Each week Cause Celeb highlights a celebrity's work on behalf of a specific cause.

Sarah Novatt

Laila Ali poses with a poster from the 'Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives' campaign at the Ad Council offices in New York City.

Laila “She Bee Stingin'” Ali is a retired professional boxer. In her early years, she owned a beauty salon and worked as a personal trainer. She is the daughter of heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali and his third wife, Veronica Porsche Ali.

Ali has appeared on a variety of TV programs through the years including, the ‘George Lopez Show’, the ‘Real Husbands of Hollywood’ and also hosted the revival of ‘American Gladiators’ alongside Hulk Hogan. Always a champion, Ali clinched third place in ABC’s dance competition ‘Dancing With the Stars’ and in April 2013, participated in two episodes of ‘Chopped: All Stars’, making it to the final round.

The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives is a coalition of the leading organizations in the field of oral health. The Coalition’s primary mission is to teach parents and caregivers, as well as the children themselves, to take control of their own health through oral disease prevention.

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization that marshals volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver important messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. 'Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives' is one of the Ad Council's many valuable and educational PSA campaigns.

Q: What is your cause and how did you get involved?

Personal Photo Collection

Laila Ali teaching her children Sydney and Curtis to brush properly.

Laila: I got involved with the 'Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives' campaign because obviously as a mother and an advocate for children and health, it was a perfect campaign for me to get involved with. Especially, once I learned that 16 million children are suffering from untreated dental decay. I didn’t even realize that it was actually the number one most common chronic childhood disease, which to me is crazy because it is something that can be prevented by just brushing for two minutes, two times a day. That is also the website www.2min2x.org. So I am just helping to spread awareness about how to take care of children’s teeth properly by brushing properly, getting children to the dentist by age one, making sure by 2 they are using fluoride toothpaste and of course just eating healthier foods from the outset to avoid dental decay in the first place.

Q: How can people help?

Laila: First, it’s just about spreading awareness, obviously through social media, [but] start with your own family, your own kids. The best thing you can do is teach children how to take care of their teeth properly [and] make sure they have the information. They are only going to get it from their parents, so it’s our responsibility.

Q: What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Laila: How about I think about "a" nice thing rather than “the” nicest thing? One of the nicest things most recently that’s happened to me is ordering some food and not having my wallet and somebody paying for my food for me, a stranger. That’s something I would do. I’m sure there has been nicer things, this was just a nice thing I can think of that happened recently.

Q: Is there something else you would like to add?

Laila: Fifty-one million hours of school are being missed because of tooth decay. Twenty-five million hours of work by parents are being missed. Sixteen million children are suffering from untreated tooth decay and I think it’s really sad because I don’t think people realize how important it is. Problems start in our gums and in our mouths and can lead to other things. All you really have to do is take care of your teeth, brush your teeth properly. I mean there are adults that don’t brush their teeth twice a day because they didn’t start [when they were young]. So it’s really important to give the information early and it becomes a habit. That’s what I’ve done with my kids. They actually enjoy brushing their teeth. I know some people have older kids and they have to learn how to get their kids to do it. That’s why the website has great tips for people to learn ways to trick their kids into brushing their teeth and taking care of their teeth.

Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com

Kelly Bensimon, Kelly Monaco and Joanna Kruppa attend a Hotel Durex event hosted by Jenny McCarthy benefiting the charity Dance4Life,

 Actress Kelly Monaco's first television role was on the popular nighttime drama "Baywatch." She followed that success in the late 1990's with minor roles in the films "BASEketball", "Idle Hands" and "Mumford".

Monaco also starred on ABC soap operas "Port Charles" and "General Hospital" and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy. The actress has appeared on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars" twice. The first time winning the coveted mirrorball trophy and second time coming in third place.

In July 2009, Monaco and several other daytime celebrities traveled to Kenya, Africa as a part of the Feed the Children program. She delivered food and other supplies as well as visited schools and orphanages built by the organization.

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Feed The Children is one of the largest international charities based in the U.S. They provide hope and resources for those without life’s essentials. Feed The Children addresses four basic needs: food and nutrition, water and sanitation, education and health, and livelihood community development.

In addition to helping families and communities around the world achieve lasting self-sufficiency, Feed The Children also responds quickly in times of disaster to provide emergency supplies for those in need.

Q: What charity do you support?

Kelly: I support many charities, but Feed The Children is one of the bigger charities that I support and I support it because of what it stands for. I have been all over the world with them and anyone that wants any information should Google it. It speaks for itself. It has been around a really long time.

