TIFF 2013 Celebrities and the Causes They Support Part 1

It’s that exciting time of year again when Hollywood heads north to transform Toronto into a glittery, paparazzi-popping, party spectacular also known as the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). TIFF “has become the launching pad for the best of international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema, and is recognized as the most important film festival after Cannes.” The festival runs from September 5th to the 15th and has also become synonymous with giving as surrounding the festival are a number of charitable events.

In this spirit, today I will start my 3-part series on the TIFF celebrities and the causes they support. I did a similar series last year when I spotlighted the TIFF 2012 Celebrities but I have also written about the 10 Most Charitable Celebrities from the 2013 Oscar nominees, the top 20 Celebrity Gone Good Part 1 (and Part 2), the 5 Celebrity Charity Events by Musicians, the 10 Celebrities Doing Interesting Things to Change the World, the 10 most charitable celebrities, the 10 Celebrities Doing Good for Women and Girls, the 10 highest paid actresses and their causes as well as the 10 highest paid actors and their charities. Now, with the help of Look to the Stars we’re going to be shining a light upon the charitable celebrities descending on our great city for TIFF.

1. 

   Jennifer Aniston – St Judes Thanks and Giving Campaign

   Jennifer Aniston: Aniston is coming to TIFF with her latest film Life of Crime. The Friend’s star has been a longtime supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and has also supported AmeriCares, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Clothes Off Our Back, Declare Yourself, EB Medical Research Foundation, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Feeding America, Friends of El Faro, GLAAD, Habitat For Humanity, Lili Claire Foundation, Luke Neuhedel Foundation,  Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation, OmniPeace, Project A.L.S., Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, Stand Up To Cancer and US Campaign for Burma.

2. Jason Bateman: For a second year Bateman has made this list and is coming to the festival with Bad Words, which he both starred in and directed. He has supported Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Chrysalis, Feeding America, March Of Dimes, Racing for Kids, Soles4Souls, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Art of Elysium.
3. Pierce Brosnan: Best known for playing James Bond, Brosnan will be premiering his movie The Love Punch at TIFF. Known for being a committed environmentalist he has also supported 21st Century Leaders, Artists for Peace and Justice, Children’s Town Malambanyama, Children Uniting Nations, City Hearts: Kids Say Yes to the Arts, Collaboration Foundation, Earth Communications Office, Earth Island Institute, Elton John AIDS Foundation, End Hunger Network, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Environmental Media Association, First Star, Free Arts for Abused Children, Gibson Girl Foundation, Global Fund for Women, Global Green, Global Security Institute, Helen & Douglas House, In Defense of Animals, International Fund For Animal Welfare, Jane Goodall Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana, Ocean Futures Society, Prince’s Trust, Red Cross, Revlon Run/Walk For Women, Roots & Shoots, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Tapestry Institute, The Humane Society, UNICEF, Variety – The Children’s Charity, Waterkeeper Alliance, Whaleman Foundation and Whatever It Takes.
4. 

   Olivia Wilde

   Olivia Wilde: Wilde will be in attendance for the North American premiere of Rush and the world premiere of Third Person. She is an activist known for using her celebrity status to help fight poverty and is the co-founder of The Academy for Peace and Justice, the first free high school in Port-au-Prince. Wilde is on the board of Artists for Peace and Justice, which built the school and she was named one of  The Condé Nast Traveler 12 Remarkable Global Citizens. Additionally, she has supported Aid Still Required, American Foundation for Equal Rights, Millennium Campus Network and Water.org.

5. Maria Bello: It is a supporting role in Prisoners, which brings her to the Toronto festival. Although she is known for her work with the Save Darfur Coalition, she has also supported Artists for Peace and Justice, Declare Yourself, Joyful Heart Foundation, Kiva, Save the Children, Somaly Mam Foundation, US Doctors for Africa and We Advance.
6. Liam Neeson: He will be at the festival to screen his film Khumba and also for the world premiere of Third Person. Neeson has supported 10×10, 21st Century Leaders, American Foundation for AIDS Research, Bicycle For A Day, Clothes Off Our Back, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Helen & Douglas House, The Ireland Funds, Make Poverty History, Medicinema, ONE Campaign, PeacePlayers International, UNICEF and Whatever It Takes.
7. Keanu Reeves: The actor best known for his role in The Matrix franchise makes his directorial debut with the film Man of Tai Chi. Reeves has been a supporter of Angelwear, City of Hope, CoachArt, Entertainment Industry Foundation, LIFEbeat, Make It Right, PETA, Racing for Kids, SickKids Foundation, Spinal Cord Opportunities for Rehabilitaion Endowment, Stand Up To Cancer and Wildlife WayStation.
8. Sandra Bullock: The Oscar winner will be at the festival for the North American premiere of Gravity. Not only is she known for her work helping New Orleans rebuild from Hurricane Katrina, but she was also the recipient of the first-ever People’s Choice first-ever Favorite Humanitarian award. She has also supported American Foundation for AIDS Research, Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation, Partners in Health, Red Cross and Tuesday’s Children.

I’ll continue this series next week with more TIFF celebrities and their charitable activity in Part 2. Just a reminder, TIFF singles go on sale Sunday September 1st – don’t forget to get your tickets.

___________________________________________________________________________________

For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.