Celebrities and Charities Unite for Haiti

January 15, 2010 | Candid Confessions
oprah chris martin

Oprah Winfrey and her fellow celebrities are urging their fans to donate to their favorite charities to help bring aid to Haiti.

Oprah asked her fans to donate money to the Red Cross. "This is a time where we, as a global nation, should come together and support those who are in need."

Madonna has donated $250,000 to Partners In Need, and released this statement about the devastation in Haiti: "My prayers are with the people of Haiti. I can't imagine the terrible pain and suffering they are experiencing. Sadly the depths of the tragedy are just becoming known and the need for our support grows more urgent with every passing moment. I have given a donation of $250,000 to assist Haiti's earthquake victims through Partner's in Health, one of Haiti's leading health care providers. I urge all of my friends and fans around the world to join me collectively to match my contribution or give in any way you can. We must act now. Thank you for your support."

Natalie Portman, who serves as the Ambassador of Hope for FINCA, has urged people to donate what they can. "Please help FINCA Haiti provide the resources to our Village Banking clients so they can begin to get back on their feet and build anew. There has rarely been a more urgent need for generosity. Please give what you can, and I thank you for your continued support of FINCA programs around the world."

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin made his own call to action, urging people to donate to Oxfam. "I visited Haiti with Oxfam a few years ago. It's a country of extreme poverty and brutal living conditions," Martin tells AP. "Most people in Port-au-Prince live in tin shacks. The earthquake that has struck Haiti will have turned the city into an unimaginable hell."

Wyclef Jean asked for contributions to his Yele Haiti Foundation after the earthquake struck last night, and Adam Lambert tweeted in support of UNICEF.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie donated $1 million to the Doctors Without Borders for the organization's emergency medical operations in Haiti.

Olivia Wilde works with the organization Artists for Peace and Justice, supporting the work of Fr. Rick Frechette, who has done humanitarian work for Haiti for the past two decades. She says in a statement, "I can say with pure confidence, from first-hand knowledge that this is one of the most effective ways to offer critical, and sustainable help to the people of Haiti."

"Precious" director Lee Daniels announced today that the devastation overseas makes Sunday's Golden Globe Awards seem "so unimportant."

"Ultimately, what we do is so un-newsworthy in comparison and so unimportant when you have things like this at hand," Daniels tells AP. "'Precious' seems so unimportant when casualties like that happen."

While no firm numbers have been released, it's feared that hundreds of thousands may have died in Tuesday's temblor.

See how other stars give back below:

stars give back
comments

I’m sick of hearing about you people being sick of hearing about and complaining about donating. Why can’t you just do a good deed and donate? You people are such whiners…

You people want some cheese with all your whine?

Anonymous
June 7, 2010

I think all you people who think that we should focus on ourselves first are just outright selfish nitwits. Have you never heard that sometimes you can better yourself by helping to better others? Don’t be so selfish. America is about the richest country in the world and some countries are in need of our monetary help. So shut your faces and donate. If you were in a state of crisis, you’d want someone who was in a better position to help you out, too. The reason America tries to lend a helping hand is because we’re not a self-centered nation… unlike some people commenting on this article. But I guess kindness is something you learn through values more than something you can reason through.

Anonymous
June 7, 2010

I am sick of hearing celebrities who own 1 or more multi-million dollar homes telling me what a difference I can make by donating even $10 a month — Would any of them sell all their properties & move into a $150,000 home & donate everything else they make, not save anything for retirement, not buy health insurance, spend $1000 a year, if they’re lucky, on their family’s 1-week per year vacation, in order to change the world? If all celebrities who “donate” their time to encourage the rest of us to give would give all they have, to the point of living like the rest of us live, WE COULD SAVE THE WORLD. I realize that I am much better off than sooo many in this world, but it disturbs me greatly to have people who are living extraordinarly luxurious lives tell the rest of us to give. Live like the rest of us & give everything else to your causes & all of you could probably save the entire world. But it really doesn’t mean THAT much to you, does it????

Tonnya
April 21, 2010

I am so frustrated!!! I heard the bail out money that came out of taxpayers pockets is being used by the banks to buy up thousands of homes in foreclosure so they can be sold at a later date for a profit. How insane. The money was intended for use by people to avoid foreclosure so they would not loose their homes. I have no job, no work, and am in jeopardy, like thousands of others, of loosing everything I have worked for. What motivation do I have to give to another country when there are people right here in this country that so desperately need help. Where do we go when we loose our home, our car, and the ability to feed our families. Are the wealthy people in this country doing anything about this??? I don’t see it.


frustrated
March 20, 2010

May God bless you all for your kind words to my people in haiti in the time when they need it the most , may you receive what you gave God bless.

nyny
January 29, 2010

YES I AGREE!!!! help our own country before put hundreds or millions to another country, shame to you, i guess let’s wait until a natural disaster hits LA or NY before you celebs and mr president help the poor helpless starving children…Do the celebrities get to read any of these??? i hope so,something needs to be done

