What's Happening...

There are many happenings crossing my desk (and that's good news!) so I thought I'd give you a synopsis of what's been going on with celebrity-do-gooders and where you can find more information:

Jennifer Hudson Announces Foundation

Out of tragedy, comes hope and goodness. People magazine announced that Jennifer Hudson has formed The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims -- named in honor of the singer-actress's slain mother Darnell Hudson Donerson, brother Jason Hudson and nephew Julian King. For more information, including the address of where you can send donations, read here.

Celebrity Astronauts
They have soared into outer space, performed daring space walks, took giant leaps on the moon and now want to spend time with you! More than 50 celebrity astronauts, including John Glenn, Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin, are offering once-in-a-lifetime one-on-one experiences, cool space artifacts and autographed items in the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's (ASF) 6th Annual Online Auction of Astronaut Experiences and Memorabilia which opens today, October 31, 2008. Source: MarketWatch

Debra Messing designs jewelry for Youth Aids

I am a huge Debra Messing fan, so I'll always write about her. Click here for more information!

Celebrity Athletes helping Single Moms
I'm a single mom and I know what it's like to struggle. It's nice to see celeb athletes stepping up and recognizing that some single mothers need assistance. As a dedication to my own mom, who was a single mother since I was 7, and is a HUGE Dallas Cowboys fan, I'm posting about Roy Williams who is hosting Bowling with the 'Boys for his Safety Net Foundation that helps low-income, single-parent mothers next Thursday at 300 Dallas in Addison, Texas. According to his website, "Inspired by his sister Alecia, a single mother doing her best to raise her young son, Dallas Cowboys All-Pro Safety Roy Williams launched the Roy Williams Safety Net Foundation in July 2004 to help ensure low-income single mothers in the Dallas area receive support, guidance, and assistance to enhance their quality of life."

Baltimore Ravens Terrell Suggs Supports Awareness of Sickle Cell Disease

This past weekend, Baltimore Ravens linebacker, Terrell Suggs, celebrated his birthday by hosting the 1st Annual Team Sizzle Worldwide Celebrity Weekend in Baltimore, MD. Proceeds raised went to The William E. Proudford Sickle Cell Fund, which partners with major institutions to provide ongoing financial support for sickle cell awareness, education and research at Mid-Atlantic area children's hospitals. A caring community servant, Terrell was inspired to direct his energy and resources toward care for sickle cell patients after meeting a teenager who loves football but whose condition has prevented him from playing and therefore expresses his frustration through paintings. "After meeting him, I really felt the need to help him and others in his condition," said Suggs. "I'm incredibly blessed and the children I've met remind me how many people are unable to do some of the things many of us take for granted. I am honored to assist the William E Proudford Sickle Cell fund in their quest to ‘imagine a world without sickle cell' and hope that my community and other attendees will continue the effort."

Alonzo Mourning is Bowling! (Hey, it's one of my favorite things to do!)

The Annual Zo's “King Pin” Classic is back, bringing Tracy and Alonzo Mourning and VIP guests, to bowl alongside them, at Lucky Strike Lanes on South Beach in early 2009! The event will help to raise funds for the Honey Shine Mentoring Program, a program of Alonzo Mourning Charities. The event will offer rounds at the billiards tables, relaxation at massage stations, and virtual bowling on Nintendo Wii, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for all. In addition, bowlers will receive a bowling shirt, commemorative team gift, and photo with the Mournings. Auctions and raffle prizes accompanied by great music from Miami’s own DJ Irie and crashing pins will keep guests on their toes throughout the night!

When: Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 from 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm at Lucky Strike Lanes, 1691 Michigan Ave., South Beach, Florida.

South Florida media and the public are invited to attend (I would if I could!) Teams of 10 may enter for $5,000, individual slots are available for $500, and general
admission is $125. For more information, contact Alisha Sanford at asanford@amcharities.org.

Alonzo Mourning Charities (AM Charities) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public fundraising foundation. Its mission is to encourage the educational development of youth by creating programs and youth enrichment centers that promote positive change in low socioeconomic communities. Since 1997, AM Charities has raised more than $6.5 million for various programs that aid in the development of children and their families. In addition to supporting numerous educational initiatives, Mourning focuses his attention to stimulating the development of youth enrichment centers. With the help of donors, Mourning opened the first center in 2003 in the historic area of Overtown, in South Florida, known as the Overtown Youth Center. For more information, visit www.AMCharities.org.

ABOUT HONEY SHINE MENTORING PROGRAM

Honey Shine Mentoring Program, a program of Alonzo Mourning Charities, works to empower young girls to shine as women. The bi-weekly workshops and summer camp that make up the program help develop and nurture the mind, body, and soul, of young women by providing experiences that enlighten and create balance in their lives. For more information, visit www.HoneyShine.org.



More on Monday...

Lisa

Daphne Zuniga takes a toxic tour

Did you grow up learning about being a good environmentalist?

