Archive for 'Giving Back'
Thanks to Baby2Baby, Hollywood Moms Can Make Spring Cleaning Charitable
Posted on18. May, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
If you’re in the midst of spring cleaning, wondering what to do with the clothes, blankets and baby gear your young kids have outgrown, you may want to do what Modern Family’s Julie Bowen did last week – give to Baby2Baby, a charity that supplies Los Angeles families in need with essential baby gear and clothing. It’s an easy way to clean house, recycle and help your local community. Baby2Baby.org accepts both new and gently used clothing and baby gear for children 0-4 years old as well as monetary donations.
Moms Marnie Owens (pictured far left) and Karis Jagger (yes, she’s related to Mick) started Baby2Baby in 2006 when they wanted to pass on items their kids had outgrown, but couldn’t find an organization that accepted baby goods specifically. Now their organization gives to more than 30 local community-based organizations.
Baby2Baby just kicked off their Spring Fundraising Drive with the help of inspiring Hollywood Mom and Baby2Baby board member, Julie Bowen, (Claire on Modern Family) who just celebrated her twin sons’ first birthday last week by hosting a Baby2Baby fundraiser at The Coop.
Fundraisers and open houses are an important component of what Baby2Baby does. Once a month, their 12 partner organizations send in donation request forms for clothing and gear that their clients need. Baby2Baby pulls together the requested items from inventory and often purchases essentials that are in great demand such as strollers, cribs and car seats. On the third Wednesday of the month, the organizations come to Baby2Baby to pick up their items.
It is important that donations do not remain on their shelves, but find their way to the Los Angeles families that need them. For this reason, Baby2Baby hosts “open houses.” Additional organizations are invited to our space to collect excess inventory items for their clients. These items generally include clothing, toys and books. Pretty awesome isn’t it? We hope this inspires you clean out your closets and give back!
Donation Drop-off Locations:
Baby2Baby
5522 West Pico Blvd. (east of Fairfax @ Sierra Bonita. Parking and entrance in rear lot via Sierra Bonita)
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Tel: 323-933-BABY (2229)
10:30 to 1 Mondays and Wednesdays
Pumpkinheads
11640 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Tel: 310.207.6760
10 to 6 Monday-Saturday
10 to 5 Sunday
The Treehouse Social Club
426 South Robertson
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Tel: 310-288-3024
9 to 5 Monday – Friday (open until 8 PM on Wednesdays)
9 to Noon – Saturday
Your contributions to Baby2Baby will help the following organizations in the Los Angeles area:
- 1736 Family Crisis Center
- Beyond Shelter
- Jenesse Center
- St. Anne’s
- Kedren Community Health Center
- Angel Interfaith Network
- Spiritt Family Services
- Asian Pacific Women’s Center
- Westside Pregnancy Clinic
- UCLA Health System
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- LAUSD-Hyde Park Program
- CAST- LA
- The Women’s Circle
- Maternal and Child Health Access
- DCFS
- Asian Pacific Community Fund
- Asian American Drug Abuse Program
- Little Tokyo Service Center
- Pacific Asian Counseling Services
- UCLA ob/Gyn
- LAUSD-Lincoln HS
- The Community Development Center
- Community’s ChildWestside Infant Family Network
- Southgate Police Dept
- Multicultural Counseling and Education Services
- Home Safe-Vista del Mar
- San Gabriel Valley Best Babies Collaborative
- South Central Los Angeles Regional Center
- Bienvenidos
- The Children’s Bureau
- Casa
- Upward Bound House
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Child Stars Help Make Lollipop Theater Network’s GAME DAY 2010 a Huge Success!
Posted on08. May, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Last weekend Hollywood was host to Lollipop Theater Network’s GAME DAY 2010 at the Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Lollipop Theater Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing movie magic to hospitalized children nationwide through special group and bedside screenings.
