Posts tagged with "donation"

THE PETER AQUILONE WINTER CLASSIC

Special Olympics New York Hosts the Peter Aquilone Winter Classic at Jacob K. Javits Center in NYC. More Than 300 Athletes are Expected to Attend.

The New York City Region is thrilled to host one of the year’s most anticipated sporting events as the Peter Aquilone Winter Classic returns to the Javits Center. Details are as follows:

When: Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 9:30am to 4pm
Where: Jacob K Javits Center (429 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10001)
What: Competition in Floor Hockey Team and Skills, with additional offerings in Young Athletes, Developmental Sports, and Field Days
Who: More than 300 Special Olympics New York athletes and more than 200 volunteers

The event will also play host to Special Olympics NY’s Health Programs, of which there will be five disciplines: Healthy Hearing, Special Smiles, Fun Fitness, Health Promotions, and Fit Feet.

In addition to the more than 200 volunteers supporting the event, another 100 volunteers from New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters will be on-hand to set up the floor hockey rinks.

Sponsors for this year’s competition include Liberty Dental Plan, New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters, ESPN, accessiBe, Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, Disney, Local 388, NHL, Nestlé Health Science, and ACA NY.

About Special Olympics New York

Special Olympics New York is the largest state chapter in the country, serving more than 31,000 athletes across New York with year-round sports training, athletic competition, and health screenings. The organization also partners with about 250 schools statewide to offer Unified Sports, where students with and without disabilities compete as teammates. All Special Olympics New York programs are offered at no cost to athletes, their families or caregivers. The organization has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.com, making it one of the most trusted charities in the business nationally. For additional information about Special Olympics New York, to learn more about getting involved, or to make a donation, visit www.specialolympicsNY.org.

A1 X J1 + NEMZZZ – “DON’T LIE”

BRIT AWARD-NOMINATED A1 X J1 TEAM UP WITH NEMZZZ ON NEW SINGLE

“DON’T LIE” LISTEN HERE / WATCH HERE

FIRST EVER EUROPEAN HEADLINE TOUR ANNOUNCED

PERFORMING AT THE KISS HAUNTED HOUSE PARTY 2022! FRIDAY 28TH OCT

NOMINATED FOR BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR AT THE GRM DAILY RATED AWARDS

SUPPORTING N-DUBZ ON SOLD-OUT NOV ARENA TOUR

A 30,000 DONATION TO MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION

Today, BRIT award nominated pop-rap duo A1 X J1 release their brand new single “Don’t Lie” featuring seventeen year-old rapper Nemzzz.

Listen to “Don’t Lie” here / watch the video here.

Back with another one of their unique takes on reinventing celebrated anthems, A1 X J1 come correct with a fresh take on Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” in the new single “Don’t Lie.” Featuring the instantly recognizable trumpet flourish and reggaeton rythmn, the track is creatively infused with the boys’ love for rap and R&B, upping the tempo whilst trap slaps filter throughout.

As an alternative to shooting a traditional music video for the new single, the duo took it upon themselves to donate the 30,000 music video budget to the Sidemen Fc Vs Youtube All Stars charity football game, of which the profits go towards a number of charities including Make-A-Wish Foundation. The charity offers support to children who have had their childhoods stolen by a critical illness. They will also support by donating to other mental health services to young people including, Teenage Cancer Trust and Calm (Mental Health Charity). The cameos in the video feature Mr Beast, Chunkz, Filly, Cal The Dragon, Harry Pinero, Ishowspeed, Noah Beck, Deji to name a few!

Whilst the duo have gained remarkable success in the music industry, including three top-five singles, collaborations with the likes of KSI, Mae Muller and Mabel and a 2022 BRIT nomination, more recently they’ve achieved further personal highs. These come in form of featuring in the upcoming Converse campaign, becoming the main artists in the Amazon Music X Fortnight Tournament and securing the support act for N-Dubz upcoming arena tour. It doesn’t end there, the pair are also headlining their first ever EU tour in December and have been nominated for GRM Breakthrough Artist Of The Year.

Speaking about the track and working with rapper Nemzzz on the track, A1 X J1 have said: “Nemzzz is hard and up and coming so we’re really excited to collaborate with him on the new single.”

