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REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Oprah founded an Angel Network in her name that has sent deserving students to college, built homes for families in need and more. Oprah's Angel Network has raised more than $50 million for nonprofit organizations across the world. Through her foundation, Oprah has also awarded hundreds of education grants to women, children and families in need. In January 2007, she opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.
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REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde
Bono has become as well-known for fighting global poverty as he is for fronting the legendary rock band U2. In 2005, Bono, along with Bill and Melinda Gates, was named one of TIME magazine's People of the Year. Together, the three were recognized for their extensive work to reduce global poverty. Visit U2's website to learn about some of the causes and charities Bono supports.
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Caption: Photo courtesy of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps
The late Paul Newman and Newman’s Own Foundation have donated more than $250 million to thousands of charities around the world. Particularly close to Paul’s heart were the Hole in the Wall Camps, the leading global family of camps for children with life-threatening illnesses, which he created over 20 years ago.
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Courtesy of The Leary Firefighters Foundation
In 2000, Denis Leary established The Leary Firefighters Foundation to help firefighters after a blaze in his Massachusetts hometown killed six firefighters, including his cousin and a childhood friend.
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REUTERS/HO Old
Inspired by an accident that left her sister physically impaired for years, Sharon Stone and her sister, Kelly Stone, founded Planet Hope, a charity that offers free medical and dental care, new clothes for kids, counseling and image makeovers for homeless women and victims of domestic violence.
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REUTERS/Lee Celano
In December 2006, Brad Pitt asked experts to brainstorm ways to build green, affordable and safe housing for Hurricane Katrina victims. Pitt founded the Make it Right Foundation to do just that. Today, Pitt's Make It Right Foundation continues to build new homes for displaced residents of New Orleans. Here he looks over the Pink Project, metal frames draped in pink fabric, in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans on December 3, 2007
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REUTERS/Chip East
In 2001, Jolie began traveling the world on behalf of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Jolie continues to be an advocate for people in need. In 2006, the actress teamed up with partner Brad Pitt to establish the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which provides humanitarian assistance to people across the globe.
Learn more about the UN's Refugee Agency.
Learn more about the UN's Refugee Agency.
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REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
In 1992, Sir Elton John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF). The organization has since raised more than $125 million to support programs in 55 countries around the world. Here he performs during the "An Enduring Vision" benefit for the EJAF in 2007.
Learn more about the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Learn more about the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
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REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli
In 2006, Clooney traveled to Sudan and Chad with his father, journalist Nick Clooney, to raise awareness of the conflict in Darfur. According to the Save Darfur Coalition, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and as many as 2.5 million Darfuris have fled their homes. Here he is presented the 2007 Peace Summit Award by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for his part in the campaign to help the people of Darfur.
Learn more about the crisis in Sudan and watch a video diary of Clooney's trip with his dad. .
Learn more about the crisis in Sudan and watch a video diary of Clooney's trip with his dad. .
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Photographed by Joan Barker
Mariah Carey works with the Fresh Air Fund to help inner city kids explore the world of work through a career awareness camp. Camp Mariah is the Fund's career awareness camp, where inner city kids can explore potential careers while also spending quality recreational time outside.
Learn more about the Fresh Air Fund.
Learn more about the Fresh Air Fund.
I need capital to start a real estate business. At this time I am very ill with fibomyalgia and have not been albe to work since 1986. I am about to lose my home of thirty-years. My brother is a real estate agent and he can find homes in very bad condition and at a low price. I will hire many people to help us get the home back on the market. I wil sell the home for a small profit and this will save my home and help others to purchase a almost new home at the best price. Oprah can you help me.
Has anyone on here actually won any of the sweepstakes? I just want to know that they are legit, just to give my family and myself a little bit of hope in this horribly fallen economy. I live in a factory town, so everyone is losing their jobs. It's horrible.
