a tangible way to honor those who fought to defend their freedoms, Americans are being encouraged to perform their civic responsibility just days before Veterans Day in a new national PSA from Got Your 6 and issue-driven media company ATTN:.
The PSA launched a nonpartisan campaign “Don’t Just Thank, Vote!” featuring actors and veterans Rob Riggle, David Eigenberg, and J.W. Cortes, actors Tom Arnold andJoe Manganiello, and supporters of the veteran empowerment organization Got Your 6.
Through the online fundraising platform Omaze, Don’t Just Thank, Vote! t-shirts are being sold for $25 each to raise funds and awareness to support the campaign.
“We know that veterans are more engaged in the democratic process, but even if all 21.8 million veterans were to cast a ballot in November, we still wouldn’t reverse the downward trend in voter participation,” said Iraq War veteran and Got Your 6 Executive Director Bill Rausch. “Got Your 6 believes that voting is the most basic civic responsibility, and that disengagement is a sign of faltering community health. As veterans, we feel it is our responsibility to lead from the front by challenging Americans to not just thank us for our service, but to honor every veteran by voting.”
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 70 percent of registered veterans voted in the 2012 presidential election, compared with 60.9 percent of registered non-veterans. Arecent report by Got Your 6 demonstrates that that gap is even more profound in local elections, with 15 percent higher voting rates for veterans over their non-veteran counterparts.
Not only are veterans statistically more likely to vote this Election Day, they are also uniquely positioned to encourage non-veterans to do the same.
The “Don’t Just Thank, Vote!” PSA acknowledges that voter turnout in the United States is among the worst of all developed nations. To increase the voting rate on Nov. 8, the veteran-driven campaign challenges all citizens to show their support of the men and women who wore the uniform through actions, not just words.
Viewers are directed to Got Your 6’s voter registration and reminder portalgotyour6.org/vote. In partnership with TurboVote, the site allows users to receive election reminders, get registered to vote, and apply for absentee ballots.
Meryl Streep is an American actress known and admired world-wide. Although she began her acting career on stage in 1971, it was her roles in ‘Deer Hunter’ and ‘Kramer vs Kramer’ in the late ‘70s that gave her international accolade.
She has recieved 16 Academy Award nominations, winning 2, and 25 Golden Globe nominations, where she won 7. She has also received 2 Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Cannes Film Festival award, four New York Film Critics Circle Awards, five Grammy Award nominations, a BAFTA award, an Australian Film Institute Award and a Tony Award nomination, amongst others. She was awarded the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
She is an international role model for women and girls everywhere and helps numerous charities regularly. Most notably, she is the National Spokesperson for the National Woman’s History Museum to whom she has donated significant amounts of money and hosted numerous events.
Charities & foundations supported
Meryl Streep has supported the following charities:
Oct 17, 2016 06:00 am
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease within the decade through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.