Speaking about his feature on the track Nemzzz adds: “We always said we would get on a song together so it’s sick that we made it happen now.”

After meeting on the off chance through the Houseparty App in 2020, A1 x J1 have gained unimaginable success at the young age of 16 and 18, not to mention whilst doing so in the unprecedented circumstances of a pandemic, and school. It’s been a whirlwind year for the 16 and 18-year-old, who, in the short time they’ve known each other, have pulled off the impossible.

Connect with A1 X J1

SPOTIFY / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM

AREA15 × IN PLACE OF WAR

GLOBAL MUSIC CHARITY IN PLACE OF WAR TO LAUNCH AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 RAVES 2022-2023 SERIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AREA15 LAS VEGAS

AREA15 to Host Special Performance by Satori & The Band From Space
Thursday, Nov. 10

Music charity In Place of War announces the launch of its 2022-2023 Around The World in 80 Raves global fundraising events series with a special gig featuring Satori& The Band From Space hosted at immersive events and entertainment district AREA15 Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 10.

The year-long Around The World in 80 Raves worldwide dance music event series raising funds for In Place of War will kick off at AREA15 in Las Vegas this November. The 80 Raves campaign, which invites global DJs, venues and festivals to collaborate on live events to raise funds for projects bringing communities in areas of conflict together through music, debuted last year.

The inaugural Around The World in 80 Raves campaign in 2021 included 80 DJs who recorded sets across the world in cities such as Berlin, Ibiza, Kampala, London, Reykjavik, São Paulo and St. Louis. Performances were streamed across various media platforms, including EDM Identity, Insomniac, Resident Advisor and Worldwide FM, while audiences were still largely at home during the pandemic. The 2021 line-up included Adam Beyer, A Guy Called Gerald, Bicep, Crazy P Sound System, Ida Engberg, Jax Jones, Osunlade, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Sasha and Sofi Tukker.

The 2022-2023 Around The World in 80 Raves series will celebrate a return to live events, launching with a gig featuring Dutch artists Satori & The Band From Space playing to a crowd at AREA15 Las Vegas, the city’s newest experiential entertainment district offering live events, immersive activations, monumental art installations, extraordinary design elements, unique retail, bars and eateries.

Funds raised from ticket sales will support the work In Place of War does within the community of Medellín, Colombia, where one hip-hop MC once said to the charity, “We were born to die in Medellín. If it weren’t for hip-hop, I’d be dead,” as cartels murdered 40,000 young people across the city over a 20-year period. In Medellín, hip-hop has united parts of the younger community. Today in the city, In Place of War supports those inspiring young people trying to shape their futures in the face of adversity.

The charity has been working with a group of social change-makers in Medellín’s Comuna 13 neighbourhood for over a decade via its Creative and Social Entrepreneurial Programme (CASE). One hip-hop artist who completed the course then trained other members of the community to set up a community kitchen during the pandemic. The kitchen has continued to operate long after the pandemic, feeding more than 500 families a day.

The charity also supports the development of an allotment to provide sustainable vegetables and fruit for the community of Medllín. The local team is now expanding their work into Medllín’s Barrio Pablo Escobar neighbourhood where they have recycled 7,500 kilograms of waste so far and feed hundreds of children each day. With funds raised from November’s Satori & the Band from Space performance inside AREA15 Las Vegas, In Place of War will train 20 female leaders in the Medellín community in the CASE programme to help them establish creative solutions to overcome violence in the area.

In Place of War chief executive officer Ruth Daniel says, “AREA15 is just magical and a wondrous mash-up of experiences and an immersive playground all rolled up into one vibrant space. The venue seemed like the perfect location to celebrate the launch of our next year of Around The World in 80 Raves events. We know that Satori will deliver a killer set to the lucky fans who get to be there on that night, and we hope to engage those music lovers in areas affected by conflict where music really does bring people together.”

Fans can expect a very special night, as AREA15’s head of entertainment Noah Kessler explains, “Our audience can look forward to a unique, immersive evening as Satori & The Band From Space creates a one-night-only dance euphoria experience for this highly anticipated show in the Portal at AREA15. We’re so excited to be partnering with In Place of War for this event and to support their important work in Colombia by launching the new season of Around The World in 80 Raves with them on November 10.”

For more information and to buy tickets, visit AREA15.com.