Game day attendees enjoyed super-sized versions of their favorite Hasbro games; decorated cupcakes courtesy of Cupcakes & Company; danced to groovy music; glammed it up with the Giuseppe Franco Salon crew; met Mr. Potato Head, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob, Patrick and so much more! The participation of many child & teen performers brought smiles to hospitalized children nationwide! Celebrities and guests were having fun playing many of the Hasbro life size games such as Candy Land, Connect Four and Jenga. Giuseppe Franco Salon was on hand styling the celebrities and LOLLIPOP patients for the event. There were lots of lollipops eaten and bracelets made at the Crayola Play Sand booth.
Lollipop Theater Network’s Second Annual GAME DAY guests were greeted by Board Member & TV Host, Billy Bush. Young guests included Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (Camp Rock 1 & 2), Ashley Argota (True Jackson VP), Jennifer Stone (Wizards of Waverly Place), Joey King (Ramona and Beezus), Logan Miller (I’m In The Band), Madison Pettis (Cory in the House), Meaghan Jette Martin (Camp Rock 1 & 2), Monique Coleman (High School Musical 1,2,3), Nolan Gould (Modern Family), Rani Rodriguez (I’m with the Band), Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family), Sasha Peiterse (Pretty Little Liars), Bella Thorne (Big Love), Taylor Spreitler (Days of Our Lives), and Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates Chris). Picture Credit: Photo©Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio/Wireimage
About Lollipop Theater Network:
Lollipop Theater Network is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to bringing the magic of movies currently in theaters to children confined to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses, whose goal is to create a fun escape from the daily reality of the illnesses these children face and to offer them and their families a moment of normalcy in an otherwise stressful environment.
Lollipop Theater Network would like to thank all of their GAME DAY 2010 sponsors:
Advanced Water Solutions, CorpGiftService.com, Crayola, Cupcakes & Company, CyberDefender, eventbrite.com, Giuseppe Franco Salon, Hasbro, The Karate Kid, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, New Zealand Natural,
Mocha Kiss Coffee, Planet 3 Design Group, PoliteinPublic.com, Richardson & Patel, Unicorn Popcorn, and Variety. To learn more about Lollipop Theater Network, visit our website www.lollipoptheater.org.
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Teen Star, Jonah Bobo to Emcee “KD FUN DAY” May 8, 2010 in Carlsbad!
Posted on30. Apr, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
On May 8, 2010, the Kawasaki Disease (KD) Foundation hopes to raise $25,000 with KD Fun Day, an event which launches the Quest for a Diagnostic Test, in support of scientists at the UC San Diego Kawasaki Disease Research Center working to create the vital diagnostic test for Kawasaki Disease. The KD Foundation will donate all proceeds from the KD Fun Day Quest for a Diagnostic Test to the UC San Diego Kawasaki Disease Research Center, along with a 25% match on the first $15,000 of donations. Unfortunately, there is currently no diagnostic test for KD Disease which is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. A staggering 80% of KD patients are younger than five years old and these children have a good chance of recovery when properly diagnosed. However, when KD is left untreated or misdiagnosed, Kawasaki Disease can lead to fatal coronary artery aneurysms.
KD Fun Day will be emceed by one of our favorite teens, Jonah Bobo, a 13-year-old native New Yorker who also happens to be a star of both film and television (pictured left with current co-star Analeigh Tipton and family friend Jordan Bobbitt). Jonah has become well-known to kids across America as the voice of Austin in The Backyardigans and Todd in Disney’s Fox and the Hound 2. He is probably most recognized as Danny in the feature film Zathura: A Space Adventure but has also starred in The Best Thief in the World, Around the Bend, Strangers with Candy and the 2008’s Sundance sweetheart film, Choke with Sam Rockwell and Angelica Houston. Jonah is currently in California working on an as-of-yet-untitled ensemble comedy also starring Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Analeigh Tipton and child actress Joey King. We had the pleasure of Jonah’s company for about 2 weeks earlier this month and I can say with some authority that the next field he’ll conquer is Rock-n-Roll. I don’t think this kid has ever met a guitar he didn’t like. When they make “School of Rock - the sequel” Jonah should be the first kid they cast, right after big kid Jack Black.
