George Clooney-led charity telethon, "Hope For Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief," has raised more than $58 million to help earthquake victims in Haiti, setting the new donation record by the general public.
"The public has set a new standard of giving for a relief telethon with 'Hope for Haiti Now,' and the donations continue to come in - people can still contribute 24/7 via phone, web and text," said Lisa Paulsen, president and chief executive officer of non-profit organization Entertainment Industry Foundation.
George Clooney hosted the event from Los Angeles while Wyclef Jean co-hosted from New York. CNN's Anderson Cooper reported from Haiti for the event.
Jennifer Aniston, John Cusack and Sacha Baron Cohen were just three of more than a hundred Hollywood celebrities who answered telephone calls from people all over the country who talked with the stars and pledged their donations.
The event, which aired live on Friday night in all major television and cable networks, also featured performances by Madonna, Beyonce, Coldplay, and John Legend who delivered a stirring version of "Motherless Child."
Internet social networks Facebook and MySpace also contributed to funds collection.
Gisele Bundchen Donates $1.5 Million To Haiti Earthquake Relief
Gisele Bundchen, supermodel and UN Goodwill Ambassador, is one of the many high-profiled celebrities who recently send donation to the Haiti earthquake relief.
The benevolent model has reportedly wrote a $1.5 million check to the Red Cross to aid the relief effort in Haiti yesterday. She has been prompted to pitch in after seeing the devastation done by this week's earthquake.
The U.S. Geological Survey has reported on January 12, 2010 that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck southern Haiti. Eyewitnesses have reported heavy damage and bodies in the streets of the capital and the U.S. State Department has told to expect "serious loss of life."
The American Red Cross is just one of the charities providing direct relief to Haitians following Tuesday's devastating earthquake. The organization has came up with the easiest way to collect donation for the Haiti earthquake relief all over the world - texting:
Text the word "HAITI" to 90999, and a $10 donation will be given to the Red Cross. The $10 donation will appear on your next mobile bill.
Another alternative is the Wyclef Jean's Foundation, Yele Haiti:
Text "Yele" to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill and go toward Hatian relief projects.
Since becoming a UN Goodwill Ambassador in 2001, Angelina Jolie has always been active with her human rights campaigns. One of her focus is the troubled region of Darfur. On Human Rights Day, La Jolie has released a Newsweek editorial that calls out on the Obama administration for its approach to the situation in Sudan.
Angelina Jolie writes:
"Their policy, though, raises a number of questions. How is the Obama administration's approach to Sudan an evolution of justice? In addition, when the administration says it intends to work to 'improve the lives of the people of Darfur,' I would like to know what that means, besides the obvious point that their lives could hardly get worse.
"The administration has not yet announced any serious moves to enforce the decision of the ICC and execute its warrants. There will be pressure on the United States and its partners to bring stability to Sudan, even at the expense of criminal accountability. Regardless of the rationale, the end would be the same: victims left without justice while perpetrators walk away.
"Like many Americans, I support the administration's willingness to engage diplomatically, even with regimes we abhor. And I believe President Obama and his special envoy Scott Gration will do their best to bring peace to the region. I also hope we will act sooner and more powerfully to prevent future atrocities."
So Angelina Jolie is supporting President Obama's method after all. She is just pressuring the administration to act (and hopefully give remedy) to the Darfur crisis. Only few people can do that, you know - appealing to the government with high-publicity backup - and a Hollywood A-lister like Angelina Jolie is one of the abled few.