Q: What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Kelly: Everyday I experience random acts of kindness. I think you do unto others as you want done unto you. I'm kind to people and I think I get that in return. Genuine kindness. I don't think it has to be an act where you receive something physical. A smile is enough. Like [when] driving - you catch the eye of somebody, you connect somewhere. It's brilliant!

Nanni Fontana

Mira Awad in performance.

 Mira Awad is and internally acclaimed Arab-Israeli stage and television star who strives to give peace a chance. Born in Rameh, Galilee to a Palestinian father and Bulgarian mother, she is most recognizable for her role in the cutting edge Israeli TV show "Arab Labor." In 2009 the multi-talented performer co-wrote the Eurovision Song Contest finalist "There Must Be Another Way" with Achinoam Nini. Awad is currently in the middle of a weeklong engagement at the Metropolitan Room in New York City. Her show, "Arab Fusion" is a mix of original songs, pop songs and Middle Eastern Folk and runs from now until June 8th.

For generations, Israeli and Palestinian youth have witnessed and suffered trauma. Though many have never met their Palestinian or Israeli counterpart, they have come to see each other as the “enemy” in an ongoing conflict. Artsbridge Institute
hopes to challenge these preconceived ideas by bringing young people together to experience each others cultures first hand.

Interview Conducted Via Email By: Giacinta Pace

Q: What is your charity?

Mira: Artsbridge, Inc. is a Boston based nonprofit organization that uses art and dialogue to develop constructive partnerships between American, Israeli, and Palestinian youth. With partner sites in the United States, Israel, and the West Bank, the goal of Artsbridge is to create a safe environment for its students, which fosters understanding, curiosity, creativity, and leadership. Through the visual arts and dialogue Artsbridge empowers its students to become leaders in the quest for a brighter future in and outside of their own communities.

Q: What is your role with the organization?

Mira: For the last two years I have been supporting Artsbridge, singing in their different events, and this week, June 11th (which happens to be my birthday!) I will be singing in a gala evening in benefit of Artsbridge in Boston, raising money for their upcoming projects.

Q: When there are so many other causes out there, why is this one so important?

Mira: I strongly believe that Arts can bring people together better than anything, and when young people meet and join their creative energies, they bridge over all the differences that might have been standing between them. I myself use music to bridge over cultural differences and to reach out with a message of peaceful co-existence.

Davo

Sevendust

 Sevendust is a band that shows no signs of slowing down. After 15 years, all five original band members are still making music together. Lajon Witherspoon (vocals), Morgan Rose (drums/vocals), Clint Lowery (guitar/vocals), Vince Hornsby (bass/vocals), John Connolly (guitar/vocals) just released their 9th full-length offering Black Out The Sun and are currently on tour around the U.S.

The Wounded Warrior Project seeks to honor and empower the wounded servicemen and women. Their mission is to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history. Professional baseball player Johnny Damon established The Johnny Damon Foundation to raise and donate funds to various charitable organizations. Johnny Damon is a national spokesman for the Wounded Warrior Project which is one of the beneficiaries of his foundation.

Interviewed By: Lina Sarrapochiello

Introduction By: Giacinta Pace

Lina Sarrapochiello

Sevendust on tour this year in New York City.

Q: Which charities are you involved with and how are you involved?

Lajon: Wounded Warriors. The most recent thing we did was [The] Johnny Damon Golf Tournament. That's something that I've been involved with personally for the last three years. Johnny is a good friend of ours and something that we've always backed is the Wounded Warriors. We extend our hands to help him do that. On this last run we were actually [able] go in Camp Lejeune, go to a Wounded Warriors training facility where they were being healed. So that's a big charity that we hang out with a lot.

John: Homes For Our Troops.

Clint: Yeah, [we did] that. We did Make-A-Wish Foundation a few years ago. I did a release, an acoustic thing, for Make-A-Wish Foundation. We've contributed money to St. Jude's, Living Water, which is a program to install water in third world countries. I've been a part of that for a long time. There are so many different charities and they're all great, especially when you find one that's really, truly making a difference.

Morgan: I gave to the Children's Shelter in Atlanta. It's pretty easy for us when we do that kind of stuff. It's nice to see it [the shelter] actually do something for the kids. I did a tour of the shelter and that bunch of kids that were in there, heartbreaking as it was, it was nice to give them something back, you know?

Q: What is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for you?

Clint: My wife having my children. (Laughs)

Lejon: Yeah, my wife putting up with me.

