Celebrities Team Up for a Cause: 1Goal Campaign

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

Matt Damon, John Legend, Jessica Alba, and Shakira are all just a few of the popular celebrities that have recently been seen on the public service announcements during the World Cup for the 1GOAL campaign. With over a billion viewers, the World Cup is now the most watched sporting event in the world. Clearly, there could not be a better time than right now to bring the global community together to end poverty and bring education to everyone.

Education is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against poverty. In fact, a child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five. The 1GOAL campaign is a massive sign-up effort to secure primary education for the 72 million children in the world that are currently lacking by 2015. Currently, over 12 million people around the world have already signed their name for the cause.

Join these celebrities and the 12 million other supporters around the world and take action towards ending poverty. Add your name and support the millions of children around the world who deserve and education.

Celebrities for a Cause: Alicia Keys and Rihanna Urge Fans to Register to Become Bone Marrow Donors

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

Popular singer and songwriters, Alicia Keys and Rihanna, are not only topping the charts these days with their popular hits, but they are also urging their fans to register to become bone marrow donors to help Shannon Tavarez find a match.

Shannon Tavarez is the eleven year old Broadway performer who played the role of Nala in The Lion King on Broadway. She was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is now in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant to survive.

Thousands of patients with leukemia and other life threatening illnesses depend on bone marrow donors. Patients need donors who are a genetic match; and even with a registry of millions many patients often cannot find a match. The first step to become a bone marrow donor is to register. Doctors around the world search the registry to find a match for their patients. If a doctor selects you as a match for a patient, you may be asked to donate bone marrow or cells from circulating blood. Patients need donors between the ages of 18 and 60 who meet health guidelines and are willing to donate to any patient in need.

Register today and give the gift of life! Visit DKMS Americas or The National Marrow Donor Program.

Actor for a Cause: Boris Kodjoe Aims to Help People Suffering From Spina Bifida

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

Boris Kodjoe, the actor soon to be appearing in Resident Evil: Afterlife and the new television series Undercovers, is not just your ordinary celebrity. Along with his wife, and fellow actress Nicole Ari Parker, the couple has created the Sophie’s Voice Foundation in honor of their daughter who was diagnosed with Spina Bifida at birth.

Spina bifida is a birth defect that affects the spinal cord, its membrane, the spinal nerves, and the backbone. It affects three in every 10,000 births in the United States and it is the most complex birth defect compatible with life. Currently, the Sophie’s Voice Foundation is planning fundraisers across the nation to help finance the Xiao Procedure, a nerve rerouting procedure that could potentially change the lives of people suffering from Spina Bifida.

This past July, $1 from every shirt sold from Boris Kodjoe’s clothing line, ALFA, went to the Sophie’s Voice Foundation. These affordable, custom made, handcrafted shirts are a great way to look great and give back. To find out more ways you can help, visit http://www.sophiesvoicefoundation.org.

Food for a Cause: The Slow Food Movement

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

Today’s generation has grown up on fast food. With the quick and easy option to get food on the go, it is no-wonder so many people choose to eat fast food. In fact, some 25% of Americans consume fast food every day! This decision not only leads to unhealthy choices, but also the limits the quality time we spend with our friends and family.

Slow food is an idea that is changing the way people live and eat. The Slow Food Movement is a global grassroots movement that is working to bring the community back to meal time. Since 1986, this movement has spread worldwide with thousands of members committing to use food as a way to better their communities and the environment. Now members everywhere are taking responsibility to make sure that food is produced in a way that is clean, respects animals and is ecologically and economically friendly to both buyers and producers.

Slow Food USA’s Time for Lunch is a national campaign that is seeking to bring good food to children at school. Currently, thousands of people have joined together in asking Congress to invest in healthier foods at school, better nutrition standards and connect schools with local farms for their food purchases. Find out how you can get involved in your area! Visit http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/get_involved/

Wedding for a Cause: Couple Recycles 400,000 Cans to Pay for Wedding

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

In this economy everyone is trying to find new and original ways to save money. But who would’ve guessed that you could save enough cash to finance your entire wedding and manage to help the environment at the same time? Well that is exactly what this couple did. Within six and a half months, Peter Geyer and Andrea Parrish reached their goal of recycling 400,000 cans and earning $3,800. This money will go to pay for their July 31st wedding.

Since reaching their goal, the couple has still been collecting cans. They are working toward paying for their honeymoon and giving back to charity. 40% of the proceeds will now go towards their honeymoon fund; the other 60% will go to Doctors without Borders and the Rim Country Land Institute.

Not only did the couple fund their entire wedding through recycling, but they also put a significant dent in their carbon emissions. Their efforts to recycle 400,000 cans will reduce carbon emissions by 50 tons!More and more people are using this innovative couple as a role model for all the possibilities recycling has to offer. What could you manage to accomplish if you recycled? Visit http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-facts.html to find out more!