Tag: charity

Posted on

Put The Pause On The Shop-Shop, Today Is #GivingTuesday

We all know about “Black Friday,” and “Cyber Monday.”

But more important, today is “Giving Tuesday.” Instead of shopping for holiday presents, today charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

It’s not about how much you give. It’s about the act of giving and celebrating that.

I’m sure many of you have your organizations of choice where you like to drop your donation dollars.

To help out today, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite charities to consider either today or this holiday season to help those who help others. Feel free to click on the links below to explore new possibilities for your Giving Tuesday.

• As I mention often here on The Randy Report, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is and has been near and dear to my heart for over 20+ years. BC/EFA is the premier Broadway organization to help those affected by HIV/AIDS, and I always like to point up the great work they do.

• The Ali Forney Center in NYC is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive shelter and services provider for homeless LGBT youth. Once homeless, they face higher incidences of violence, HIV infection, mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. In a single year, The Ali Forney Center connects with over 1,400 LGBT youth and serves over 150,000 meals to those who find themselves homeless. Medical and mental healthcare, career and educational counseling, job placement and training services are just a short list of important services provided. Click here to donate to their current crowd-funding campaign.

• Dogs rule at The Randy Report, and so it’s a no-brainer to make sure The Humane Society of the United States gets my shout out. You all know the impact HSUS makes on so many. The HSUS is the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization. Become a Humane Hero and consider donating to the HSUS here.

• It is incredible to me that in the greatest country in the world, people can go hungry.  Feeding America works to end that deficit. Their mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. And Feeding America is highly rated by the Better Business Bureau and Charity Navigator.

You can’t go wrong with any of the organizations listed above. OR, if you have a charity close you already, I’m asking that you make some donation – any donation large or small – today and celebrate the true spirit of the holiday season.

Thanks for reading.

Forward.

Posted on

Hugh Jackman Sells The Shirt Off His Back For Charity

Hugh Jackman counts the pushups to raise funds on Broadway for BC/EFA

It looks like the fund-raising after-show at Broadway’s The River starring Hugh Jackman is as entertaining as the performance itself.

From my friend Tom Viola’s Facebook page:

Last night at THE RIVER, in addition to Hugh Jackman auctioning his shirt (for $6,000 twice), posing for photos backstage (5 x $2,000) and leading his delightful company in raising a few more thousand in $100 poster sales and red bucket donations – as if that is wonderful in itself, something else occurred.

Inviting two of his gym buddies – aka “the Dog Pound” up-onstage, he challenged them to doing push-ups on his count, pledging to donate $50 to BC/EFA for each one. 50 push-ups later, Hugh is making a personal $2,500 donation to Broadway Cares and about 700 folks at Circle in the Square had the time of their lives. Thank you, Hugh! Thanks to all at THE RIVER!! (And I’m thinking the gentleman who quickly removed his shirt is a shoe-in for BROADWAY BARES.

All of this is for the annual Gypsy of the Year fund raising campaign happening on Broadway right now. Tom Viola and the entire team at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS do amazing work. If you make charitable donations during the holidays, please consider BC/EFA. I’ve spent decades helping them raise funds for those affected by HIV/AIDS.

Posted on

Music: Band Aid Thirty “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

Band Aid 30 "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Last night, The X Factor debuted the latest version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” featuring Bono, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith, Seal, One Direction and many more lending their talents to raise funds to combat the spread of Ebola in Africa.

The 1984 original became the biggest selling single in UK Singles Chart history, selling a million copies in the first week alone, and passing three million sales on the last day of 1984. It stayed at Number 1 for five weeks, becoming Christmas number one, and has sold 3.7 million copies domestically.

The song was re-recorded in 1989 by Band Aid II and in 2004 by Band Aid 20, again raising funds for famine relief. The 2004 version of the song sold 1.17 million copies.

Download the 2014 version on iTunes here.

Posted on

Santa Speedo Run Boston 2013

On Saturday hundreds of men and women braved crazy cold conditions in Boston to run in the 14th Annual Santa Speedo Run which raises money for The Play Ball! Foundation.