Jonah contributes his time and efforts to a number of worthwhile charities and has close ties with Team Continuum and Project Sunshine. Upon learning about the seriousness of Kawasaki Disease, Jonah immediately volunteered to be a part of Quest for a Diagnostic Test Fun Day!
Festivities will take place at Stagecoach Community Park, 3420 Camino de los Coches, in Carlsbad, CA. Funday activities include face painting, balloon animals, music, performances, prizes, opportunity drawing, giveaways, entertainment, professional photography and even the cows from Chick-Fil-A to entertain the kids and fun for the whole family! Entertainment will be provided by Playball, The Hullaballo Band, JW Tumbles and our other friends, The Jumpitz (pictured right), and a number of generous sponsors will be on hand with their wares including: Dasani Water, Costco, our family’s favorite grocery store Trader Joe’s, Dick’s, GG Benitez & Associates, Shakeys Pizza, The Winespot and many more.
If you can’t make it down to Carlsbad but want to help out with this extremely worthwhile cause please donate here. You can read more about the foundation and the disease, here.
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Earth Day “Power Down” on NICK: The Big Green Help!
Posted on20. Apr, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Happy Earth Day! What are you and your child actor doing to help the earth today? To find out what the kids at Nickelodeon are up to, click on the picture below to enlarge and read all about Nick’s event: The Big Green Help!
Steps we can take with our children to help the earth (from the OFFICIAL EARTH DAY 2010 CAMPAIGN Website):
Teach children that planting trees will save our earth.
Educate people to use solar power.
Recycle – try to be as efficient as possible
Shop at the local farmers market, using our own bags and eat as many locally sourced meals as possible for the entire year.
Ride a bike.
Reduce electricity usage in general life.
Skip a shower today 
– Kids will love this one!
Use cloth diapers – raise tiny environmentalists!
Use old paper for rough work to save paper.
Use less disposables.
Hang laundry on a clothes line instead of using the clothes dryer.
For more info, please read and download this pdf. http://earthday.net/files/ed2010summary.pdf
The programming on Nickelodeon for Earth Day:
AT 11:30 a.m. — OLIVIA “Olivia Helps Mother Nature” — After learning about the environment, Olivia is on a mission to recycle, cut down on waste, and conserve energy. But she just can’t get Ian to turn off his light at night. Either she’ll have to find a way for Ian to fall asleep without it, or else find a sustainable alternative.
AT 1:30 p.m. — WOW! WOW! WUBBZY! “Save the Wuzzly/All Bottled Up” — In “Save the Wuzzly,” Wubbzy and Daizy must help a family of Wuzzly bears save their bambooboo tree home, from developers cutting down Wuzzleburg Forest to make a new playground. In “All Bottled Up,” Wubbzy has to teach the denizens of Wuzzleburg to reuse and recycle, after he introduces them to a great new drink – Hapgood’s Fizz-eee Wizz-eee Juice — and they start discarding the bottles making a big messy bottle problem.
AT 8 p.m. — ICARLY “iGo Green” — In honor of National Green Week, Mr. Henning, an environmentally conscious science teacher, assigns Carly, Sam and Freddie the task of creating an original earth-friendly project that benefits the environment. And Carly learns a lesson about how easy it is to go green by doing simple things like watering after dark or recycling.
AT 8:30 p.m. — TRUE JACKSON, VP “True Intrigue” — Max returns from his trip to Africa with a top-secret environmentally-friendly fabric he discovered and is going to announce to the world that is if True, Max and Amanda can fend off the corporate spy trying to steal the fabric.