ABOUT IN PLACE OF WAR
A global non-profit organisation that uses music in places of conflict as a tool for positive change. The charity enables a network of more than 130 grassroots change-makers in music and across the arts, to transform cultures of violence and suffering into hope, opportunity and freedom, in 26 countries spanning the Global South. It also offers a platform to the voices of marginalised communities, particularly women, in areas affected by war, post-war and gang/post-gang warfare. It is a registered charity in the UK and Ireland and a 501-C3 non-profit in the US.

Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube. Donate to support the charity here.

ABOUT SATORI & THE BAND FROM SPACE
After breaking onto the scene in 2015 with his In Between Worlds album, Satori has been steadily expanding on an impressive repertoire of music, culminating in the recently released “Dreamin’ Colours” album. An ethereal body of work rich in colour and texture, seamlessly blending electronic music with Satori’s Balkan heritage. Never limiting himself to being “just a DJ”, Satori has perfected the craft of live performance. Often combining his own productions with improvisation by incorporating traditional instruments like the guitar, keys or flute. Treating each performance as a blank canvas is what makes Satori’s shows dynamic and eclectic, leaving fans with an ever-lasting taste for more. Now Satori continues his latest endeavour where he is joined by the Band from Space to give his music a new approach and a new life.

ABOUT AREA15 LAS VEGAS
AREA15, located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, represents the world’s first purpose-built immersive entertainment district offering live events, distinctive attractions, interactive art installations, extraordinary design elements, unique retail, ground-breaking technology, bars and eateries and much more. AREA15’s curated mix of dynamic destinations—including Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, Lost Spirits Distillery, Illuminarium, Dueling Axes, Five Iron Golf, The Beast by Todd English, Wink World: Portals Into the Infinite, Museum Fiasco, Virtualis VR, Emporium Arcade Bar and many more—represents what’s next in experiential entertainment. With a robust, ever-changing roster of concerts, events, immersive art exhibitions, out-of-this-world nightlife and boundary-pushing production shows, AREA15 attracts visitors of all ages.

AREA15 has received numerous accolades, including being named “Best Immersive Art Experience” by USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards, one of “The 10 Most Innovative Urban Development and Real Estate Companies of 2020” by Fast Company, “Best Place for Your Instagram Shot” as well as “Best Attraction” for two consecutive years by Las Vegas Weekly Readers’ Choice Best of Vegas Awards, “Best Arts Hub” by Vegas Magazine, claiming the No. 1 spot in Blooloop’s “World’s Top 11 Immersive Art Experiences” and being included in Las Vegas Magazine’s Hall of Fame.

Follow on Instagram and Twitter: @AREA15Official; Facebook: AREA15LasVegas and YouTube: AREA15.

Special Olympics NY Inclusion Cup

SPECIAL OLYMPICS NEW YORK TO HOST INCLUSION CUP AT RANDALL’S ISLAND SATURDAY

300 Athletes, Coaches, and Volunteers From NYC, Long Island and Rochester to Attend

One of Special Olympics New York’s signature events is set to return to Randall’s Island this weekend. Saturday’s Inclusion Cup will bring hundreds of athletes together in a celebration of inclusion as well as competition in Bocce, Softball, Soccer and Developmental Sports. Soccer and Bocce will include Unified teams made up of players with and without intellectual disabilities.

Media are invited to attend as follows:

Date: Saturday, October 15
Time: 9:30 a.m. Opening Ceremonies, followed by competition through 3:00 p.m.
Location: 20 Randall’s Island Park, New York, NY 10035

Opening Ceremonies, Bocce and health screenings for athletes will take place on Field 10 next to Icahn Stadium. Soccer and Developmental Sports will be on Central Fields 50 & 51. Softball will be at Sunken Meadow Fields 12 -15, 18 & 19.

About Special Olympics New York

AHAH × AMAZON

As the country prepares for a devastating 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, volunteers and staff at All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), a non-profit helping people and communities impacted by disasters, are getting essential support and supplies after logistical-powerhouse Amazon announced last month they would be doubling the size of their Global Disaster Relief Hub in Atlanta to assist more than 10 disaster response groups — including AHAH — helping communities impacted by disasters in the Southeast U.S.