Clint: We just had one [a child] recently, and it's pretty intense.

John: Uh, nicest thing, anyone's ever done for me? Wow, um, I don't know, that's...

Morgan: ...that's a hard question...

Vince: Someone's gonna be like, REALLY? You didn't remember that?!?!

Lejon: I'm gonna go with Clint. My wife putting up with what we do and staying home so long, and raising the babies.

Clint: Yeah, that's probably the coolest thing right now.

Morgan: Yeah, I can't say that...(Laughing). I could thank my wife for finally letting me see how @!$%#ty she was and divorcing and all. No, I would think the nicest thing that anybody ever did for me is my mother taking care of my daughter while I'm gone.

Clint: That's pretty good.

Q: Is there anything that you guys would like to add? Or, anything more you'd like to say...

Morgan: [This was] the most refreshing interview, if you want to call it that, that we've done all day.

Feeding America

Nick Cannon volunteering at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

Film star, comedian, TV and radio host, musician, writer, director, executive producer, philanthropist, you name it, Nick Cannon has done it!

While he enjoyed tremendous success on Nickelodeon, Cannon’s career catapulted onto the big screen when he made an appearance alongside Will Smith in “Men in Black II” before landing a leading role in the feature film “Drumline.” On June 8th, Cannon will begin his career as a judge on NBC's America’s Got Talent. 

Even with a crazy work schedule, Cannon has always made the time to give back to those in need - working with nationally recognized organizations such as Feeding America. He is also involved with Boys and Girls Club, Stomp Out Bullying, The National Kidney Foundation and many more!

The multifaceted entertainer recently participated in Feeding America's Stamp Out Hunger campaign, and is a member of the organization's Entertainment Council. If he weren't busy enough, Cannon and his wife, world famous entertainer Mariah Carey, are the proud parents of twins.

Feeding America is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. They provide food to more than 37 million people through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in communities across America.

Feeding America's Stamp Out Hunger campaign immediately put their newly acquired resources to work in the aftermath of the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma. Thanks to the campaign that ended on May 11th, The Food Bank for Oklahoma was extremely well stocked with 300,000 pounds of food that was collected by letter carriers during the recent drive. This food is now being handed out to victims in devastated Moore, Oklahoma and the surrounding areas. 

Feeding America

Nick Cannon in action with his NCredible crew as part of NCredible's 'Giveback' weekend.

For more info on Feeding America go to feedingamerica.org, or facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow them on Twitter @FeedingAmerica.

Interview Conducted Via Email By: Giacinta Pace

Q: What’s your charity and how are you involved?

Nick: One of the charities I support is Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Feeding America, and their network of more than 200 food banks across the country, provides food to 37 million Americans each year. I’m on the Entertainment Council of Feeding America, and I support the organization through volunteering at food banks with my NCredible crew every winter and raising awareness through media and social media. Most recently, I was the spokesperson for the Stamp Out Hunger campaign for the third year in a row. Stamp Out Hunger is the nation’s largest single-day food drive.

Q: Can you tell me about particularly moving moment you have had when working with this charity?

Nick: Hunger-relief particularly hits home for me as a cause to support because, as a child, I knew what it felt like to not know where your next meal would come from. My Mom and I visited food pantries and soup kitchens from time-to-time when I was young, so I know firsthand what it feels like need help. I recently visited the Los Angeles Mission with my NCredible group, 4 Count, and it was an amazing experience to speak with and serve meals to people in need.

Q: What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Nick: My mother gave me life. I will always be in debt to my mother for making the decision to keep me [as a teen Mom] even though it wasn’t a popular decision at the time. And to my wife for giving me children.

Giacinta Pace/NBC News

Charity minded Chef Chris Nirschel at a Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis fundraiser.

Cause Celeb highlights a celebrity’s work on behalf of a specific cause. This week, Celebrity Chef Chris Nirschel talks about his work with The Food Bank for New York City.

Chris Nirschel aka the "Culinary Bad Boy" began his career as a young chef by training at The French Culinary Institute. He starred on The Food Network's "The Next Food Network Star" and "Chopped" and currently serves as the Executive Chef at EVR in New York City. EVR is the first brick and mortar business to accept the digital currency Bitcoins and also hosted Chaka Khan's star-studded 60th birthday party.

The Food Bank for New York City has become the city’s major hunger relief organization and is one of the largest food banks in the country. Their mission is to end poverty by obtaining and distributing food, income support and teaching nutritional information.