Can anyone help:I have been applying for grants and help for the last 3 years, everyone wants money and or charge card number. Here is my story, at age 17 I married a man to get out of being raped and beaten from my stepfather. I married a man 10 years old his family has millions of dollars. The beatings began Chris my husband drank and was a drug dealer I tried to leave he broke my eye sockets, jaw and nose. This went on for 10 years. He even sold me to a gang of bikers for drugs they the bikers tied him to a pole cut his face and made him watch what they did to me. I went to a battered shelter in which he found me beat me and kept me drugged with the same needles he used . 1 year later he died of Hep c his family blames me. I did not date until 20 years later met a great man 14 years older and wanted to get married and start a family. I got ill with Hep C from my dead husband and went through treatment for a year to find out the treatment causes rotting of my stomach wall and 2 lung deceases. I took guardianship of my 16 year old niece my sister is a drug user and drinks so, I am battling to stay alive and take good care of my niece. If the treatment for my lungs doesn't work I can not get on a lung list because of the Hep C, I called my father in law for help he stated if I became his mistress he would help me, I can not and will not be little what is left of my life. I am out on disability from Chase Bank I have been there 10 years and they are fighting me all the way. I need help or a great prayer to get me through. I have never begged but, I do not want to die I would love to see my niece have kids go to college and try to marry the man I have been with through all my illness. I saw this article on goggle and thought I would try. I do not have anything else to loss but, my life and family. If I just get a prayer and to tell someone my story that is ok. Thank you for listening and god bless,
Can anyone help:I have been applying for grants and help for the last 3 years, everyone wants money and or charge card number. Here is my story, at age 17 I married a man to get out of being raped and beaten from my stepfather. I married a man 10 years old his family has millions of dollars. The beatings began Chris my husband drank and was a drug dealer I tried to leave he broke my eye sockets, jaw and nose. This went on for 10 years. He even sold me to a gang of bikers for drugs they the bikers tied him to a pole cut his face and made him watch what they did to me. I went to a battered shelter in which he found me beat me and kept me drugged with the same needles he used . 1 year later he died of Hep c his family blames me. I did not date until 20 years later met a great man 14 years older and wanted to get married and start a family. I got ill with Hep C from my dead husband and went through treatment for a year to find out the treatment causes rotting of my stomach wall and 2 lung deceases. I took guardianship of my 16 year old niece my sister is a drug user and drinks so, I am battling to stay alive and take good care of my niece. If the treatment for my lungs doesn't work I can not get on a lung list because of the Hep C, I called my father in law for help he stated if I became his mistress he would help me, I can not and will not be little what is left of my life. I am out on disability from Chase Bank I have been there 10 years and they are fighting me all the way. I need help or a great prayer to get me through. I have never begged but, I do not want to die I would love to see my niece have kids go to college and try to marry the man I have been with through all my illness. I saw this article on goggle and thought I would try. I do not have anything else to loss but, my life and family. If I just get a prayer and to tell someone my story that is ok. Thank you for listening and god bless,
Bingo! That is the first right comment I've seen in all of the ramblings given. "cyndllnchaleen", your right when you said, and I quote, "Charity is a person giving when they do not have anything to give. They do not ask to be recognized". Just as the poor, old woman who gave a "mite" or in our language a half of a cent in a kings court, in a bucket for the king. It was as if she gave more than the richest man who gave a half a million in the bucket. Where should giving come from? The heart.
Sorry I spewed on Oprah and Suze Orman, I think that if I had Oprah's money I'd be feeding the people who have lost jobs and homes. How can they sit comfortably in luxury and watch this happen? It's not their fault their jobs are gone and houses go next because no one is protecting them from foreclosure. Don't believe that modification is helping people stay in their houses because modification is only for a select few! People like us are feeding people,not govt or celebrities!
I didn't finish my comment. Oprah and Suze Orman are tres' wealthy and therefore have NO IDEA what the rest of us are going through, losing our homes, jobs, etc. If they were given $10 extra in their paychecks, you think they'd be happy? My mortgage is probably a weekend vacation for them. They sit on stage telling people to pay off their credit cards, Oprah shaking her head like, "why do they have so much debt?" Because we earn peanuts and you earn millions, Oprah! My comment: good or bad!
I hesitated to give my comment because it's just my opinion but here goes! I watched Oprah a while back when she had Suize Orman on to give her suggestions about what to do during the recession. What I saw was two very wealthy women sitting in judgment of us. Let me clarify. We earn dollars and cents wages per hour that are taxed big time and what we have left over is supposed to pay off our houses, our cars, buy food and clothing for our children and us and then we are expected to save too???
At least they are doing SOMETHING! Some kind folks can only find negativity in everything,
As I was looking at all of these stories, I had a negative thought enter my mind. The people shown on here are beautiful people and barely have a bad word said against them. You all are forgetting some of the most giving celebrities because they aren't talked about or they aren't as beautiful as they used to be. What about Elizabeth Taylor? She started her own AIDS foundation. Or what about Michael Jackson? He started both Heal The World and Heal The Children. He has raised millions.
to the person who said that these people have made millions off of less fortunate...you are wrong...Oprah used to be poor...she has done nothing wrong nor harmed people in making her millions....she has done good for many people..and please tell me why its less "charity" when someone who is a success gives away money, etc. So what you have to be poor all of your life in order to give "Charity" that is absolute bull crap....
As pleased and grateful as I am to see how wonderful these gifts of time and love be given to these many charitable organizations and people abroad in need, I would like to know what these powerful actors, entertainers and high society people of interest have given back to their communities and the very poor right here in the great USA without their gift being one of an end of the year tax right off. How many families have they help put into a descent home and neighborhood or just buy groceries?
I read these stories last night before I went to bed and thought how nice these people were doing something for someone less fortunate. I was almost asleep when my mind began to race. I started to think about these celebrities and what they had done. I became enraged. Each one of them has made millions off of people less fortunate and are getting free publicity for it. This is not charity. Charity is a person giving when they do not have anything to give. They do not ask to be recognized.
I would be especially impressed if Oprah would also use her power to save the few lives left of the Orangutans! They are such AMAZING creatures, and SO close to being human! even more so then a beloved family dog. I truly believe if someone could connect her with Willie Smit and his furry friends , she would more then jump on board to help save them!
I wrote one about Oprah- the school was built in S. Africa because the girls there told her that a good education was their way out of poverty, while the kids in Chicago were more interested in new Nikes, an Ipod, or a new cell 'phone. Respectfully submitted
What about Gary Sinise, Don and Diedre Imus, and Andre Agassi? Respectfully submitted, Bob Maguire