Nickelodeon has partnered with 12 national organizations on local Earth Day events and activities in the U.S. to provide kids with opportunities to be involved in real-world environmental activity. Organizations can be featured as part of a Nickelodeon on-air scroll on Earth Day. More than 500 events are already scheduled to take place. The Big Green Help is a multiplatform campaign that provides information and tools to help explain climate change to kids through on-air messaging, grassroots activity, and online gaming. More than 2 million kids have already pledged to participate in The Big Green Help.
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Alyssa Milano Reveals Secrets to Growing Up Sane in Hollywood
Posted on19. Apr, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
This morning on ABC News, host George Stephanopolis interviewed beautiful actress and UNICEF ambassdor Alyssa Milano in promotion of her new prime time series “Romantically Challenged,” premiering tonight on ABC. During the interview George asked Allysa how she managed to be a child actor, grow up in the spotlight on 70’s smash hit “Who’s the Boss?” and yet, remain so normal.
Alyssa replied:
“You know, it’s a hard business to grow up in and I had the best circumstances which was a family that didn’t care what I did just as long as there was food on the table and we all had dinner together. And, I really think that having that stability saved me. I think a child can go through anything as long as they have parents behind them that support them and remind them what’s important in life.”
“I have a brother who’s 10 years younger than I am and he never missed an opportunity to tell me about my acne (laughs) and that kept me normal, sane and grounded. Down to earth. [My parents] always instilled in me that family, love and friendship were the most important things and that it doesn’t matter what you do in your life as long as you have those things, you’re a success.”
ABOUT THE SHOW: “Romantically Challenged,” is an ensemble comedy about four friends trying to find love and happiness while navigating their way through today’s tricky world of dating. The show premieres tonight, MONDAY, APRIL 12 (9:32-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Smart and beautiful Rebecca (Alyssa Milano) is recently divorced after 15 years of marriage. Having never really dated before she was married – and not having been on a date since Clinton was in office — she finds it scary to start over now. Although a gifted mom and lawyer, she is clueless about dating and hopes to get some help from her equally romantically-challenged friends.
Perry is Rebecca’s best friend since childhood. He is a rugged man’s man and a tremendously successful financial planner — but also one of Pittsburgh’s most sensitive hopeless romantics. When it comes to matters of the heart, Perry is a romance-a-holic who falls in love with women 20 minutes after meeting them. After 40 minutes, he’s already naming their future children.
A struggling novelist, the witty and affable Shawn has been Perry’s best friend and rent-free roommate for six years. Shawn is the emotionally unavailable cynic to Perry’s hopeless romantic. He has never had a relationship more serious than a three-night stand – and even those send him running for the door.
Rounding out the group is Rebecca’s petite, baby sister, Lisa. Behind her deceptively sweet appearance is a sassy pit bull ready to protect her older sister. Although a nurturing kindergarten teacher, she has a wild side too, and sees a “threesome” as “second base.”
Will these four romantically challenged friends ever find lasting love? Or even someone who lasts until next Thursday?
“Romantically Challenged” stars Alyssa Milano as Rebecca Thomas, Kyle Bornheimer as Perry Gill, Josh Lawson as Shawn Goldwater and Kelly Stables as Lisa Thomas.
The series is created by Ricky Blitt and executive produced by Blitt and James Burrows. Burrows also serves as the show’s director. The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. and Candy Bar Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
”Romantically Challenged” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound.
For more information on “Romantically Challenged,” visit ABC.com. Follow the show on Twitter @RomChallenged, follow Alyssa on @Alyssa_Milano or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RomanticallyChallenged
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Former “That’s So Raven” Teen Star Orlando Brown Gives Back with “Soles Of Our Children”
Posted on24. Mar, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Former Disney actor, Orlando Brown, best known for his role as the spunky best friend to the “sometimes” clairvoyant, Raven Baxter on Disney’s “That’s So Raven!” (played by Raven-Symone) has temporarily traded in his acting shoes to lend a helping hand for a wonderful cause. Brown is working with the Kids On the Porch Foundation, a new interactive web series that brings kids together from all walks of life, for a fascinating look at how our porches and backyards have been replaced with technology. Kids on the Porch Foundation and Orlando Brown are currently involved in a mission for Haiti called, Soles of Our Children, which will collect used shoes that are in good condition to send to the kids affected by the earthquake in Haiti.
