Celebrity Charities — The musical community has stepped up its collective game to help the homeless recently. Earlier this month, the (somewhat controversial) Homeless Hotspots initiative hit South By Southwest music and film festival in Austin and now, storied rock and roll singer Jon Bon Jovi is teaming up with the U.S. government’s Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Housing and Development to create a digital app that assists homeless veterans. Project REACH, as it’s called, stands for Real-time Electronic Access for Caregivers and the Homeless. And the three players—JBJ’s Soul Foundation, VA, and HUD...

Celebrity Charities – Since 1990 the UNICEF Tap Project has worked to ensure more than 2 billion people have access to clean water and improved sanitation. Millions of people around the world take tap water for granted, however the fact remains that millions more don’t have this simple luxury. This year Singer Lenny Kravitz has joined the project and is encouraging people to help children and their families get access to clean water and proper sanitation by donating to UNICEF during World Water Week (March 19 – 25) every time they drink a free glass of water. Children without access to clean, safe drinking water and...

Celebrity Charities – Grammy award winning rock band Maroon 5 has partnered with the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (BJALCF) to launch a massive national and international awareness campaign to tackle the growing epidemic of the world’s number one cancer killer – lung cancer. Lung cancer kills over 450 people everyday in the United States and 1.3 million people annually worldwide, and the campaign encourages all people to get involved to help raise awareness and money for the cause. The general misconception regarding lung cancer is that only “smokers” can get it. The simple truth of the matter is...

Environment – Natalie Merchant, well known singer of “These are the Days,” will be performing a benefit concert on March 10th to support a ban on hydrofracking in New York State. The event will benefit the New York Splash Concert Series and will be an informative evening to educate the public on the dangerous effects of shale gas fracking and the importance of clean water. “Hydrofracking poses the greatest threat to clean drinking water in New York and Pennsylvania right now,” said Natalie Merchant. “Our opposition to this threat is imperative. I hope people can come to the concert to show their...

Environment – Hell&Lula sounds like a cross between a bedroom-electronic project and glam-rock stadium extravaganza. Something like if VHS or Beta clashed with Foxy Shazam and ended up strutting down Hollywood Boulevard while wearing their environmentalism and social advocacy on their collective sleeve. The up and coming Los Angeles quartet—comprised of MAK (vocals), Devon Culiner (guitar/programming), Russell Henson (bass/synth) and Alex Vega (drums)—is currently raising money to convert its touring school bus into a Cool Bus run on waste vegetable oil. MAK told The Daily Activist that he found the 1996 International school...

Celebrity Charities – Last thursday night, Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am hosted a benefit concert at the Hollywood Palladium to support his namesake education program, the i.am Angel Foundation. Bringing in support from the rest of the Black Eyed Peas (excluding Fergie), Stevie Wonder (who played piano, harmonica and sang classics like “My Cherie Amor” and “Superstition.”), Ne-Yo, K’Naan, and Flo Rida, the “Trans4mation Experience” event raised $5 million for the foundation. During the performances, videos played bringing attention to students in U.S. neighborhoods, including Boyle...

Celebrity Charities – After six years of negotiations and setbacks, Madonna’s mission to provide schools and education to children in Malawi will literally break ground on March 30th and is projected to be completed in June 2013. Things have changed since the Raising Malawi charity began: the design of the schools will be simpler, the charity will be able to reach double the original number of students, and Raising Malawi is now also working with an agency called buildOn to co-develop the schools. “This remains a very big priority in my life and I am excited that with the help of buildOn we can maintain our ongoing...

Celebrity Charities – Benefit shows certainly have their place in rock and roll history – The Concert for Bangladesh, Live Aid, Farm Aid, The Concert for New York City, to name just a few. But 2012 may have already established itself as the year of the benefit show, as major acts like Jay-Z, Coldplay, Mumford and Sons, My Morning Jacket, and The Swell Season have all announced major headlining shows where proceeds will be donated to the band’s favorite causes. Check out some of the concert info and charity specifics below. Artist: Jay-Z Dates: February 6 at 8pm and February 7 at 9:30pm Venue: Carnegie Hall, New York City,...

Celebrity Charities – For its 20th annual Academy Awards Viewing Party, the Elton John AIDS Foundation is bringing in a special musical guest. Los Angeles indie pop group Foster the People will perform at the event, which takes place on February 26. Sir Elton and David Furnish will host their annual Oscar watching party, which supports his namesake charitable foundation. Established in the United States in 1992 and in the United Kingdom in 1993, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised more than $225 million to help those afflicted with HIV/AIDS in more than 55 countries. The organization helps create HIV prevention programs, tries to...

Celebrity Charities – Chris Daughtry has certainly evolved from a mere American Idol winner into a celebrity with a full-fledged rock band. And now that he and his group have four chart-topping singles, four Grammy nominations, and more than seven million album sales to their name, Daughtry is giving back in a way that only a rock band can. The members of Daughtry will donate $1 from every ticket sold to Malaria No More on their upcoming spring tour in support of their third album, Break The Spell. The humanitarian NGO leads awareness campaigns, supports international advocacy, and rallies leaders and investors to help end malaria...

Celebrity Charities – Lady Gaga, the meat-wearing, hat-donning chanteuse plans to launch her Born This Way Foundation (BTWF) in February at Harvard University in conjunction with the Harvard Graduate School of Education and other entities. According to statements, the foundation will “explore the best ways to reach youth and create a new culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment.” Since coming to stardom she has been an outspoken advocate of gay rights and actively promoted tolerance among youth. When a gay student took his own life in September, she made a plea to make bullying illegal and later spoke with...