Charity Social New Jersey

Target and Lauren Bush Lauren 'FEED' the USA

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:34:00 -0400

Ten million meals starts with fifty stylish products. In a partnership that will help put food in the hands of starving children all around the world, the Feed USA + Target collection will launch on Sunday, June 30th and will donate a portion of its proceeds toward those in need.

FEED USA is an organization that was co-founded by designer Lauren Bush Lauren to help raise funds for the United Nations World Food Programme's School Feeding efforts. This new retail partnership with Target will be a limited time offer to benefit Feeding America and will feature fifty different products that they expect will help fund ten million meals for children in need. One way they have helped raise funds for their project in the past was by opening a retail partnership called FEED partner which, as of 2011, has helped FEED provide 60 million meals to school children in developing countries.

Lauren says that this will be the "largest US initiative in FEED's history" and that she is "thrilled to partner with Target to create our first lifestyle collection to make an impact on this issue." In addition, this collection has also been co-designed by Lauren herself. It will feature products ranging from $3 to $400 and will provide the customer with the number of meals that their particular purchase will provide ($1 = 1 meal from Feeding America). Products in this collection include home wares, sporting goods, stationery, apparel and accessories with a hand-crafted and distinctly American feel.

Feeding America is currently the leading domestic hunger-relief charity in the nation. The money donated toward Feeding America helps them distribute food to America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks. They also help advocate their mission to end hunger with partnerships in both the public and private sectors. If you would like to help out by making separate donation to Feed America, visit their website here.

To take a look at the full FEED USA + Target collection, visit their website here. You can also visit FEED USA's website if you would like to make a separate donation to their organization.

Watch the video below to get a preview of this collection:

Depeche Mode Donate Their Birthdays to Provide Clean Water

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:57:00 -0400

As a long time supporter of Charity: Water, lead singer Martin Gore and his legendary band have donated each of their personal birthdays in order to help provide water for those in need.

Depeche Mode is achieving this by asking fans and supporters to help celebrate their birthdays by donating to the organization's website. Working in conjunction with luxury watch brand Hublot, this project aims at providing drinking water to people in underdeveloped countries. By donating only $20, Charity: Water will be able to provide one person with clean water. Over $10,000 has been raised so far since the project launched with 439 supporters also helping by donating their own birthdays.

Martin Gore comments on this project by saying, "I have personally been a supporter and advocate of Charity: Water for a while now, so I’m thrilled that we as a band can expand our support for the organization and help to make significant difference in places around the world struggling without a proper supply of drinking water."

Past partnerships with Hublot resulted in Depeche Mode's successful fundraiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust in 2010. This fundraiser did not only include a special benefit concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, but it also included the auction of twelve exclusive boxed sets, each containing a Hublot watch, a ‘pièce unique’ with the cover of one of Depeche Mode’s twelve studio albums on its dial, along with the vinyl and digital version of each album, a golden framed CD, and autographed stills. This year, Hublot is offering a portion of the proceeds from their new limited edition Big Bang Depeche Mode watch to benefit Charity: Water.

The inaccessibility of safe drinking water kills more people each year than any form of violence, including war. In addition, the vast majority of deaths related to unsafe water (90% of the 30,000 deaths that occur each week) occur in children under five years old. With nearly 800 million people around the world lacking access to clean drinking water (1 in 9 people), Charity: Water has collectively helped 3.2 million people access water in 20 countries. By providing people with clean water, they also prevent the women and children who's duty it is to waste the 40 billion collective hours a year it takes to hunt for water from risking contamination, time spent away from school, and the chance to be sexually assaulted. Though 3.2 million people aided may seem like a substantial figure, it is still not enough in comparison with the number of unfortunate people who are still in need so consider visiting Charity: Water's website today to donate. Depeche Mode are slated to begin a European tour this summer in conjunction with the launching of their new watch. They will also be back in the United States in time for a tour that includes co-headlining slots at the Austin City Limits festival which has expanded to two weekends this year (October 4th through 6th and October 11th through 13th).

Watch the video below to find out more:

Jada Pinkett Smith Promotes Series Exposing Sex Trafficking

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:55:00 -0400

A new video for a television series called The Life has recently popped up on Jada Pinkett Smith's website Don't Sell Bodies, which helps advocate awareness and prevention of human slavery and sexual exploitation. This series has just finished its first pilot episode chronicling the struggles of under-aged sex trafficking in New York City. They cover many perspectives of the sex trafficking phenomenon including the teenagers and pimps involved, as well as the individuals attempting to help fight the problem.

