The Inquisitr » charity

Bill Gates Gives $100,000 To Fight Malaria With Gum And Chocolate

James Allen Johnson — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15:46 +0000

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated $100,000 to a group that’s fighting Malaria. The procedure used, providing gum and chocolate to patients may seem a little strange, but it’s also a simple and cheap means to fighting the disease.

Under the program children are given gum to painlessly determine if they carry the deadly disease, while chocolate is used to destroy a patients disease-feeding fat cells.

The program has shown a good deal of promise and the $100,000 donation should help increase testing. [Telegraph]

Salvation Army In Canada Reports 75 Percent Rise In Food Bank Demand The Past Year

AHN — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:00:50 +0000

The recession has spurred a higher demand for food amid a decline in donations received by relief and charitable organizations. According to the Salvation Army in Canada, demand for food service has jumped by almost 75 percent the past year.

As a result, the organization has served more than 25,000 people and more than 65,000 meals the past 12 months in 275 locations across the country. The 72.6 percent rise in food request, was however accompanied by a 40.4 percent dip in donations.

Hardest hit by the slower pace of donations were Salvation Army units in Ontario and British Columbia. The report, released Wednesday, observed that despite Canada slowly recovering from the global financial crisis, more Canadians are seeking the assistance of social service institutions.

Salvation Army territorial secretary for public relations and development Graham Moore said in a statement, “As a national trend, it appears that our food services and programs are taking a hit from the prolonged effects of the recession. We’ll continue to do more with less, hopeful that the generosity of donors and volunteers will answer the needs of those shaken by economic hardship”

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, Moore said the Salvation Army will improve its efforts to boost stock and supply, as it called on Canadians for more food and other kinds of donations.

He added, “Thanksgiving is one of our busiest periods for food service and distribution. We remain committed to serving Canadians in need with warm meals and groceries, but we also need the public’s commitment to help meet this year’s heightened demand.”

Michael Jackson’s Estate Sues Heal The World Foundation

AHN — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:45:16 +0000

Michael Jackson’s estate has sued a charity foundation for allegedly using his name and likeness without permission. Heal the World Foundation is being accused of unfair competition, trademark infringement and other violations.

According to the King of Pop’s estate special administrators John Branca and John McClain, the organization – which describes itself as a “universal charity organization designed to improve the condition of all mankind” – used websites and trademarks that suggest Jackson endorsed donations to the organization.

The singer’s own Heal the World foundation, which he formed in 1992, is no longer active.

Lawyers for his estate also alleges that the new foundation and a related entity, United Fleet, registered numerous Jackson-related trademarks, applied for another 41, and sold merchandise through them, BBC reports.

They are seeking to block the use of words and phrases associated with the “Thriller” hitmaker.

Coldplay Donate $1.6 Million To A Children’s Charity

Kim LaCapria — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:59:54 +0000

Coldplay have donated £1 million [$1.6 million] to a children’s charity. The British rockers – Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Guy Berryman – are keen supporters of Kids Company, which helps underprivileged children who lack adult support, and have generously given the cash to help the organization achieve its goals.

Founder Camila Batmanghelidjh said: “They were moved by the tough stories they heard and want to be genuine participants.”
“I got the feeling the donation was something they had planned from the start of their careers.”

The “Fix You” hitmakers have visited the charity’s various centers and also plan to give as many children as they can music lessons.
Coldplay are not the first stars to donate money to help children.

In January 2008, Johnny Depp gave $2 million to Great Ormond Street Hospital for saving his daughter’s life.

The Hollywood actor secretly visited the London children’s hospital where his daughter Lily-Rose was treated in March 2007 after her kidneys failed, to personally hand over the sum as a thank you.

In November 2007, Johnny – who was dressed as his “Pirates of the Caribbean” character Captain Jack Sparrow – spent hours at Great Ormond Street hospital reading bedtime stories to patients.

Lindsay Lohan Brings Her Leggings to Elle Photoshoot

Meieli Sawyer — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:09:22 +0000

I might hate Lindsay’s horrid leggings, but I don’t hate the fact that she’s giving away all her sales proceeds to charity. It’s even forgivable that she managed to sneak a pair into her recent photoshoot with Elle and get all vampy in them.

If only brand 6126 had just skipped the knee pads and promoted the charitable side of things, perhaps we wouldn’t have been so shocked when they sold out this summer.

Lindsay’s October Elle Gallery Up Next!

Tracking Gustav: Storm Scammers Hit the Net

JR — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:00:30 +0000

Gustav may still be going strong, but scammers are already making their move to take advantage of families suffering from the storm.

Louisiana’s attorney general office is monitoring more than a hundred domain names registered in the past day related to the storm, most containing words such as “charity” and “relief.” While some may be legit, many are feared to be fake fronts for crooks to steal kind-hearted people’s credit card and bank account information, then use it for their own selfish purposes. Some are even looking ahead with names related to Hanna, the next storm about to hit the U.S. coast. Several of the domains are results of squatters looking to churn out some cash from the storms and are already up for sale on eBay or Sedo.

Phishers have also started sending out e-mails to families along the Gulf Coast that ask for their bank information to “confirm” it in the storm’s wake. These same sorts of attacks all popped up in the days surrounding Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

If you’re interested in contacting a legit charity working to help families displaced by Hurricane Gustav, check out the list below. You can also find everything from live cameras and storm tracking tools to Web services devoted to helping find loved ones at our Online Storm Resource Center.

Legitimate Gustav Charities:

UPDATE*** For the latest storm stream, see Hurricane Ike Live.