In addition to doubling the size of storage space within the hub to 20,000 cubic feet, Amazon plans to donate 1 million items of critical relief supplies — twice the amount donated last year — and increase logistical support that will allow AHAH and other like-minded organizations to get more disaster-relief supplies to damaged communities faster. With 2022 slated to be a destructive year for hurricanes and other disasters, AHAH is working with Amazon now to pre-position necessary supplies so that they may be shipped and delivered at a moment’s notice.

“We launched Amazon’s Disaster Relief Hub in June of 2021 in Atlanta due to the city’s strategic position with regards to ground and air logistics. Atlanta is near the Gulf Coast, Atlantic Coast, and Caribbean, which typically bear the brunt of hurricane landfalls,” said Abe Diaz, Amazon’s Head of Disaster Relief. “Thanks to this hub, Amazon is able to utilize its existing infrastructure to deliver supplies quickly without being in the direct path of hurricanes. We’ve partnered with All Hands and Hearts since 2017 and admire their track record to deliver help when people need it most, and we want to support their efforts with our logistics scale as we support our other disaster relief partners.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is estimating an “above-normal” Atlantic hurricane season, including a 70 percent chance of three to six major hurricanes. This marks the seventh consecutive year of above-normal hurricane seasons for the U.S.

AHAH, whose nearly 64,000 volunteers have responded to disaster-stricken communities around the world, will be able to work with Amazon to preposition critical humanitarian supplies, including shelter materials, hygiene supplies, medical equipment, cleanup and repair materials, and other household items.

“When responding to disaster-stricken communities, timing is of the utmost importance. We need critical supplies delivered to these impacted areas as quickly as possible,” said Jess Thompson, CEO at AHAH, which specializes in community cleanup, home rebuilds and other disaster relief efforts. “When you’re waiting to see where disaster is going to hit next, you need a partner with national logistics already in place to act fast; what better partner can you ask for than Amazon, one of the nation’s largest delivery services?”

According to Amazon, the company has even made it easier for people and businesses to donate products included on AHAH’s Charity List through AmazonSmile, Amazon’s charitable shopping service. Amazon customers may also select a verified organization as their preferred non-profit through AmazonSmile, which gives 0.5 percent of eligible purchases to a customer’s charity of choice.

Additionally, AHAH will be working with Amazon to identify commonly requested items and procure disaster relief kits, which Amazon donates and distributes to disaster areas. These kits include non-edible items that are often sought after by displaced residents, including first aid supplies, towels, blankets and items for personal hygiene.

Amazon began organizing its disaster relief and response efforts in 2017, which saw Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria ravage the southern U.S. and Caribbean islands. To date, Amazon has provided more than 18.3 million items in response to 81 natural disasters and humanitarian aid crises around the world, with multiple disaster relief hubs established in Slovakia, Poland, Australia and India.

Amazon is proving to be an essential humanitarian partner for All Hands and Hearts, which has impacted more than 1.2 million people and mobilized over 63,000 volunteers to approximately 100 sites across the globe to help communities affected by catastrophic disasters, including wildfires in Butte County, California, hurricanes in Louisiana and Guatemala, tornadoes in Kentucky, earthquakes in Peru and Mexico, tsunamis in Japan and more. Find out more about their global disaster relief programs.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

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There’s an organization that works hard to see to it that no kid sleeps on the floor.

Sleep In Heavenly Peace provides beds for kids in need, believing that having a bed is an essential and basic need for a child’s well-being. Soon, its San Diego North County addition will join the over 250 chapters already established across the country. A story on this purposeful and inspiring non-profit will resonate with the San Diego community as a feel-good piece in today’s challenging world.

Sleep is one of the most important things in life and one that we take for granted. We don’t have to think about where we’ll be sleeping each night most of the time or if we’ll have an actual bed to sleep in safely and comfortably. Unfortunately, this comfort and security are not guaranteed for thousands of children in the U.S.

Sleep In Heavenly Peace started as a small project to provide a family with a much-needed bunk bed or single twin beds during the Christmas season. After completing the build, the founder reached out to people in his community to see who else could benefit from the security of having a space to rest every night. While he received many more requests than he could handle, there was an outpouring of volunteers willing to help with every build and delivery step.