Q: What are the charities that you support?

Chris: I feel very strongly about the New York City Food Bank because the government has cut funding. Being a young, innovative, entrepreneurial chef, I feel it’s really important to be as philanthropic as possible, whether it’s doing your best for an organization or donating money. Kids and food are in my heart. My roommate is the director of Music For Tomorrow which has Dave Mathews and Jude Law on the board. It’s a great organization that started after Katrina that actually gets gigs for jazz musicians. We have charity dinners that bring these two organizations together. We’ve had two large dinners where we bring in Music For Tomorrow's great jazz band and we donate part of the ticket proceeds to the New York City Food Bank. I just reached out to them and I would love to do something around Christmas time too. There’s a major shelter in Harlem and I would love to do a dinner at the shelter as well.

Q: How can people help?

Chris: People can donate or they can volunteer at the food bank.

Q: What’s the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Chris: The nicest thing someone has done for me is just giving me opportunities, I’m sort of a rebellious egg with a great heart and I think a lot of people want to do good for me and I want to do good for others because good energy feeds good energy.

Q: What charity act has been most satisfying for you?

Chris: I went all the way to Boston to cook for one night for a great organization with kids who can’t afford classes and they’re called the Electric Youth and these kids were just really electric! I’m the 'Culinary Bad Boy' so they did a Broadway rendition of the song Bad Boy, Bad Boy and I came out, did a really fun cooking demo and it was such a phenomenal experience because I’m about food, fashion and entertainment, but I’m also about giving back. Traveling 5 hours in a snow storm was one hell of an experience and it was really a lot of fun! 

Cause Celeb highlights a celebrity’s work on behalf of a specific cause. This week, Sandra Lee and Trish McEvoy talk about their work with Girl Scouts of Greater New York.

2012 marked Girl Scouts of America’s 100th anniversary, and this year The Girl Scouts of Greater New York are celebrating their centennial.

The Girl Scouts of Greater New York is New York City’s largest girls-only youth and leadership development organization. 26,500 girls representing almost every zip code participate in their programs - learning to lead with courage, confidence, and character to make their communities and the world a better place. And over 9,000 volunteers help them along their journey. They believe, “when girls succeed, so does society.”

Asha A. Wills, currently an Ambassador Girl Scout and 2012 Future Woman of Distinction of the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York sums it up best, “To me, Girl Scouting means empowerment. Particularly throughout my high school career, being a Girl Scout has given me the confidence to make a meaningful, sustainable impact in my community through my Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting. More importantly, it has enabled me to inspire my peers in my local, church and school communities to take more of a proactive, involved role in positively impacting the lives of others through community service.”

Cookie sales end in New York, May 16, 2013 at 4:00 pm EST. Here is where you can find your last minute cookies before time runs out! 

Interview Conducted Via Email By: Giacinta Pace

Kelly Marsh

Sandra Lee and Michelle Lee with local Girl Scouts at their 100th Anniversary Gala.

Sandra Lee Interview

Sandra Lee (born Sandra Lee Christiansen) is an American television cook and author. She is known for her "Semi-Homemade" cooking concept, which Lee describes as using 70 percent pre-packaged products and 30 percent fresh items.

Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee premiered on the Food Network in 2003 and her second series, Sandra's Money Saving Meals, began airing in 2009. Over the years, she has released 25 books, including Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade: Cool Kids Cooking and a memoir, Made From Scratch.

Q: What is your charity and how are you involved?

Sandra: The Girl Scouts of Greater New York! In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Girl Scouts from across New York City stepped up to help their neighbors and neighborhoods recover. That's when I got involved. More recently, I was with Girl Scouts from Brooklyn when they helped clean up Prospect Park as part of a 100 year commitment to the park.

Q:  What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Sandra: I grew up without any contacts, silver spoon or social place. I've been very fortunate to have many, many women lift me above their shoulders by opening doors that would have otherwise been shut, make introductions that would have been impossible for me on my own. Their generosity, kindness and insulation were an enormous gift and one I try to pay forward daily.

Q: What is the charity act that has been the most satisfying for you?

Sandra: Giving back. The Girl Scouts teaches girls not only about leadership and self-esteem, both worthy endeavors on their own, but the organization also teaches girls and gives them opportunities to make the world a better place.

Trish McEvoy Interview

Kelly Marsh

Trish McEvoy, third from left, with Girl Scouts of Greater New York representatives.