I grew up at a time in a town in which helping people was the norm. In Berkeley in the late 1960s we recycled, composted and shared with other families—it was all about community. Because of this upbringing, I know that we are ALL stronger if we help each other.

More recently, living in Los Angeles, I began working with several environmental justice organizations and have learned firsthand how little attention these crucially important, hardworking organizations receive. Specifically, I’ve become very involved with Southern California-based Communities for a Better Environment (CBE). CBE works to bring environmental health to these poorer, toxin-burdened neighborhoods, which in turn cleans the air quality in the whole Los Angeles area, and reduces the millions of tons of pollutants which contribute to Global Warming. These communities, mostly lower income areas with large Hispanic populations, are the places where power plants, oil refineries, manufacturing plants, incinerators, and waste treatment facilities are built. In many, it’s so bad that the EPA won’t even measure the air quality. Mainstream media doesn’t cover this issue, corporations continue releasing toxic fumes waste, and the people who live there are stuck in poisonous environments. And as a result, as many as 1 in 5 people living in these neighborhoods have respiratory illnesses like asthma. And the rest of us suffer these violations on our water, air and land.

The CBE took me on a Toxic Tour; I saw this and I knew I had to do something to try and help bring attention to the issue.

How did you get involved with the CBE and why did you want to?

One day, I called Bill Gallegos, the executive director of CBE. He was surprised to hear from me, but I asked to have lunch, and then he suggested I take the tour. There is no doubt — seeing really is believing. I was shocked and troubled by what I saw, and grateful not to be living in one of these areas. That’s when I knew that others needed to take this tour and see for themselves what the media and lawmakers were ignoring.


What stood out in your mind that you didn't know before you went on the tour?

I was shocked at how residential homes with children were located literally right next door to oil wells. I could never have imagined the proximity of homes to these industrial, environmentally hazardous areas. My first thought was, "Well why don’t they move?!" But then I learned that residents were living there BEFORE the Conoco oil refinery—which illegally flares off their oil build up and offers neighbors $200 so that they won’t make a fuss—was built. And even if these residents were to move, where would they go? Many can’t afford to live in other areas.

How does being green helps to fix these problems?

The LESS we all consume and waste energy, the less of a burden it places on our fellow humans in the South Bay where the energy factories are located. It’s one thing to say we must act in a conscious manner, but bearing witness to how others live makes this much more important and real. We are all connected, and seeing these atrocities firsthand is different than just thinking about it or theorizing. Our neighbors are stuck breathing and drinking poisons.

What have you done in your own personal life to be green?

I’ve downsized tremendously by selling my house, which was too big for me—a single person with no kids—and now I have a smaller place that suits my needs beautifully. I drive a Prius, buy less over all, use organic cleaning liquids, wash clothes in cold water with biodegradable soap, use a natural dry cleaner, and buy local and organic produce. I’ve changed my lights (which I’m very good about turning out when I leave a room) to make them more energy efficient and I offset the CO2 produced in my everyday life through American Forests. I also give money to important environmental causes and work to help raise awareness.

When you’re trying to get the word out what obstacles are you coming up against and how do you overcome them?

I feel hesitant sometimes because it’s hard to make a Toxic Tour sound sexy. Asking people to take the tour is asking them to look at and deal with the ugly part of environmentalism—the dirty part of our lifestyle, which makes people uncomfortable. But people are actually very interested and want to go on it. While saving a baby seal, an owl, or a coral reef all seem the more appealing thing to do, we can’t shy away from the environmental risks affecting our own human race. At an Environmental Justice conference I attended, someone said, "Our children are the Snowy Owl; we need to save THEM."

What can we do?

I think the first and most important step is to look at your lifestyle with bare honesty. To look at and admit where you know you can be better, less wasteful, and look into a more impactful way you personally can correct the way we all have become used to living. People have the ability to help protect and improve the environment on all different levels. Whether small or large, any contribution to environmental causes makes a difference. You don’t need to be able to write a big check to fight for environmental justice. Taking a Toxic Tour, raising awareness about organizations like the CBE or other ones, and making choices that are better for the planet—which is obviously a better choice for the humans living on it, are the first steps!

Thanks Daphne!

Oh, and readers, check out my article on The Fixx's lead singer Cy Curnin right here!

I wrote that for the Bob Vila website.

Matthew Modine: Bicycle For a Day

I decided to add a new feature to this site -- celebrities who are actively doing work on environmental issues. My book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Building and Remodeling" (pre-order please!) will be out in January, 2009 and I'm excited about spreading the word about the benefits of becoming more environmentally conscious. To kick-start this new addition to the site is actor Matthew Modine, the founder of Bicycle for a Day, a great idea as a transportation alternative. It's a simple thing that everybody can do to help reduce carbon emissions. Matthew talks about his organization and the impact that race car driving has on the environment.



Everybody has a moment where they remember how they came up w/an idea or a desire to help someone. What was yours?