One bed turned to dozens which turned into hundreds, leading to the launch of Sleep In Heavenly Peace and its mission to build bunk beds and single twin beds for children and families in need.

As a national organization not affiliated with any political ideology, faith or social cause, Sleep in Heavenly Peace is made possible by people of local communities pitching in to help. The generosity of volunteers makes this group impactful in the ways they’re able to reach so many. Their ethos is the simple idea of humans helping humans.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace also provides new mattresses, pillows, blankets and sheets. They even receive generous donations of stuffed animals, too.

This steady growth and expansion into new areas such as San Diego allow Sleep in Heavenly Peace to serve more people nationwide. They will have their Ribbon Cutting with the Vista Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, August 27.

About Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Ensure every child gets a good night’s sleep with Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to building and donating bunk beds and single twin beds to children and families in need. They handle everything from mattresses and bedding to delivery and assembly, so families can fully benefit and appreciate having a comfortable place to sleep. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Washington Commanders × USO Ukrainian Aid

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Washington Commanders and USO staff teamed up to pack 4,000 Care Packages comprising more than 24,000 items for troops deployed to Eastern Europe in response to the Ukrainian crisis. The Care Packages, which include hygiene essentials such as combs, razors, shaving cream, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, as well as team merchandise and snacks, are the last items troops receive before deploying overseas and an invaluable resource.

Additionally, last Thursday, March 3^rd, co-owners and co-CEOs Tanya and Dan Snyder donated $300,000 to support response efforts for the ongoing crisis in Ukraine to the USO and the following organizations:

USO Support our Troops, which has mobilized to support service members who have been deployed to Ukraine and the surrounding areas as well as their families, through care packages, USO2GO, and boxed snack programs.
DC-based World Central Kitchen, which is providing nourishing, hot meals through distribution points across six countries to refugees, in addition to partnering with local restaurants in Ukraine to support local needs for those who are staying in their cities.
International Rescue Committee, which is working to rush critical aid and direct support to displaced families through locally-based organizations.
Save the Children, which is working with Ukraine’s most at-risk population, children, to address physical harm, severe emotional distress, and mass displacement by coordinating efforts to provide immediate aid, supplies, psychosocial support, and cash assistance.

“As we watch the events unfold in Ukraine, it is important to us to continue supporting response efforts in as many ways as possible. Today we partnered with USO to pack 4,000 Care Packages which include essential goods troops receive as they begin their deployment overseas. We hope that these USO Care Packages bring much-needed support and encouragement to the brave soldiers who are risking their lives to help those in need,” said Dan and Tanya Snyder.

The Richest Under 30: Sam Bankman-Fried

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29-year-old Sam Bankman-Fried has made his mark in the world of crypto, rising to prosperity in such a short period of time as comparable to that of Austin Russell’s Luminar. But how exactly did he do it?

Sam Bankman-Friend is the son of two Stanford Law School professors who graduated with a degree in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2014. Following his graduation from university, Sam worked for Jane Street trading ETFs from 2014 to 2017.

He created his first liquid crypto market business in 2017, more commonly known as Alameda Research.

In an interview with Forbes, he discussed the purpose behind the company, stating, “We saw that crypto was exhibiting all the signs that there would be a lot of demand for liquidity but with very little liquidity available. Everyone on the street was talking about crypto during that time.

“We were seeing huge price movements and inflows which clearly pointed to a lot of people from many different countries trying to buy many different varieties of crypto currencies using different acquisition methods. Despite how big it had become, it still had only been a few months. This meant that there had not been enough time for most of the buyers globally to onboard into the crypto ecosystem.”

Then, in April of 2019, Sam co-founded FTX, the cryptocurrency essentially “built by traders, for traders.”

FTX is primarily used by consumers to trade spot, futures, stock, leverage tokens and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTS). The objective of FTX is “to develop a platform robust enough for professional trading firms and intuitive enough for first-time users.”

In 2021 alone, FTX brought in $900 million from companies like Coinbase Ventures and Softbank, attributable to an $18 billion estimate, following another $25 billion valuation in October.

This success amounts to how Sam was able to make the Forbes 30 Under 30 Hall of Fame, naming him the wealthiest person in the world under 30. His net worth as of February 5, 2022, sits at $24.5 billion.

