Kids for a Cause: Over 900 Students Give Back to Community Through Various Projects

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

More than 900 students from Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia participated in the Sixth Annual Community Service Day last Saturday. The students joined with many locals in the effort to make a difference in their own community. 

The students spread out over 30 different projects including visiting nursing homes, landscaping at Harrison High School, park renovations, volunteering at MUST ministries, and holding a pet adoption on the school campus to help the school's animal rescue club, Paws for a Cause. 

The students were not alone in the effort; parents, teachers and bus drivers participated to ensure that the day was a success.

This annual community service day was the idea of Dutch Bickley, a parent-member of Harrison School Council. Besides giving back to the community, they hope to teach their students how to work together and serve others. 

It looks like the students at Harrison High School were able to accomplish these goals set out for them. What can you do to make a difference in your community?

Bikers for a Cause: Pair to Bike Across the U.S. to Raise Money for Housing

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

Two Bergenfield, New Jersey natives and young philanthropists decided to raise money and awareness for affordable housing in a very unique way. Sara Nessanbuam, 25, and friend, Ashley Tulley, are going to bike across the country in order to do just this.

The pair will start the 11-week journey in South Carolina and end in Santa Cruz, California. Nine teams are participating in the Bike & Build 2011, which has donated more than $2.7 million and built for more than 80,000 hours over the past eight seasons.

The teams will pedal through communities to raise money, construct homes, and talk to citizens about the nation's affordable housing crisis. Each participant must raise $4,000 for the trip and Nessanbaum has already raised $3,300. 

For more information about Bike & Build 2011, visit bikeandbuild.org. To make a donation, visit 

http://www.bikeandbuild.org/cms/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

Celebrity Gives Back: Ashley Judd Fighting for Human Rights and HIV/AIDS Education

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

Ashley Judd is an award-winning film and stage actor who is well known for her extraordinary acting performances and box-office hits. She recently took a break from her high-profile career, and is now spending most of her time fighting for human rights and HIV/AIDS education.

In 2002, Judd found her true calling: as a humanitarian and advocate for those suffering in neglected parts of the world. She walked away from her successful career that led her to be one of the highest-paid women in Hollywood after her first trip to notorious brothels, slums, and hospices of Southeast Asia. She started writing detailed diaries monitoring her experiences, which eventually led to the recent release of her new book, All That Is Bitter & Sweet: A Memoir.

In this unforgettable memoir, "Ashley Judd describes her odyssey, as a left-behind lost child attains international prominence as a fiercely dedicated advocate. Her story ranges from anger to forgiveness, isolation to interdependence, depression to activism. In telling it, she resoundingly answers the ineffable question about the relationship between healing oneself and service to others."

Judd was a Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS, an HIV/AIDS fundraising and awareness campaign of PSI, targeting young people ages 15-24. She has also held leadership positions in organizations that support women's rights.The well-known philanthropist is just trying to make a difference in our world. 

Judd recently told dosomething.org, "Every time I hold a vulnerable person and feel their grip melt into me, I know I am making a difference. Every time someone who has been exploited tears up because I have listened, validated, and witnessed their story, I know God is at work in my life. Every time I have the guts to be vulnerable in settings like the General Assembly of the UN, and transmit to change makers the sacred narratives with which I have been entrusted, I know I am doing what my humanity demands I do."

To keep up with Judd's activism, you can visit her website, http://ashleyjudd.com/. To support human rights or HIV/AIDS awareness by shopping, visit Uptown Liz.

Kids for a Cause: Eighth Graders Volunteer in the Bergenfield Special Improvement District

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

When looking to volunteer, there's no better place to make a difference than in your own community. Three Bergenfield, New Jersey teens recently stepped up to help clean up the decorative planters in the Bergenfield Special Improvement District. 

The young philanthropists, Vincent DeBellis, DJ Haskins and James Hamilton, coordinated a clean-up plan to clean out all of these planters in preparation for spring flower planting. 

According to Hamilton, "If you are going to put time and effort into something, it's great when it benefits everyone in the community."

When looking to volunteer, look around and see what you can do in your own surroundings. Everyone can do something to make their community better. What can you do?

Celebrities Give Back: Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's Foundation, DNA

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

The DNA, Demi and Ashton Foundation, was created by one of Hollywood's hottest couples. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher created this organization to "raise awareness about child sex slavery, change the cultural stereotypes that facilitate this horrific problem, and rehabilitate innocent victims."

Sex slavery is a taboo topic, and most celebrities don't want to talk about this uncomfortable subject. Moore and Kutcher wanted to create an organization that can help decrease the high rising number of slaves. 

According to their website, "the global sex slavery market generates $32 billion in profits annually. Two million children are subjected to prostitution in the global commercial sex trade. In just the United States, between 100,000 and 300,000 children are enslaved and sold for sex." Furthermore, the average age of entry into forced prostitution in the United States is 13. 

There are many ways you can get involved and help. The DNA organization recently created a "Real Men Don't Buy Girls Campaign", a campaign that encourages you to make and share a "real man video" that works to raise awareness of this issue. Many celebrities are already taking part in the campaign, including Ben Stiller, Gerard Butler, Sean Penn, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Biel, Zachary Quinto, Eva Longoria, Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, Bradley Cooper and Simon Baker. To see some of these celebrities' videos, visit http://www.facebook.com/dnafoundation?sk=app_204244879599379. 

You can also take action by reporting any suspicious activity you see on the internet. Seventy-six percent of transactions occur on the internet, so by reporting this you can help put an end to online child exploitation. You can also make a donation to the DNA by visiting http://demiandashton.org/donate.

To support human and children's rights by shopping, visit Uptown Liz.

Celebrity Gives Back: Ke$ha Against Clubbing

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

Music artist, Ke$ha, is passionate about more than just her songs. She has recently joined PETA in order to protest the hunting of Canadian baby harp seals. 

The talented singer is featured in new campaign ads for animal rights. You can check out these ads at http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2011/04/13/ke-ha-and-iggy-pop-aren-t-into-clubbing.aspx, where the display reads "Canada's Club Scene Sucks," a way to pun on the violent way that these seals are killed for their fur. Also featured in these ads is Iggy Pop, Rock 'n' Roll legend.

PETA, people for the ethical treatment of animals, is the largest animal rights organization in the world. According to their website, "PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in the clothing trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry."

You, too, can get involved with the battle to stop cruelty to animals. For more information, visit www.peta.org. To make a donation, visit https://secure.peta.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=donatenow&set.custom.Campaign_Code=I11AWAXXXXG&autologin=true.

To support animal rights by shopping, visit Uptown Liz.

Red Cross for a Cause: Give Blood and Save a Life

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

People all across the country have donated blood this year, but the American Red Cross still needs more. With blood products going out the door almost as fast as donations are coming in, the amount of blood available for patients is still below what it should be.

While most people are aware that blood is needed to treat accident victims or patients having surgery, they don't realize that there are many other reasons why a patient may need blood. Burn victims, patients with blood disorders, cancer patients and many others may need blood during their treatment. 

Giving blood is a very simple process with a life-saving reward. You can make an appointment to give blood or platelets by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by visiting www.redcrossblood.org. To be eligible, you must be 17 years of age or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health. 

Save a life, donate blood. Visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/ for more information.