Embarrased to be an America
January 28, 2010

i feel bad what happen in haiti. it’s a new generation of help/support,it’s amazing to see the celebs and government/president to step up!! Now, what about helping your own country and nation! it’s funny how all this money becomes available when each year the government cuts back on the families,elderly and children in the usa and canada! shame on you, if you are all so powerful and ‘saints’ STEP UP and help your OWN COUNTRY!!! oprah you’re not that great,help the homeless,CAS/child welfare/winter coats/shoes/boots for children in CHICAGO…c’mon all you powerful people! help your own country NOW

confused?
January 28, 2010

I think we need to take care of the homeless and elderly people of our own country. I would be more impressed if Clooney had a fundraising event to help our country first… I feel charity begins at home… we the American people have made these celebrities/pro ball players..etc…more money than god…it’s time for them to give back to the USA… Also Oprah needs to stop playing GOD and start putting money where her big mouth is… STOP Oprah you are totally out of control…write a check and give thanks for your many blessings…

Tired of the BS!!!
January 22, 2010

thank you maureen people like you make the earth moving i wish they were more like you.God bless.

nyny
January 20, 2010

its funny how people here in the US complain about not having a job, not being able to pay their bills, not being able to take care of their 4 kids … yet God keeps a roof over their heads, God finds a way for them to have dinner, and God provides them with a chance to take their kids to the doctors. But when GOD asks you to help someone in need, you cant even offer a dollar of your money. Thats really sad and selfish. YES WE HAVE OUR OWN ISSUES HERE IN AMERICA. BUT BELIEVE ME THE PEOPLE IN HAITI ARE WORST OFF THEN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE AND YET THEY ARE THE MOST APPRECIATIVE PEOPLE EVEN IF THEY HAVE NOTHING TO BEGIN WITH. At least we have homeless shelters here in America. NO ONE IS ASKING FOR YOU TO DONATE A MILLION DOLLARS. But even 5 dollars could make a differenc. 5 dollars is not going to set you back to the point where you are living on the streets. Stop being selfish for once. the most giving people are the people who give even when they have nothing.

Maureen
January 19, 2010

listen opprah weve all tried our best to help haiti when u havent done anything seriously couldnt u be more like brad pitt or angelina

listen!
January 19, 2010

oh all this hatefull comments please people if you do not have it you do not have to give yes i am haitian my country used to be the richest and the most beautiful island in the hemisphere until late 1980,s and through out 1990,s when things began to be the way it is my heart is broken for my people and my country but do not under estimate us we will rise again because we are strong that is why we sing when things are helpless but not hopeless POUR LE PAYS ,POUR LA PATRIE ,(FOR THE COUNTRY,FOR THE PEOPLE)I love my countryit just need the right direction and we will take it from there please if you can do if not you open your heart God bless.

nyny
January 18, 2010

Oprah, just stop asking others to GIVE and you sit in your mansion drinking Kool Aid and watching your show on a 85 in TV set, and watching your million dollar dogs peeing on your carpet and letting someone else clean it up for you, and you can’t take time to write a BILLION DOLLAR check to Haiti yourself. Come on now, I read that you gAve over 300 million dollars away to different charities, when yu could be giving MANY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS AND NEVER MISS IT AT ALL.
Just like your buddy Obama, wants all us working poor to give to the people that don’t want to work for a buck.

Watching you give ? ? ?
January 17, 2010

Hey OPRAH, how about stopping asking everyone else to GIVE and GIVE some of your own BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
Maybe some of the people without homes or anyplace to sleep tonight, could move into one of your dozen or so mansions.
Don’t hold so tight to your own money !

Obie
January 16, 2010

Yeh, OPRAH, WHAT ARE YOU, ABOUT THE RICHEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD, GIVING ????
You always ask everyone else to give, while you are rolling around in your vault of MONEY and giving very little yourself.
We all actually work for what little money we make and you have the nerve to ask us to donate. Is that fair ? ? ?
START GIVING OPRAH, you can’t take it with you….

What in the heck ?
January 16, 2010

Where in the hell is this million or billion dollars coming from that the President is sending over there? The U.S. is still hurting (badly) people are out of work and have No Money to send. The Dominican Republic is right there how much have they helped? An Yes, Katrina victims still need housing, not to mention the homeless here in America. What has Haiti done for us lately?

GaGirl
January 16, 2010

I’m so sick of hearing all these famous people asking us to donate for other countries.I have 4 kids and my husband works and pays child support for another kid and we can barely afford our rent and other things we need,we don’t splurge on anything because we have no extra money.these famous people and politicians already make a ridiculous amount of money so why don’t they get there money together and do something about it.I personally think we should just focus on our country.

Anonymous
January 16, 2010

I never tried twitter before, I enjoyed the Johnny Mathis music videos, but I could not hear any sound with the videos, they were very nice.

Sandra Subbs
January 16, 2010

Madonna only gave 250K! That’s NOTHING. That woman has more money than god.

Casper
January 15, 2010

Rosie has it right. People like Oprah have some nerve asking others to make donations to Haitians when I don’t hear one word that she has given ONE SINGLE DIME of her own money. Has anybody ever heard of her donating a significant sum of money to ANY charity? Her selfishness disgusts me.

Bruce Thorne
January 15, 2010
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