10 Celebrities Who Give Back to Their Communities in a Major Way
1/12When it come to celebrities, it seems like everything they do is under a magnifying glass — which can be a good or bad thing, depending upon their actions. Considering so many young people look up to celebs, it can become especially crucial that stars act as role models when they are in the public eye. Luckily, there are many celebrities who put their A-list status toward good causes and use their influential voices and personas to inform society about important issues that affect all of us. They may not always be perfect role models in their personal lives, but they're only human, and are still trying to do good when and where they can. Here are 10 celebrities who are great role models for giving back to their community.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram2/12Justin Bieber
Some of us were Beliebers right from the start, and many more were converted after Justin Bieber’s November 2015 release of Purpose had us all asking, “Is it okay to think Justin Bieber is cool now?” (Um, excuse you, he's always been cool.) So, if you need one more reason to love the Biebs — or if you’re looking for a reason to officially become a Belieber yourself — how about the fact that Justin has granted hundreds of wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation?
Two years ago, Justin reached a milestone number of wishes — in August 2013, he became the first recording artist to grant 200 wishes. He’s also worked closely with Charity: Water, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing clean water to every person in the world. We think we might love Justin even a bit more now.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram3/12Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has topped DoSomething.org’s list of Celebs Gone Good for four years in a row now, making her one of the most charitable celebrities of our time.
In 2015 alone, Taylor Swift donated over $100,000 to fans and families in need. Taylor is known for her public outreach to fans, like when she wrapped and sent holiday gifts to her fans for “Swiftmas.” But Taylor’s philanthropy goes beyond just sending checks and gifts: she’s worked with Scholastic’s READ Campaign to help promote literacy in schools, and she’s made several surprise visits to hospitals to visit sick children.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram4/12Jennifer Hudson
One of the biggest reasons why Jennifer Hudson is such a role model is the way she was able to turn a tragedy into a powerful vehicle for giving back to her community. In 2008, Jennifer’s mother, brother, and nephew were murdered by her sister’s estranged husband. The singer, along with her sister Julia, started a charity in memory of her nephew, Julian King. The Julian D. King Foundation’s mission is to “provide stability, support, and positive experiences for children of all backgrounds to help enable them to grow to be productive, confident, and happy adults.” The organization collects and distributes school supplies, toys, and clothes for children who are in need.
Jennifer has also been involved with organizations dedicated to combat violence against women and girls, such as V-Day, as well as other charities that help underprivileged children throughout the world.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram5/12Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato put her glam-status to good cause when she partnered with Free the Children to allow fans a chance to bid on items from her wardrobe through eBay’s “Giving Works” program. By putting her clothes up for auction, she was able to raise over $15,000 for the organization, which is dedicated to helping families and children find a way out of poverty.
Demi has also worked with the Jed Foundation, a group that promotes emotional health and strives to prevent suicide among college and university students. Plus, she's vocal on social media about the importance of being an advocate for mental health awareness.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram6/12Zendaya
Zendaya has worked with many different charities, including PETA, UNICEF, and, most notably, Convoy of Hope. This organization’s mission expresses a passion to “feed the world through children’s feeding initiatives, community outreach, and disaster response.”
Zendaya joined Convoy of Hope after Hurricane Sandy destroyed parts of New York and New Jersey back in 2012. She also partnered with Feed ONE and encouraged fans to wish her a happy birthday by donating to help end world hunger. She was able to donate over $6,000 each to Haiti, Tanzania, and the Philippines.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram7/12Pharrell
In 2008, singer Pharrell Williams founded From One Hand To AnOTHER (or, FOHTA) because he believed that “every child could be a success if they only had the right tools.” The organization is dedicated to bringing tools, resources, and programs to help benefit the learning of underserved youth. The program has also partnered with President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” STEM initiative, which focuses on science and technology education for children.
Additionally, Pharrell has worked with UNIQLO’s “Warm Gesture” program, which helps provide children with warm clothing for the winter.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram8/12Beyoncé
It seems like there’s very little that Beyoncé can’t do. Her charity, called #BeyGOOD, has worked toward several campaigns over the years — most recently, the organization is trying to provide aid for the people of Flint, Michigan. When tickets to her Formation tour went on sale, Beyoncé also gave fans the opportunity to donate money towards #BeyGOOD’s partnership with United Way programs to help get clean water to Flint.
In addition to her own charity work, Beyoncé has donated her own money toward several organizations, including the Kids Wish Network, Feeding America, and the Lunchbox Fund.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram9/12Carrie Underwood
In 2009, Carrie Underwood launched The C.A.T.S. Foundation, which was established to help the country star’s hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. The organization is dedicated to aiding both humans and animals by providing supplies and programs to local schools, as well as the building of a new animal shelter.
Carrie’s love for animals doesn’t stop with her own charity; she has also partnered with the Humane Society of the United States to raise money toward animal welfare.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram10/12Laverne Cox
Last summer, Laverne Cox participated in the 25th production of Broadway Bares, an annual burlesque show that is dedicated toward raising money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The show, which played for one night only, brought in $1.6 million in 2015, contributing to a total of $14.3 million the show has raised over the years for BCEFA.
Additionally, Laverne participated in the Go Red for Women show during last year’s Fashion Week. The annual show partners with the American Heart Association, to raise money for healthier lives and research about heart disease. She has also been an advocate for the LGBTQ community, and continues to serve as an inspiring role model to her fans.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram11/12Leonardo DiCaprio
It’s not a secret that Leonardo DiCaprio cares a lot about the environment. When he accepted his first Academy Award this year, he spoke about the very real threat of climate change and ended his speech with, “Let us not take this planet for granted.” Leo established his own charity in 1998, called The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The organization is devoted to the protection of the “world’s last wild places.” The LDF’s current projects include campaigns to help wild tigers in Nepal, partnership with the Elephant Crisis Fund, and a project to prevent the extinction of gorillas in central Africa.
In addition to these projects, Leo has organized events to raise money for environmental protection. Just last summer, he hosted a gala that raised $40 million – and boasted a guest list full of A-list celebrities.