Makeup artist and entrepreneur Trish McEvoy was born into beauty through her grandmother’s Berlin perfumery. She founded Trish McEvoy Beauty when she was only twenty-five years old, and turned it into a multi-million dollar company by the age of thirty.

Trish has been the artist of choice for many of Hollywood’s biggest stars, from Angelina Jolie to Dame Judi Dench. Her collection of skincare, cosmetics, makeup brushes, fragrance, and organizational accessories can be found in more than 200 luxury department stores and boutiques throughout the United States, the UK, and Ireland.

Q:  What is your charity and how are you involved?

Trish: Girl Scouts! I'm on the board and also spend a lot of personal girl time with the troops. Several times a year I visit Twin Parks Middle School in the Bronx, which is part of Girl Scouts’ Career Exploration Program, specifically designed to serve under-privileged schools. They are not traditional troop members but participate in a weekly class with a Girl Scouts employee on Girl Scouts values. In my visits we often read and discuss excerpts from Maria Shriver’s book JUST WHO WILL YOU BE? Among other books I feel will inspire the girls. I ask the girls about the sort of person they want to be when they grow up, we discuss their dreams and I give them a chance to participate whether it is sing, dance or tell a story. I love being with the Girl Scouts and watching them grow. Moving forward I am also going to get more involved with the troop leaders—the influencers from within the organization.

Q: What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Trish: It's actually the "little" things, the daily acts of kindness that mean the most to me. When busy people make a personal sacrifice of time or effort to come through for me or one of our team members, oftentimes without even having to be asked, it means the world to me. My company is independently owned and we all wear a lot of hats. My favorite three words are, "Consider it done!"

Q: What is the charity act that has been the most satisfying for you?

Trish: In addition to Girl Scouts, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has become incredibly important to me since my husband became diagnosed with Parkinson's. I'm also very proud of my company's involvement in Citymeals-on-Wheels. For two years now we have participated weekly in their meal delivery program to home-bound elderly New Yorkers, and I go along when I can. It is a privilege to spend time with people whose lives and memories are longer than our own, and nothing pains me more than to think of anyone being overlooked after living a life of dignity.

Feeding South Florida

Tori volunteering at Glory Temple, Agency of Feeding South Florida and the 3rd stop on her Fill a Heart Tour.

Tori Kelly is a 20 year-old singer/songwriter/producer from Southern California. She self-released "Handmade Songs by Tori Kelly" last May. Kelly started singing at age three and picked up drums, piano and guitar shortly thereafter. She has built a YouTube channel that has garnered over 36,000,000 views and a following that spans the globe.

More than one in five children and more than one in three Latino children in the US may not know where their next meal is coming from. Hungry children can suffer serious consequences to their health, well-being and educational achievement. ConAgra Foods and their foundation is building a community of people to help, from top musical acts, to parents, kids and employees. Their goal is to donate up to 3 million meals. For each 8-digit code found on specially marked ConAgra Foods products and entered at www.ChildHungerEndsHere.com or Facebook.com/ChildHungerEndsHere, ConAgra Foods will donate the monetary equivalent of one meal to Feeding America.

Interview Conducted Via Email By: Giacinta Pace

Q: What is your charity?

Tori: I’m working with ConAgra Foods on their Child Hunger Ends Here program to help raise awareness of child hunger in America to benefit Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization.

Q: How are you involved?

Tori: When I found out more than 1 in 5 children in the U.S. may not know where their next meal is coming from, I was shocked and wanted to bring awareness to the issue by providing a hopeful message. So when I was asked to help create a new song for the issue, the words and notes just came to me. “Fill a Heart” is the title song of my concert tour this month across the country. I’m also singing the song during my volunteer visits to food banks across the country.

Q: How can people help?

Tori: It’s easy for people to get involved – when you’re shopping at the grocery store, simply look for the red pushpin on participating ConAgra Foods packages and enter a code at www.childhungerendshere.com to donate the equivalent of one meal to Feeding America. The exciting part is up to three million meals can be donated, and we’ve already raised almost one million. We still need everyone’s help!

Q: What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Tori: It's hard to think of one particular thing! Kindness is everywhere.

Q: What is the charity act that has been the most satisfying for you?

Tori: The fact that I wrote a song ["Fill A Heart"] for charity and it ended up being performed by Jewel at the American Country Music Awards is an amazing feeling. So fulfilling to see my work growing and changing lives.

Jeff Vespa, Wireimage

Seth and Lauren attend 2012's Hilarity For Charity event.