I was asked a simple question: if there was one thing I could do to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming, what would I do? The answer for me was simple and practical, ride a bike. If the 'greatest generation' could storm the shores of Normandy to help bring an end to the second world war, this generation could certainly get off their butts and ride a bike to reduce their carbon footprints. The group that asked the question thought this was a great idea and they asked how it could be done, so I made a film for them which was presented at the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland. The film had a tremendous reception and then I was asked how I was going to accomplish the goal of getting people to 'bicycle for a day' and two years later, Bicycle for a Day (BFAD) had its first event to raise awareness at New York City's South Street Seaport. Approximately 14,000 people learned about the project and the two charities BFAD supports: Waterkeeper Alliance and American Forests: Global Re-Leaf.

Bicycling in New York City has its own challenges. How do you teach people that it's an important thing to do?

NYC is a great place to bicycle. It's relatively flat and you generally can get what you want or where you need to be by riding less than three to five miles. And because of the automobile traffic, you can travel much faster than by car or subway. Also, because of the tremendous efforts of Mayor Bloomberg and organizations like Transportation Alternatives, bicycling is safer than it has ever been in New York City and it's only getting safer and more convenient.

Everybody is talking about greening -- do you think people are really listening? If not, what do you think needs to be done?

Yes, everybody is talking about being green. Well, almost. There are, remarkably, those people that think the world is 6000 years old and the Earth's resources and infinite and not finite. People that think there is no global warming and that the changing weather is all part of a 'higher powers' plan. And there are a lot of those people.

If we really want to make a step in the right 'green' direction, let's put an end to this incredible waste of gasoline. America is the world's largest consumer of energy. Race cars going around in endless circles is a perfect metaphor for the most spoiled generation in our country's history. Endlessly consuming and going around in circles. Is this the kind of American freedom that the country's founders imagined? Is this the land of the free that so many Americans have fought and died for? Is this gross consumption of fuel what our nation's young men and women are fighting for today? If you want to go around in circles and see how fast you can do it, let's make the cars electric, or better, make it a bicycle race for freedom and dependence from foreign oil.

Thank you Matthew!

Matthew had the right idea. Just as soon as I posted the article, Clean Air NY sent out an email with this information:

Starting in January 2009, people who use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation for their work commute will be eligible for a $20/month, tax-free reimbursement from their employers for bicycle-related expenses. In return, participating employers will be able to deduct the expense from their federal taxes.

The Bicycle Commuter Act amends the federal tax code, allowing employers to offer employees this benefit. If you bike to work, ask your employers if they can provide this benefit.

Amy Yasbeck -- John Ritter Foundation

I've watched Amy Yasbeck on everything from The Cosby Show, Wings, Just Shoot Me and in the Problem Child movies. Unfortunately, we have something in common. We're both young widows. John Ritter, one of my favorite comedic actors ever, died on September 11, 2003, leaving Yasbeck and Stella, the couple's young daughter.

Yasbeck went on to create The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health and TV Guide did an article on her and the organization. She says,

"John really did heal people with laughter, and more and more, as the days, months and years have gone by, we have been able to choose to transform the grief into something positive."

I admire her the way I admire all other widows, regardless of age. But Amy turned John's death into something more and I know many of you have too, just like I did with this website.

Healing with laughter is a tremendous thing. When I get down, I put on The Odd Couple, Laverne & Shirley, I Love Lucy and Three's Company. I laugh, or try to. It's not always easy, but it does help. Check out the organization or start one of your own.

Want to win Ethan Zohn's Dribble Ball???

For all you reality show fans, Ethan Zohn (winner of Survivor: Africa) is auctioning off the official dribble ball from the Grassroot Soccer United Dribble 2008. This ball traveled from Boston, Mass to Providence, Rhode Island. Ethan is dribbling a soccer ball 550 miles to raise awareness for his charity WWW.GRASSROOTSOCCER.ORG.

Ethan will sign and personalize this ball! PROCEEDS GO HIS CHARITY WWW.GRASSROOTSOCCER.ORG

Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre

I was at the doctor's office the other day and picked up a copy of Diane magazine, published by the Curves fitness centers. I knew about Olivia Newton-John's battle with breast cancer, but an article "Living Life Without Any Limits" showed exactly what Olivia has been through and how she has persevered. In addition, she has been raising money for cancer research and formed a partnership with Austin Health, a research hospital in Melbourne, Australia that established The Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre. This centre uses modern medicine and complementary therapies. It was a terrific interview written by Diane Heavin and if you have an opportunity, check it out. Olivia has been through a lot in her life and has really become an inspiration to all.

Paul Newman

Sadly, the world lost Paul Newman this past week, but his legacy will live on in his movies and through his charitable work and his Newman's Own charity.

Today, I pause to remember one such celebrity who knew how to use his power for good and how to do it right.

Here is his own company's tribute to him. Other celebs can only hope they can do this much good in their career.

R.I.P. Mr. Newman.