The production was initiated by George Perez and Mohamad Maaty and a small, grassroots collective comprised of young actors, writers, filmmakers, and producers who are using this as a vehicle to spread a message of social justice. The project was initially activated through Rockethub, a crowd funding database that has a partnership with the TV channel, A&E. Their fundraising goal was finally met at the end of 2011 and their first pilot episode is currently in production.

Besides Smith and her veritable website, one of the series' recent supporters also includes anti-child trafficking advocate, author, lecturer and Washington Times columnist Holly Austin Smith. Holly Austin Smith verifies that Perez and Maaty have been working side by side with law enforcement, trafficking survivors, and many others in ensuring that their portrayals are accurate. Smith says she is "proud to be part of this project because Perez and Maaty are dedicated to shedding light on the gaps in the system and on the needs of both male and female victims."

It may be hard to believe but by the end of this year no more than 4 million women and children will be trafficked around the world. That means that there are more slaves than there have ever been before. In addition, 40,000 people, of all ages and genders, are enslaved every moment in America alone. In NYC, there are 220,000 children who are victimized by commercial sexual exploitation annually. Yet although they are the victims of a major social injustice, these minors are still criminalized by the courts. Trafficking has never been a more relevant subject than it is now and by helping The Life reach others by spreading their message, you may also help inadvertantly bring an end to sex trafficking and the criminalization of its victims.

Watch the video below to see the series' first pilot teaser:

Superstars Band Together to Fight Poverty

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:42:39 -0400

Green Day, Ed Sheeran, Mumford & Sons, and others are singing classic protest songs to fight back against poverty. Called agit8 and prestented by ONE, the project is focused on ending poverty by 2030. The organization states that ending proverty, "won't happen on its own and we need millions more voices to urge those in power to finish the job."

ONE was co-founded by Bono, leader singer of the band U2, and is "a campaigning and advocacy organization of more than three million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease." This is just the latest in ONE's projects to promote a better world. The timing of the project coincides with the G8 Summit in the UK, a meeting of the most powerful world leaders.

British singer Ed Sheeran, who performs Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" said of the effort, "Music is a powerful tool in galvanizing people around an issue."

Watch the ad for agit8 below, and check out ONE's YouTube station for more performances!

Talk Climate Crisis with Al Gore on Google+

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:23:00 -0400

In a YouTube video that aired yesterday, Al Gore announced that he has opened up a forum for people to discuss ways to mitigate climate change by urging them to join Google+'s Science on G+ Community.

Gore, who is the former Vice President of the United States and Chairman of the Climate Reality Project, has initiated this project to celebrate the seventh anniversary of his groundbreaking climate control documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Al Gore is working in conjunction with Participant Media Chairman and Founder Jeff Skroll, who will also aid Gore in speaking with Google+ Community participants. Eventually, Gore and Skroll will come to an agreement on the five most insightful individuals from this discussion in order to join them for a live chat on Tuesday, June 11 at at 2pm EDT / 11am PDT.

Not only will this be a unique opportunity for people to engage with two influential figures in order to discuss a critical issue, but it will also be a unique event for Google. This event will mark the debut of the Google+ Conversation series, which will give people the opportunity to connect with leading experts in different fields to discuss relevant topics. In addition, Google Play is also offering An Inconvenient Truth for 99 cents.

On top of this renewed interest toward climate crisis awareness, TakePart will ask the question, “What do we know now that we didn’t know then?” TakePart, which is the official webstie for Al Gore's documentary, will achieve this by launching a five part editorial series on Monday, June 10th about how far climate change and activism has gone in the seven years since the premiere of An Inconvenient Truth. Since this documentary has debuted, Al Gore has gone on to be awarded a Noble Peace Prize and at least 150 bills supporting climate action have been introduced to some extent since 2006. In addition, President Obama has since created an Assistant to the President for Climate and Energy and a special envoy on climate change has been added to the State Department.

To RSVP for the Google+ Conversation event, click here.

Watch Al Gore's introduction to the Google+ Conversation below:

LED Tunnel For Hope

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:35:00 -0400

The Benevolent Society has teamed up with Desingworks Sydney to create their newest installation at Vivid Sydney: a tunnel with an interactive light installation fitted with LEDs. Mark Kennedy, the director of Designworks Sydney, reported on the reasoning behind such a display, “This is a fabulous way to bring the role of benevolent society to life…The aim of the brand repositioning was to capture and articulate The Benevolent Society's key role in driving positive social change in Australia, and the Hundreds and Thousands light tunnel brings this aim to life by providing Australians with the ability to share their hopes and dreams via social media feeds.”

