Buy Angelina Jolie's Jacket for Charity

You could own the leather jacket worn by Angelina Jolie in her new movie, Wanted, and 100% of the price goes to a great nonprofit PLAN!T NOW (the organization formerly known as the Grenada Relief Fund started by the Academy Award winning actor Morgan Freeman). According to their Web site, this organization advocates empowerment of people through information and connection and provides dialogue between people living in hurricane and severe-storm affected areas and those who should prepare in coastal regions of the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Operating with the understanding that no matter where you live, a natural disaster can happen at any time, PLAN!T NOW advocates the power of preparedness.

For more information or to bid on the jacket, click here.

Bare Your Soul with Philosophy

Sephora and Philosophy are teaming up for a contest that lets your inner philosopher shine. Share your personal mantra, words of wisdom or inspiration and they might be on an exclusive Philosophy shower gel launching during Sephora's 10-year anniversary. The winning author will also receive five bottles of their branded shower gel and $500 of their favorite Philosophy products. Three second place winners will receive $250 of product. So get the creative juices bubbling and click here to enter the contest.

For more information about Philosophy's products that give back to charity, go to the Uptown Liz beauty page.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Donate $1 Million to Children Affected by War

The acting couple known for their philanthropy, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, donated $1 million dollars to educational aid to children affected by the Iraq war in both Iraq and the United States.

The Education Partnership for Children of Conflict reported that three groups in Iraq received $500,000 to provide aid to over 5,700 children from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. The money will go to refugee children, books, supplies and school rehabilitation programs. Another $500,000 went to Armed Services YMCA Operation Hero Program to provide tutors and counseling to over 2,500 children in the United States who have lost a military parent (or are separated from one) to the war in Iraq.

Angelina Jolie stars in the new action thriller Wanted, coming out this Friday.

Steve Carell Gets Smart About Cancer

Steve Carell, star of the hit show The Office hosted a screening of his new movie, Get Smart, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The event supported The Zachary Carson Brain Tumor Fund, named after a teenager suffering from cancer who Carell met on the set of his television show through Make-A-Wish Foundation. Carson died at the age of 19, after a 27-month battle with diffuse pontine glioma - a pediatric cancer that causes an inoperable malignant tumor in the brain stem.

The 40 Year Old Virgin is no stranger to charitable events. In June 2007, he organized the Boston premiere of Evan Almighty to fund research for this aggressive cancer.

"It was a great group of people, is a great group of people, and I just felt very honored to be included in that circle," Carell said of the Carson family. "His mom is a remarkable woman and so much of his legacy I think lives through her and the rest of his family."

Prevention Magazine Names Vicki Tashman "Health Hero"

Vicki Tashman, breast cancer survivor and founder of Pink-Link, was named "Health Hero" in the July 2008 issue of Prevention Magazine. "It's an incredible honor," says Ms. Tashman, who founded Pink-Link in 2005, "and it happens to coincide with the anticipated 2,000 registered member, which should happen in July! We are all thrilled!"

According to their Web site, Pink-Link is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower women in obtaining a healthy survivorship of breast cancer. They provide an online support service for women; their Web site creates an intimate and personal link among the patient, survivor, friends and family, using an online searchable database, as well as other supportive services. The resulting connections give women the knowledge needed to promote life and enhance the quality of living with breast cancer.

Currently, Pink-Link has over 1,900 members represented in all 50 states and worldwide. To read the article, either purchase the July issue of Prevention Magazine or click here.

Be Charitable with a Prison Break

Fans of the hit television show, Prison Break, now have an opportunity to see stars Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Amaury Nolasco (and others) in action. charitybuzz, an online auction Web site that supports nonprofit organizations, has a visit for two to the set of Prison Break.
This auction supports The Jorge Posada Foundation, which was started by New York Yankees’ All-Star Catcher, Jorge Posada, and his wife, Laura, because their son, Jorge Jr., was diagnosed with Craniosynostosis when he was ten days old. The nonprofit organization reaches out to those families in need, whose children are affected by Craniosynostosis, and provides them with financial and emotional support. The foundation also raises awareness and encourages further research of this medical condition.
According to their Web site, Craniosynostosis is a congenital or birth defect, characterized by the premature closure of one or more sutures, which causes an abnormally shaped skull. The skull is normally composed of bones which are separated by sutures. As an infant’s brain grows, open sutures allow them to expand and develop a relatively normal head shape. When one or more sutures close early, it can cause the skull to expand in the direction of the open sutures. This often results in an abnormal head shape and in severe cases, places excessive and damaging amounts of pressure on a growing brain.
The bidding for the Prison Break set visit ends June 24th and is good until November 17th of this year. For more information (or to bid), click here.

Reese Witherspoon Visits Japan as Avon's First-Ever Global Ambassador

Actress and first-ever Avon Global Ambassador, Reese Witherspoon, visited Japan where she promoted the Women's Empowerment Bracelet to breast cancer survivors. The bracelet, presented by the United Nations Development Fund for Women and Avon, has proceeds going to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women.

During a Japanese Tea Ceremony, Witherspoon commented, “While their courage is inspiring, I was saddened to hear that only about 12% of women in Japan receive regular breast cancer screening. The lack of testing equipment and breast cancer experts in Japan means that many women here do not have access to the medical technology and care that is critical to diagnose and fight this deadly disease.”

Witherspoon has served as an honorary chairman of the Avon Foundation since 2007, which on a global level has raised over $525 million dollars for breast cancer research.