Hilary helps kickoff clean water fundraiser

Hilary Swank lent her support to a good cause yesterday by helping launch an around-the-world relay to raise money and awareness for the issue of providing safe drinking water for the 1.1 billion people who lack it. About 20 runners will run a whopping 15,000 miles through 16 countries over the next 95 days in the event, organized by the Blue Planet Run Foundation. "What if it were your job to

Nick Carter hopes to do good for the U.N.

Looks like Backstreet Boy Nick Carter is trying to make over his image - with a United Nations gig. Carter will be helping raise awareness of threats to the survival of dolphins in the wild for the U.N. Environment Programme, the Convention on Migratory Species, and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. "People like Bono, Angelina Jolie, and Nicole Kidman have inspired me to put my

Kate puts her money where her mouth is

Kate Winslet has turned something ugly into something good by donating the money she won in a libel case against a British magazine to several eating disorder charities. Winslet won a lawsuit in March after Grazia mag claimed she had visited a diet doctor and suggested the Holiday star was a hypocrite for speaking out publicly against Hollywood's pressure to be skinny. The magazine was ordered to

Natalie Portman's first video diary

The Star Wars actress is working with FINCA to promote microloans in developing countries.Natalie Portman Video Diary #1Add to My Profile | More Videossource

Brooke rallies for postpartum sufferers

Brooke Shields is campaigning for the bigwigs in Washington to pass legislation to help new mothers with postpartum depression. "There is an entire population of women suffering," Shields said in an interview on Sunday. "And it's time, I believe, for Congress to step in and prevent that, and actually save lives and save potential tragedy." Shields has been open about her own battle with

Drew named as UN ambassador

Drew Barrymore is following in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts as a U.N. ambassador. Barrymore has been named as an ambassador against hunger for the World Food Program after a recent trip to Kenya, where she toured WFP-supported school projects. "I can't think of any issue that is more important than working to see that no schoolchild in this world goes hungry,"

Brad, George and Matt shine spotlight on Darfur

Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon and Don Cheadle have agreed to use the publicity for their upcoming film Ocean's Thirteen to draw attention to the genocide in Darfur. The foursome have partnered with the International Rescue Committee to launch www.notonourwatchproject.org, a website dedicated to raising funds to help the thousands of people uprooted by the conflict in Sudan's Darfur

Natalie endorses loan programs

Natalie Portman is lending her star status to support microloans. The Star Wars actress has been working with FINCA International, an organization that provides small loans to people in developing countries. Portman described meeting young mothers who only had access to low-paying jobs working in poor conditions and says, "And then they're able to get a loan and start their own business out of

Angelina in Washington

Angelina Jolie appeared in Washington yesterday in support of an orphans advocacy group pushing for more U.S. aid for education in developing countries. Looking a little tired, the mother of four helped open the Washington headquarters of the Global Action for Children advocacy group. "This is a happy day because it is not often enough that these children are represented in this town," Jolie said

Celebs donate auction items for Oxfam

Oxfam is hosting a celebrity and public auction to help raise funds for people suffering in Chad and the Darfur region of Sudan. Sienna Miller has donated a pair of shoes, Elton John has parted with a tailor-made Versace suit, and Helen Mirren has donated her script from her Oscar-winning performance in The Queen. "Try to imagine living in a tiny shelter made out of straw, dry branches and

Hilary's kindness gets her out of traffic ticket

Hilary Swank's recent good deed helped her get out of a speeding ticket. The Oscar winner was learning lines at an LA bakery and helped a woman with her groceries when she noticed all the staff were busy. Days later, Swank was pulled over for speeding on the Pacific Coast Highway by a cop who had witnessed her efforts. "He goes, 'Hey, Ms. Swank... You know what, you were speeding...but I'm gonna

Brangelina donate funds for Sudanese hospital

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are continuing their humanitarian efforts by donating $100,000 to build a medical clinic in Sudan. The superstar couple gave the funds to the Duk Lost Boys Clinic through their Jolie-Pitt foundation after learning about the clinic and its director, John Dau, while working on the documentary God Grew Tired of Us. "Words cannot express my gratitude and the gratitude of

Naomi to turn punishment into charity

Naomi Campbell plans to donate the scrubs she will don while mopping floors in NYC next week to raise money for a children's charity. Campbell will begin her court-ordered five-day sentence of mopping at NYC's Sanitation Department next Monday. "They'll go straight to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund," said the supermodel of any monies she collects.source