20 Celebrities Making the World a Better Place
With all of the negative things that take place in the world, it can sometimes be hard to believe that things will ever change or improve. However, there are people all over the world who have made it their mission to make the world a better place not only now, but for future generations. Surprisingly, several celebrities have decided to also chip in and do their part to help make things better. Although many celebrities have built a reputation for being selfish, this group has proven to be the exact opposite. Whether it be donating time or money, these stars are dedicated to making some real changes. Here are 20 celebrities making the world a better place.
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Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba is more involved in charity than most people know. Alba has helped to raise money for HIV/AIDS awareness, and she has worked with several charitable organizations including Habitat for Humanity and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 2012, Jessica Alba was a part of the team who founded The Honest Company, which created inexpensive and eco-friendly home products.
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J.K. Rowling
As is creating Harry Potter wasn’t game changing enough, J.K. Rowling has worked tirelessly to help those in need. For the last 16 years, she has been involved in trying to help those living in poverty. The Volant Charitable Trust, which she established in 2000, works with children and families to help them gain access to resources as well as donating money to multiple sclerosis research.
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Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo is an awesome guy, and he always seems to be doing something to help others. Ruffalo has been very active in the fight to raise awareness to climate change. He has also spoken openly against fracking and has even brought his concerns to president Obama.
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Robert Redford
Robert Redford’s on-screen legacy is legendary, and with his charitable work, his off-screen legacy will be legendary as well. Robert Redford has dedicated a lot of time to educating people about climate change and oil extraction and according to Redford: “Somebody has got to start looking at the bigger picture here and telling what the real truth is…”
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Bono
U2 frontman, Bono, has always been extremely socially aware. Throughout his career, he has used his celebrity as a platform to help raise awareness to various causes and events, and he has become one of the most philanthropic celebrities in the world. Bono has appeared on several songs to raise money for worldwide causes, and he has donated money to HIV/AIDS research.
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Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves is a very giving celebrity. He allegedly donated $80 million dollars of his Matrix earnings back to the crew members, stating: “Money is the last thing I think about. I could live on what I have already made for the next few centuries.” However, the good deeds don’t stop there, after his sister was diagnosed with leukemia, Reeves started a cancer charity organization which he chose not to attach his name to.
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Emma Watson
Emma Watson has grown up in the spotlight, and she’s turned into a pretty incredible young woman. Watson is never afraid to speak her mind and has been very vocal on gender equality. In 2014, she launched HeForShe, ” a solidarity movement for gender equality.”
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Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is all about doing charity work. She has traveled the world donating her time and money to various causes and has stated: “We cannot close ourselves off to information and ignore the fact that millions of people are out there suffering. I honestly want to help. I don’t believe I feel differently from other people. I think we all want justice and equality, a chance for a life with meaning. All of us would like to believe that if we were in a bad situation someone would help us.”
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Rosie O’Donnell
Rosie O’Donnell is well-known for doing what she can to make the world a better place. She is the founder of the For All Kids Foundation which she has raised millions for over the years. Through the foundation she has also donated money to educational efforts.
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Don Cheadle
In 2007, Don Cheadle earned the BET Humanitarian of the Year Award for his efforts to help raise money for the people of Darfur and Rwanda. Along with several other celebrities, Cheadle is one of the founders of “Not on Our Watch,” an organization which helps raise awareness to violence and other issues around the world. Cheadle has also supported programs that provide constructive activities and resources for children.
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John Cena
John Cena may be known for beating people down in the ring, but he’s got a much softer side. Throughout his career, he has worked with the Make a Wish Foundation to grant more than 400 wishes to terminally ill children.
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Beyoncé
Beyoncé is about more than just putting on a good show. Throughout her career she has worked to help those in need and pave the way for the next generation, and for the most part, she has done it all without even making it known In 2014, a news story revealed that Beyoncé had donated upwards of $7 million to a charity on her hometown of Houston, TX that provided resources to those in need. Beyoncé has also started her own charity organization, Bey Good, which focuses on causes all around the world.
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Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell may be all about the laughs, but he’s definitely serious when it comes to pitching in to help. Ferrell raised nearly $1 million for cancer by participating in his own sort of MLB spring training. He has also participated in several marathons to help raise money for various causes.
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Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp loves doing what he can to change the lives of those around him. He has no problem donating money or time for a good cause and has especially gravitated towards charities and events benefiting children. Depp has been involved with several children’s hospitals, and has even been known to dress up in his Jack Sparrow costume to make random visits to ill children.
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Usher
Usher has been in the industry for a long time, and he has certainly used his years in the spotlight to help out wherever he could. In 1999, he founded a charity organization which serves as a leadership program for inner city youth which follows them all the from junior high school to college.
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Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock loves doing her part. However, she doesn’t like making a fuss out of everything that she does. Bullock says that she prefers not to have her name attached to any of the charitable work that she does, but she has donated millions to several noteworthy causes and earned the Favorite Humanitarian Award at the 2013 People’s Choice Awards.
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Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong has certainly mad some mistakes throughout his career, but he hasn’t let that stop him from trying to make the world a better place. He is the founder of the Livestrong Foundation which aims “to inspire and empower’ cancer survivors and their families.” Although Armstrong was dropped from the foundation because of his performance enhancing drug scandal, he has continued to do work to help others.
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George Clooney
Aside from his work in Hollywood, Clooney has also worked to raise awareness to the violence and genocide taking place in the Sudan. Clooney is also one of the founders of “Not on Our Watch” an organization which “is to focus global attention and resources towards putting an end to mass atrocities around the world.”
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Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has stated that her goal is to work towards a “kinder, braver world.” Gaga has especially worked with the LGBT community and been an advocate for fair treatment and equal access to opportunities. Last year, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation launched the Born Brave Bus Tour which followed her on tour to serve as a support center for young people who were struggling with bullying and other issues.
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Oprah
Coming from humble beginnings, Oprah is all about trying to improve the world for those who are coming behind her. Oprah has donated millions of dollars to charitable organizations and relief funds all over the world. In 2007, Oprah opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa whose goal is to create female leaders who will one day be in a position to give back to their communities.
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