'Twilight,' 'Gossip Girl' Stars Fight Poverty

By PopEater Staff Posted Dec 1st 2009 07:00AM

As individuals from across the globe come together for World AIDS Day 2009, ONE is launching "Coming Together as ONE" -- a new PSA campaign designed to mobilize young people to get involved in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease. Leighton Meester, Ed Westwick, Hayden Panettiere and Ashley Greene are among the many stars who are raising support for the campaign. Watch the new PSA:

"In the last election, and over the course of history, young people have shown that when we get organized and committed, we are powerful. The fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease in poor countries needs our support, our energy and our commitment," said 'Twilight' actress and ONE member Ashley Greene.

The PSAs also feature actors and actresses Jessica Szohr from 'Gossip Girl,' Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed and Jackson Rathbone from 'Twilight,' Tristan Wilds from '90210,' Corbin Bleu from 'High School Musical,' 'and 'Tropic Thunder' actor Brandon T. Jackson."

"Coming Together as One" is a campaign to recruit more young people into the growing global movement to fight extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. ONE is the anti-poverty group cofounded by Bono.

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Celebrity Charity

Continuing their long history of charitable and humanitarian donations, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie donated $1 million, along with Pitt's brother Doug, to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. The money will be used to build a cancer treatment center.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Celebrity Charity Efforts

Daniel Radcliffe has made a "major donation" to The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

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'Ugly Betty' star Vanessa Williams has teamed up with Dress for Success, which provides donated business attire to disadvantaged women and helps them succeed in the workplace.

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'Grey's Anatomy' star Patrick Dempsey took his love of car racing and used it for good, when 'McDreamy' auctioned a weekend with himself off to the highest bidder. Proceeds went to benefit a children's burn hospital in Denver.

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Mia Farrow completed a 12 day hunger strike to raise awareness for the plight of starving refugees in the Sudan. She had set out to fast for three weeks, but gave up nine days shy under the advice of her doctors.

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Actor Hugh Jackman announced on Ryan Seacrest's radio show that he has split a $100,000 donation between Charity: Water and Operation of Hope. The donation is part of a "contest" Jackman held via his official Twitter profile.

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'Top Chef' judge Tom Colicchio is heavily involved with the Children of Bellevue program, which assists and educates kids treated in the New York City hospital. Sixteen years ago, the organization assisted his family when his son Dante was born prematurely. He's hoping his efforts will provide continued support to families in need of medical care for children.

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For the past 5 years, 'One Tree Hill' star James Lafferty has organized a charity basketball game, benefiting organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He's forced to cancel this year, due to intrusive and threatening behavior by fans.

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Oprah Winfrey has invested $40 million in her Academy for Girls in South Africa and raised over $58.3 million for various non-profits through her Oprah's Angel Network. Plus, she's given cars, hams, toasters, etc. to underprivileged audience members on her show.

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She gives no mercy on the bench, but famously nasty-on-TV Judge Judy Sheindlin is much more charitable in real life. She supports a mentoring program called Her Honor, which pairs high school juniors and students with dynamic female leaders.

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According to a press release from ONE, "In less than 2 years, thanks to expanded distribution of bednets and malaria medication, malaria deaths in Africa have been cut in half in countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda and Zambia. Between 1999 and 2006, 34 million additional children in Africa were enrolled in school for the first time."

"Today's young people have already shown us they are powerful change-makers. They've done it in the recent presidential election and many are looking for the next social movement," said David Lane, President and CEO of ONE.

"Coming Together as One aims to harness that power and build a buzz among Millennials. We know this generation can help defeat extreme poverty, put more kids in school and protect families from preventable disease such as AIDS, TB and malaria."