Celebrity Causes

(photo credit Alexia Hay)

I, like most people, think if you are a celebrity you should use your name to contribute to the general good of the planet, by supporting a good cause.  The problem is some celebrities use this opportunity as a means to get press or attention on themselves only and are not necessairly educated on the cause they are choosing to champion.  Can the celebrity answer some of the hard questions when it comes to their chosen cause?  Fortunately, there are also those that put their money where their mouth is and also take the time to fully vest themselves in the causes they support.  But I am also of the thinking that every man and woman that can afford a Starbucks should be actively involved in a cause whether it is non-profit, or something as simple as helping small businesses with humanitarian goals, anything in terms of meeting any of the Millennium Development Goals.  The idea can start small like spending time dishing out meals at a soup kitchen or meals on wheels, donating money at church or like I did this week to the American Cancer Society.  Sure we have americans here inour country going through some really tough times, but I like to think bigger.  Entire countries - can we stamp out poverty in this life time? 

The NY Times recently wrote an article Celebrity Solution which highlights George Clooney's efforts in Darfur, Angelina Jolie's UN and other charitable causes and Natalie Portman's role with an organization called FINCA - an organization that creates "Villiage Banking" micro financing in neighborhoods that are very poor.  This is where small loans can be obtained, at low interest rates for famillies and individuals in these communities, so they can eventually be debt free.  This is part of the UN's Millennium Development Goals.