The Hundreds and Thousands installation is designed so that people can pass through it at any time, and it is lit up by tweets for different hopes of Australians. By simply tweeting #hopesforchange or through their website, the lights in the tunnel will respond by the interaction. On their homepage you can type in 140 characters of a hope you have for change in the next 200 years, and there is also the option to attach a photo or a video to your posting.

There are thousands of LED lights set up like a screen so that it will react and respond when the visitors interact. Each time a tweet or hope message is submitted the LED lights will respond with incredibly vibrant colors and designs. The more hopes submitted, the more spectacular the display. This is a great opportunity to see your hopes for the future converted into a display in real time. “It's a wonderful platform to engage with Australians of all walks of life and share a little bit of our history, what we stand for today and our vision for the future. The light installation is exciting and thought-provoking, and will inspire people to share their hopes for change for Australia's future,” says Anne Hollonds, the Benevolent Society CEO.

So no matter where you are in the world, send a hope for change, become part of the movement, and get inspired by this innovative design. For more information, check out their video:

Lily Cole Introduces Rubber Chic for Rainforest Rescue

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:43:00 -0400

Rubber is a girl's best friend, or so Lily Cole would like us to think.

With a new line of jewelry, the unorthodox British model has devoted herself to rescuing rainforests in South America by launching a line of equally unorthodox products. Known for her fair complexion and unusually doll-like looks (and perhaps her Hollywood debut opposite Heath Ledger), Cole is using this philanthropic effort as a way to promote the utilization of one of Brazil's prime exports, rubber. Strangely enough, the primary material that she has chosen to comprise her new line of jewelry is, you guessed it, rubber.

Her new collection of rubber jewelry, called The Wild Rubber Collection, was started as an effort to utilize an abundant material in hope of promoting hope for a sustainable green economy in Brazil. This campaign is tied directly to Sky Rainforest Rescue and their goal of saving one billion trees. In her own words, this campaign was a way for her to "explore the rubber industry as a vehicle for green economics." By giving people in the Amazonian region an economic advantage by utilizing trees as opposed to cutting them down, Cole hopes that her project will help sustain a more eco-friendly way of life for the future.

This collection is sold exclusively through Stylist Pick, which also includes collections by the likes of Louise Roe and the Olsen twins. Jewelry is available in an array of soft, feminine tones and includes earrings, ring sets, and two-way rubber pendant necklaces. Originally going on sale on Monday, June 3rd, 100 percent of the proceeds for this rubber jewelry line will go directly to Sky Rainforest Rescue and their goal of saving one billion trees. With a new philanthropy project in the works called Impossible, a social networking site dedicated to sharing charitable services to local communities, Cole is certainly proving herself as more than just a (unusually) pretty face.

If you would like to make a separate donation to Sky Rainforest Rescue, visit their website here.

Mixify Digital Event Strives To Give Back

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:57:00 -0400

Mixify has done it again, except this time it’s for a good cause. Tuesday, June 4th marks the day for the Mixify Digital Event to raise awareness and funds for Boston’s One Fund, presented by The Oxford Group. This event is being held in anticipation of The Benefit for Boston, a physical event being held in Boston on Thursday, June 6th that will also benefit The One Fund.

The June 4th event will be hosted exclusively on Mixify.com and will feature seven acts including: Candyland, Sound Remedy, Richard Fraioli (local Boston DJ), Party Ghost, Wax Motif, Topher Jones, and K Theory. This will be an all-day digital event allowing fans to contribute via the in-event “donation box” or by purchasing the VIP Package, for those wanting to attend the charity event in Boston. 100 percent of all proceeds will be donated to The One Fund, which is a victim relief fund for families of the victims killed or injured during the tragic events at the Boston Marathon in April.

The Benefit for Boston VIP Package is $30 and includes:

1 ticket to “Benefit for Boston” charity event, June 6th in Boston, MA
Meet and greet with Candyland and Sound Remedy at Boston event
Exclusive Candyland track download
Entered to win a pair of tickets to Camp Bisco July 11-13 in Albany, NY
Entered to win VIP tickets for you and 3 friends to see Bro Safair at Rumor Nightclub, June 27th in Boston, MA—presented by The Oxford Group

The love of music and supporting those in need is combined thanks to Mixify and The Oxford Group’s selfless efforts. Even if you’re unable to attend the physical event in Boston, this is still such a great opportunity to give a hand to those affected in the recent Boston Marathon bombings.