Orlando Brown, who also starred in the 1995 film “Major Payne” alongside Damon Wayans, has offered his time and fame to bring awareness to Kids on the Porch Foundation and their purpose driven web series show that sends a message to our youth about peer pressure, gangs, bulling, racism, and all the challenges they face today. As a child star himself, Brown understands the pressure of growing up in a pressure filled society, falling into a few bad traps himself; he’s picked himself up and is now looking to become an advocate for young kids in hopes to keep them from making the same mistakes.
“We feel Orlando is on track to becoming the next Jamie Foxx or Martin Lawrence. His body of work speaks for itself. We are proud to be on this journey with him and are excited to watch him continue to grow as an actor,” comment Reno Rankin and Andrew Rowe, President and Vice President of Titus Production & Management.
Along with his work with children, Orlando Brown has signed up to host the Jerkin’ Documentary “Cocky Wit It” Directed by celebrated Director, Tyrone Dixon, who has worked on films such as Roll Bounce starring Bow-Wow and Nick Cannon and the film, Tupac: Resurrection. The Documentary will identify and explore the jerkin’ dance movement, and the characters that are on the forefront of one of the hottest new dance craze to hit the country. Orlando Brown will host contests across the country featuring the best jerker’s the country has to offer. He will find 7 teams that will represent their school and or communities and they will join in the big finale show down which will award the winner $10,000 in cash and prizes.
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Child Stars Past (Raven) & Present (Keke) Rock Heart Truth Red at Fashion Week
Posted on12. Feb, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
On Thursday, February 11, 2010,just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Heart Truth brought the Red Dress to the runway at New York Fashion Week with the debut of the Red Dress Collection 2010. This spectacular charity event reminds women of the need to protect their heart health and inspires them to take action. In this photo, Child Star Keke Palmer (Akilah and the Bee) poses with Television Producer/ Former Child Star Raven Symone (That’s So Raven) at the second annual Heart Truth Fall 2010 Fashion Show, during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. Other celebrity models included Heidi Klum, Robin Roberts and young songstress Jordin Sparks – all wearing red dresses and strutting the runway in the Tents at Bryant Park. 
A selection of the designer red hot dresses seen on the runway will be auctioned online in February through a partnership with Clothes Off Our Back. To bid on these Red Dresses this February, visit www.clothesoffourback.org.
Get Involved today: visit the Healthy Action Community, where you can find free tools and resources to help you protect your heart health and share The Heart Truth with others. Be sure to let others know about your event by submitting details to the Activity Registry.
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Learn to Dance with Camp Rock’s Alyson Stoner! One Hour Class December 5, 2009!
Posted on18. Nov, 2009 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Disney Star Alyson Stoner, of “Camp Rock,” “Cheaper By The Dozen,” “Phineas & Ferb,” and “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” has a new project to share with us – aptly entitled “The Alyson Stoner Project,” an original dance instructional musical fitness revolution available now on DVD. To share her talents and her new DVD release with her fans, Alyson will be teaching a special dance class on Saturday, December 5, 2009 from 4:30 – 5:30 at Dance Dimensions in Woodland Hills, CA.She will sign autographs after class for one hour. Cost of the class is $25 and all children ages 7-12 are welcome.
While you may know her best as a young actress, Alyson grew up in Ohio studying Ballet, Tap and Jazz. She won multiple awards in dance, acting and modeling and moved to Los Angeles where she studied Hip Hop with Wade Robson. Alyson has danced in videos and on TV, and has acted for Disney since she was 9 years old.