The mission of the Play Ball! Foundation is to create and expand team sports opportunities for middle school age urban youth who are at a pivotal time of physical and emotional development.

(via BosGuy)

Posted on

Florida man pays off over $20K in Christmas layaway accounts

Via Newsy – When Greg Parady went into his local Walmart last Saturday, he was just planning to pick up some bikes for a Toys for Tots drive. Instead, he ended up making Christmas come early for nearly 80 strangers.

“He had heard a lady out in one of the aisles talking about how she needed to pay off her layaway, but she didn’t think she was going to be able to take care of all of it this year, so he just walked back here and started in.”

The 40-year-old financial planner paid off the layaway accounts of six shoppers at the store — then paid off half of any account over $200.

Altogether, that added up to more than $20,000 worth of charges on 76 accounts.

More at Newsy.

Posted on

Banksy thrift shop painting sells for $615,000

Artist Banksy paints a Nazi into a thrift store painting, then returned the painting to the thrift store to sell as they wished. The painting earned $615K for the charity.

Street artist Banksy bought a painting at a NYC thrift shop, painted a Nazi into it (naming the painting “The Banality of the Banality of Evil”), and returned it to the thrift shop for them to do with as they pleased.

The thrift shop was Housing Works on E. 23rd street, an AIDS charity which also helps the homeless.

The painting sold yesterday for $610,000.

Posted on

The Wellness Walk benefitting the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre

This Sunday, September 15th, in Melbourne, Australia, Olivia Newton-John will lead the 1st Annual Wellness Walk in a fundraising effort to benefit the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.

As regular readers of The Randy Report know, my husband has been Olivia’s long-time publicist. Olivia is everything you hope she would be in person, and I am not shy in extolling her extraordinary virtues aside from her amazing talent but as a cancer “thriver” advocate.

She has dedicated years raising funds for the ONJCWC, with her focus on the Wellness Centre. The Wellness Centre component of this world-class facility helps bring comfort and non-traditional therapies into play with Western medicine approaches. The Wellness Centre provides massage therapy, art therapy, music therapy, meditation and a whole host of complementary programs to help those traveling their cancer journey.

As a cancer “thriver” myself, I know first hand how much these programs and therapies can help.

I don’t ask Randy Report readers often, but on this special occasion – the 1st anniversary of the opening of the ONJCWC – I’d like to ask, if you feel so inclined, to make a donation (however small) to the ONJCWC via the Wellness Walk this coming Sunday. Ten dollars, twenty dollars, whatever amount you may feel comfortable giving.  My husband Michael is traveling there to take part in the event with Olivia and has set up a donation page under his name to make the process easy.

Michael sends this message:

Having worked with Olivia as her publicist for so many years I have watched everything she has done for the world and, being so closely involved with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre since its inception – my goal is to help continue to raise funds and awareness for this place that is so near and dear to our hearts!

Please help and donate – every little bit helps and cancer impacts EVERYONE!

Here’s the link to donate.

And thanks for being a part of The Randy Report.

Posted on

Rafael Nadal is looking for “#M4M”?

Folks on the interwebs were a bit confused when this picture of handsome Rafael Nadal showed up on his Facebook page seeming to indicate he was supporting “Men for Men” social activities, or something.

Wrong.  Of course 🙂

This is actually showing support for a baby who needs bone marrow replacement (“marrow for Mateo”).

If you’d like to learn more or help that family you can find out more here (note the site is in Spanish).

Posted on

Los Angeles: Matt Zarley sings to benefit Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing tonight

Tonight , July 19, 2013 at 7:00pm, Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing and Chris Isaacson present UPRIGHT CABARET AT GLEH; a monthly charitable cabaret series raising awareness of GLEH through song!
 
Matt Zarley is the winner of the 2012 OutMusic Award for Best Album and Best Song.

Admission: Free to Residents, $10 suggested donation to the Public!

Info at 323-957-7200, more info at www.UprightCabaret.com or www.gleh.org

Triangle Square/Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing
1602 Ivar Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90028