Portions of this revenue has been flowed into marketing for the company, as the FTX serves as “the official cryptocurrency exchange of the MLB.” FTX was noticeably seen throughout the World Series in signs, commercials and even patches on the umpires’ uniforms.

The company, too, houses the Miami Heat as the play in the FTX Arena. The rise of Sam’s business has been exponential, so much that he is richest person to have obtained wealth so rapidly behind Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook.

What does the richest person under 30 plan to do with all this money?

Well, Sam prides himself on being a believer of “effective altruism,” a practice that involves making large amounts money to, in return, be donated back to boost one’s own influence.

One of his primary donations went towards the push for the removal of former US President Donald Trump from office. Sam donated a whopping $5.2 million to the Joe Biden campaign, which was the second greatest donation to the campaign following past New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

FTX Foundation contributes 1% of all net fees to active organizations around the world, while Sam himself has donated 0.1% of his own to issues surrounding voter registration, global poverty relief and artificial intelligence security.

ARIANA × BIEBER – STUCK W/ U RAISES MILLIONS

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“STUCK WITH U” RAISES $3.5 MILLION FOR FIRST RESPONDERS CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION

First Responders Children’s Foundation today announced that proceeds donated from the single entitled “Stuck with U” have now surpassed $3.5 million, directly impacting thousands of first responder families all across the United States. The donation will be used to fund scholarships for children of first responders as well as provide financial support to the families and children of healthcare workers, EMTs, paramedics and firefighters serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Stuck With U” was released in Spring 2020, in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic and to further bolster relief efforts across the United States. It was a creative collaboration between Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, along with Republic Records and Def Jam Recordings, donating 100% of net profits from streams and sales to the First Responders Children’s Foundation.

The specific areas of impact resulting from the donation include:

Awarding grants to first responders who have encountered financial hardship due to COVID-19.
Awarding scholarships to children whose first responder parents have died in the line of duty.
Providing funding for temporary housing so that first responders could self-quarantine.
Paying for funerals of first responders or their family members who died as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The generosity, and support that Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Scooter Braun have shown the men and women on the front lines of this ongoing pandemic has been a surreal and humbling experience for us,” said Jillian Crane, President of First Responders Children’s Foundation. “As an organization, we have been able to help the everyday heroes who have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, and their family’s immediate needs with the support that has only been made possible due to the collective effort of everyone involved, which we are thankful for.”

“As the world was shutting down, we were looking for ways we could make a tangible impact as it has always been Scooter’s priority that SB Projects and our artists give back,” said Shauna Nep, Vice President of Philanthropy for SB Projects. “We were so thrilled to partner with the First Responders Children’s Foundation who have been supporting those on the frontlines of the pandemic, as well as their families. Over a year later, we are so proud to see how much has been raised and what has been accomplished. We thank the Foundation for their leadership and commitment to this work.”

In addition to supporting the First Responders Children’s Foundation. “Stuck with U” won the award for “Best Music Video From Home” at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, and also debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100. This was Bieber’s sixth and Grande’s third U.S. number one single.

Town & Country 8th Philanthropy Summit – Marlo Thomas × Phil Donahue

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The 8th annual Town & Country Philanthropy Summit continued today with a wonderful conversation between Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue, moderated by Editor in Chief Stellene Volandes. This is the first time that Phil has interviewed Marlo since they first met on the Donahue show decades ago.

Please see below for highlights from the panel as well as a link to view the interview in its entirety:

Marlo on visiting St. Jude following her father’s death:

“After my father died, it was just a terrible shock to us. It was stunning because he hadn’t been sick, so it was very sudden. He was adored by us. We all loved him, and he was our funny, loving perfect daddy so it was very, very hard. We all decided that you know, we’d go to St. Jude and let them know that we were here if they needed us and so I went to St. Jude, a couple of months later. I drove up and there was a sixteen feet statue of St. Jude right at the entrance, and I started to cry because I’ve been there so many times with my dad. I pulled myself together because I didn’t want to cry in front of the parents, they have enough heartache of their own. I went inside and, in the lobby, there was this party going on. All of these little kids running around with party hats, balloons, confetti, ice cream, and cake. I said to the nurse, ‘Well whose birthday, is it?’ She said, ‘Oh it’s not a birthday party, it’s an off-chemo party.’ Well, I’ll tell you, I just gasped, to see these children celebrating one of their turns for the better. All of these moms and dads and grandparents standing around with tears in their eyes because they felt that if this child made it, maybe their beloved child would too. It was really a stunning moment for me. And then, just as I was standing there, this mom came over with a little girl about four years old, all dressed in pink. She had little pink ribbons jauntily tied around her little bald head and the mother said to her, ‘do you know who’s this lady’s daddy is?’ and the little girl shyly answered, ‘yes’ the mother said ‘who?’ She [little girl] proudly said, ‘St. Jude.’ I just fell in love with her. I fell in love with all of those kids in the off-chemo party. I fell in love with this place. And I realized for the first time, just what all of this hope and love and promise and the future of a second chance for children meant to my father. It really helped me to see myself as a part of it.”

Marlo on what she learned from her father:

“Well, what I learned from dad, really is that he had a lot of sayings, and one of them was there’s two kinds of people in the world: those who stop on an accident to see if they can help or those who just drive by. He was literally the kind that would stop and help. I remember one time, we were driving by down Sunset Blvd. we saw these boys beating up on another little boy. And my father stopped the car and jumped out. He pulled the boys apart and gave them a big talking to. I was sitting in the car, terrified, I was eight years old. He got back in the car. He brought the little boy that’ve been bullied with him. We were going to drop him off at home and as my dad started the car, he said, ‘I hate a bully.’ And I think to him, cancer in children was a bully. A bully that he wanted to defeat. The thing about my dad too is that he really was a citizen of the world, that we all are citizens of the world…He saw himself as part of the neighborhood as a part of a community wherever he was, he was a part of that community. I think that was a great lesson for my sister, my brother, and I.”

Phil Donahue on his first visit to St. Jude and how that impacted him:

“My first visit to St. Jude, I picked up a little bald-headed kid. I said, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up, big guy?’ This still makes me cry. The kid said, ‘I just don’t want to be sick anymore.’ Well, my god, I grabbed this kid. You know, for a very brief moment, I kind of felt how parents feel when they take a child to St. Jude. How scary it must be and how I didn’t want that child to see my eyes get moist. So, it’s a real learning experience at St. Jude. It changed me forever. I do wish everybody could visit the hospital. It’s a life-changing experience and when you see the parents arrive with a child. You see the real fear on their faces, terror sometimes. Then you see them leaving and they’re better. It’s like a godsent – the change they feel, and that their children feel.”

Marlo on being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and her version of the American Dream:

“One of the things that happened in my life that was really big a great deal, because of my work with St. Jude, is that I received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama. My husband and I went, and my brother came, and the head of St. Jude came. The interesting thing about it, is when you are growing up, especially as an actress, you dream of getting an Emmy or an Oscar or a Tony, but I don’t think anybody grows up dreaming about the Medal of Freedom. It just comes as a shock when you’re told you will be receiving this at the White House. And I remember I was stunned. Remember we discussed that I wasn’t going to cry? So, I’m not going to cry, but I did because at the moment President Obama was clasping the medal around my neck, I thought of my grandparents. My grandparents were immigrants who came to this country from Lebanon to find a better way of life, to raise their family and their children. And I saw them in my mind’s eye, I could see my grandparents with all their belongings and cloth bags. And here, their granddaughter just two generations later were in the White House receiving the Medal of Freedom from the President of the United States. I mean, that is the American Dream. I’m so proud of the fact that my grandparents made a life in this country.”

Marlo on how celebrity involvement has helped the foundation:

“That’s a very interesting thing because just as in our generation, we brought in Jennifer Aniston and Robin Williams and all of those wonderful people. My dad did that, that’s how he built the hospital. He used to say this hospital was built with laughter George Burns and the Bob Hope and all of the funny guys—Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, all of the men and women that were on the night club circuit with my dad helped build St. Jude. In fact, Frank Sinatra did so many benefits that we actually have a whole wing that’s called the Frank Sinatra wing. Their generosity really built the hospital.”

Watch the full summit here.

The T&C Summit continues tomorrow with Stacy-Marie Ishmael speaking to Taraji P. Henson and Jamie Raskin, and Stellene Volandes in conversation with Andreas Dracopoulos. If you are interested in attending register directly here.