To reserve a space and pay for this class by phone call Dance Dimensions TODAY at: (818) 999-DANCE (3262)
More About Alyson:
Alyson Stoner was born in Toledo, OH on August 11, 1993. Besides starting pre-school at Maumee Valley Country Day School at age 3, her “career” in dance also started at age 3 at the O’Connell Dance Studios in Toledo where she was trained in tap, jazz and ballet. At age 6, she and older sister, Correy, decided to take modeling and began classes at the former Margaret O’Brien Modeling Studio in Toledo. It was there that the future opportunities of an acting career became apparent. Ms. O’Brien took Alyson to the International Modeling and Talent Association’s New York Convention where she competed in many talent competitions. She took home honors in seven categories including First Place for a Comedic role, Second Place in Dance (as a 6 year old in the 8 to 12 year old category!) and First Runner Up, Actress of the Year.
Off to Los Angeles her family went to interview agents and managers. Shortly after these meetings, it was obvious that she was very enthused about being a performer through acting and dance and during the initial short stay, Alyson auditioned for every type of TV, Commercial, Print, Dance and Movie role available for that age. She found success early on and now has many credits to her name.
For the first few years in L.A., Alyson trained for the more popular Hip Hop style of dance with well-known choreographers Wade Robson, Fatima, Hi Hat, Dave Scott, Shane Sparks and Dante to name a few. It then came as no surprise when she auditioned and was cast to dance in the Missy Elliott “Work It” video which won top honors for Missy Elliott at the Video Music Awards. She went on to perform in two other Missy videos: “Gossip Folks” and “I’m Really Hot”. Missy continued casting Alyson as a dancer in various performances both live and taped, including the Jay Leno Show, American Music Awards, MTV’s Fashionably Loud Spring Break Concert in Miami and at Seattle’s Radio Concert. Her video career didn’t end there as she was called out by Eminem to dance in one of his videos and she was booked to dance at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards with both OutKast and Will Smith.
Her acting career took off soon after her move to L.A. when she booked commercials for Mattel, Hallmark-Disney and McDonald’s and then two ABC TV pilots in the same year. She was cast as “Sally” at age 8 on the popular Disney Channel’s “Mike’s Super Short Show” which ran for five years. In addition, she had a recurring role as “Max” on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and filmed her own pilot for Disney entitled “Better Days”. She has appeared as guest starring roles on Disney’s That’s So Raven as well as Drake & Josh (for Nickelodeon).
Voiceovers have also been a steady job for Alyson with such noted ones as Lilo & Stitch, W.I.T.C.H., Pompoko and Phineas & Ferb. She has performed voicework for many TV shows and movies as well.
Alyson has filmed many TV shows as a guest star but has also booked six ABC/NBC or Disney pilots as the lead or in a leading role in her short career. She has appeared on such talk shows as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Maury Povich’s World’s Most Talent Kids segment, The Sharon Osbourne Talented Kids segment as well as performed live for TV at the American Music Awards, The Kids’ Choice Awards and the NAACP Image Awards.
Her “big screen” career includes roles as “Sarah Baker” in the popular Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 movies starring Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt; as “Camille” in Step Up starring Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan; as “Alice” in Alice UpSide Down (where she also sang the title song) and as “Caitlyn” in Disney’s Camp Rock starring among others, the Jonas Brothers.
She continues to enjoy dance as a teacher of hip hop for both children and young teens and has taught master classes in Hollywood, San Diego and nearby Simi Valley. She even performed 26 stage shows with “Fame” Choreographer and Dancer Debbie Allen in “Brothers of the Knight” at age 8. And recently, Bloch Dance Apparel Corporation contracted with Alyson to design her own dance/street shoe line which is scheduled out in the Spring of 2008.