For full line-up info and to RSVP, visit here. For more information The One Fund, visit here.

Ed Norton' Charity Platform Helps People Rise to the Challenge

Tue, 28 May 2013 18:01:00 -0400

One would be hard pressed to find another charity website that opens its About page with a sentence that boasts “We beat Oprah.” Then again, other charity websites are not like Crowdrise.

Founded by actor Edward Norton, producer Shauna Robertson, and the founders of Moosejaw, Robert and Jeffrey Wolfe, Crowdrise is an unusual charity website that allows people to use their site as platform to raise money for their own causes. With a quirky sense of humor that runs throughout their marketing campaign and online presence, Crowdrise believes that if people can have fun while giving back to a particular cause then it would encourage other people to do the same. As their motto says, “If you don't give back no one will like you.” By encouraging people to “tell two friends and one person who you don't like all that much about the site,” Crowdrise has certainly grown up into a promising philanthropic success story. Since it was founded only two years ago, in May 2010, this organization has helped raise millions of dollars for various causes. The initial campaign that formed the catalyst for the Crowdrise website was for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust during the New York City Marathon. In less than 8 weeks, the Crowdrise team raised $1.2 million mostly from small donors.

Since their inception, Crowdrise has gone on to host many other different fundraisers and garner the support of different celebrities including Seth Rogan (Hilarity for Charity), Kristen Bell (Somaly Mam), and Jimmy Kimmel. One of the more unusually marketed campaigns on Crowdrise happens to be a campaign started by Will Ferrell called Cancer for College. The description for this campaign, which warns readers that “failure to read this all the way through could result in ninjas storming your home and doing unspeakable things to your priceless collection of Henry Winkler memorabilia,” was started in 1993 in order to help cancer survivors afford to go to college. Since recently utilizing Crowdrise to promote this cause, Will Ferrell has raised upwards of $24,000 for the organization's cause. In addition, he has promoted his campaign by offering those who donate $19 dollars to his campaign through Crowdrise a free bottle of “Will Ferrell’s Super Sexy Hot Tan Streaking Strength Formula.”

The Crowdrise Twitter account also regularly promotes their services by having regularly occurring contests for small prizes. These contests include taking photos of a napkin for Crowdrise’s “Featured Napkin” section and answering bizarre questions such as “Chime in with a movie that doesn't start with the letter H & we'll enter you to get a Crowdrise Eli Cash Tee. This is our worst contest ever.”

To find out more about how you can start your own fundraiser through Crowdrise, click here.

Watch Edward Norton say what Crowdrise is all about in the video below:

The Social Media Controlled Car

Tue, 28 May 2013 17:53:00 -0400

The car of the future: a vehicle controlled by social media. A group of forward thinking teens in Kansas City, Missouri transformed a 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia into a hashtagging contraption during participation in the after school program Minddrive. Minddrive is a non-profit organization aimed at helping at-risk teens by teaching them electric car design through hands-on and one-on-one teaching methods. Once the car was completely converted into running on electricity, the students used Arduino to program the car to use social media interactions as a power source. By liking Minddrive’s Facebook page and/or hashtagging #minddrive on Twitter, each click will be converted into a specific wattage and contribute to powering this car on its 1060 mile drive from Kansas City to Washington D.C. By following them on Twitter, 5 Watts of energy are converted, one Facebook like is equivalent to 1 Watt, and if you sign their petition which can be found on their homepage, you can generate 10 Watts of power for this impressive machine.

So, what is this all about? Not only is the mechanism insanely cool, the message that these students are bringing to Washington is even better. After the car safely pulls into sparkling alabaster district, these courageous students will stand up in front of elected officials and discuss their own experiences with Minddrive, and the lessons they’ve learned. They are hoping to show the benefits of this program and other progressive programs alike. The STEM Coalition, the STEM Alliance, the Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Education have all taken interest in Minddrive, and hope that by holding a press conference in support of this initiative will inspire more programs and more funding for projects like this.

One student said, “Before I joined Minddrive I was failing classes, and today I’m on Principle’s Honor Roll.” This program opens so many doors and gives these students such incredible opportunities for a better college education and better employment. Individuals that were not given a chance, where the world turned their back on them, rose from the ashes and have brought everyone into the future. So go and watch the video! Read about them, hashtag and facebook away! Let’s help give these kids the chance to tell anyone and everyone about this fantastic program and their incredible social media machine.