She is now studying with a voice coach and working on a recording career writing some of the music she sings and continues to be active in sports being well trained in basketball (following in sister Jaimee’s footsteps!), softball, soccer, swimming, golf and makes it a practice to work out regularly. Alyson is a very focused home-schooled student and she “dabbles” around on a few musical instruments, loves to cook and attend sporting events when the time allows.
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Hollywood is Helping “Operation Gratitude” & You Can Too
Posted on16. Jun, 2009 by Hollywood Mom.
Operation Gratitude is the California-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit, volunteer organization that sends care packages of snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and on Naval ships at sea. Its mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service members faces and to express to all our Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people. As shown in the pictures, Hollywood’s finest are showing up to assist in this worthwhile cause: Mark Harmon, Gary Sinese, Ben Affleck, Patricia Heaton, Kathy Ireland and many more.
Operation Gratitude receives the names of thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines from commanders in the field who see the positive impact of care packages on their troops’ morale. The organization sends 100,000+ care packages every year during two major campaigns: A Patriotic Drive in May and a Holiday Drive in the winter. Each package contains donated product valued at $100 and costs the organization $11 to assemble and ship.
For safety and security all assembling of packages occurs at the Army National Guard armory in Van Nuys, California. Since its inception in March, 2003, Operation Gratitude has shipped more than 450,000 packages to American service members deployed overseas. To learn more about how you can help, please visit these websites: www.operationgratitude.com www.youtube.com/OpGrat www.twitter.com/OpGratitude and www.facebook.com/OperationGratitude
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Giving Back: Madison Pettis Becomes Youngest Star To Tour with USO.
Posted on27. Apr, 2009 by Hollywood Mom.
Madison Pettis ("The Game Plan") with actress Jordan Bobbitt ("The Hangover") at a recent Disney Family Fun Night in Los Angeles, CA
Aloha from Hollywood! Disney Star Madison Pettis, 10, is heading to the Hawaiian Islands to participate in her first USO education tour, April 22 through 24, 2009. As part of Madison’s USO adventure, she’ll visit several elementary schools in Hawaii and connect with children of military service members, take part in school activities and sign autographs.
Best known for her co-starring role on the Disney Channel series “Cory in the House,” and starring opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the hit Disney film “The Game Plan,” Pettis is the youngest entertainer to ever take part in a USO tour. The tween actress also has a personal interest in serving those who keep us safe; her older brother, PFC Anthony Pettis, 20, is a soldier in the U.S. Army and has been serving in Iraq since November 2008.
“This is a great opportunity for me to do something special for all of the kids whose parents are serving in the military,” said Pettis. “And I want to thank the USO for making this happen.”
Born in Arlington, Texas, and nominated for the 2008 Young Artist Award, Pettis has been entertaining audiences since the age of five. Her career began as a model, when her mom entered her in a photo contest for a local parenting magazine. In addition to her many Disney collaborations, Pettis recently made an appearance in the big screen hit “Seven Pounds” starring Will Smith. Most recently the star participated in L.A.’s Reading Relay in celebration of National Reading Month.
Volunteers are the heart of the USO. Their commitment and support of our men and women in uniform allows the USO to carry out its mission 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Celebrity entertainers serve as the USO’s most visible volunteers. They lend their time and talents to enhance the quality of life of service members and boost troop morale. Entertainers who recently participated on USO tours include Jack Ingram, Danny Clark, Jared Allen, Will Witherspoon and Bucky Covington.
For a list of USO tours, visit www.uso.org/whatwedo/entertainment. To learn more about the USO or to find out how to support the troops, visit www.uso.org.
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CONGRATS TO OUR YOUNG 2010 EMMY WINNERS!!
ABC's "Modern Family" deservedly nabbed "Best Comedy Series," Young cast members include RICO RODRIGUEZ, NOLAN GOULD, ARIEL WINTER and twins ELLA & JADEN HILLER.
AMC's "Mad Men" won Best Dramatic Series. KIERNAN SHIPKA and JARED GILMORE make up the youngest members of the cast.