Seth Rogen began his career as a stand-up comic in Vancouver, Canada. The comedian is known for his performances in "The 40 Year Old Virgin", "Knocked Up", "Step Brothers", "The Green Hornet" and most recently, "The Guilt Trip." A talented voice artist, Rogen is also in the animated films "Kung Fu Panda" and "Monsters vs Aliens". He is currently filming "Townies" with Zac Efron and Rose Byrne.

Hilarity For Charity was founded in 2012 by Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller whom he married in October 2011. The group focuses on raising awareness about Alzheimer's Disease among a younger generation. Through an annual variety show in Los Angeles, the charity uses humor to bring attention to an issue that is not so funny. This unique organization raises money for research toward finding a cure as well as the creation of support groups. Their hope is to expand and have events throughout the year, all around the country, for people of all ages. Hilarity For Charity aims to make Alzheimer's a cool cause that all young people want to be involved with!

Last year's inaugural event raised over $300,000 for the Alzheimer's Association. This year's Hilarity For Charity "House Party" is hoping to raiser even more. It will be held on Thursday April 25th at Avalon Hollywood and features a special performance by The Backstreet Boys. Tickets are available and can be purchased here.

Interview Conducted Via Email By: Giacinta Pace

Q: What is your charity?

Seth And Lauren: Our charity is called Hilarity For Charity and its focus is to raise both money and awareness for Alzheimer's. After going to many charity events in Los Angeles over the year, we decided it would be a great idea to make one that is more targeted to ourselves. Younger people who are just beginning to question how they can contribute to the world in a charitable way.

Q: How are you involved?

Seth And Lauren: We, along with some awesome friends, founded Hilarity For Charity in 2012. Together, we are all involved in every aspect of putting on our Hilarity For Charity variety show: finding talent, sponsors, food, swag, everything involved in putting on an event for 600 people. We also make videos to help spread the word online. We are actively involved in spreading the word on social media, and promoting the event like this!

Q: How can people help?

Seth And Lauren: Giving money is a great way to start. Learn about Alzheimer's, how it's growing, and tell a friend. The more people who are talking about Alzheimer's, fighting the fight, and demanding a cure, the sooner a treatment will be found. Write to the government and demand more funding. Join a walk through the Alzheimer's association and raise money on your own. Start your own charity event!

Q: What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Seth And Lauren: When Matthew Bass came to us in June of 2011 with the idea for Hilarity for Charity, we were blown away by the generosity of his idea to do something for Alzheimer's - which hasn't affected him super personally. Since then, the amount of people who have come together to create Hilarity For Charity is continues to make us feel like the luckiest people in the world.

Q: What is the charity act that has been the most satisfying to you?

Seth And Lauren: Alzheimer's is a disease that most young people don't understand if they haven't been personally touched by it. It can be frustrating to explain the disease, the lack of hope, and the devastation it brings to the family of the people who are affected by it. However, every time we educate someone that has no idea about the Alzheimer's epidemic, we feel closer to finding an end to it.

Karli Cadel

Ronay Menschel Director of the Museum of the City of New York and President of the South Street Seaport Museum Susan Henshaw Jones and singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash attend a reception after Cash's performance to raise funds for the Lettie G. Howard.

Rosanne Cash keeps her head down and shows up for work. Daughter of country icon Johnny Cash, Rosanne has recorded eleven number 1 singles, blurring the genres of country, rock, roots, and pop. She has received one Grammy and twelve nominations, as well as other awards and accolades. A prolific writer, she has authored Bodies of Water, Penelope Jane and recently penned her memoir Composed. Her last record album, The List, won the Americana Music award for Best Album of the year and was a critical and commercial success.

She is currently writing an album of songs about Southern people, places and themes with her life partner and musical collaborator, John Leventhal.

The Lettie G. Howard is one of few surviving examples of the fishing schooners once in wide use in the North Atlantic. The designated National Historic Landmark arrived at South Street Seaport Museum in 1968. In 1994, after an extensive two-year rebuild, she was certified as a Sailing School Vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard and began carrying students of all ages on educational voyages.

This year Lettie turns 120 years old. In celebration of this milestone the South Street Seaport Museum has undertaken a campaign to raise a quarter of a million dollars for critical repairs and restoration. Working in partnership with New York Harbor School, plans are to have Lettie sailing with students in 2014.

Karli Cadel

Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash and husband John Leventhal performed at the April 2013 gala event. More than $75,000 was raised for the Lettie.

UPDATE: The South Street Seaport Museum has met its goal to raise $250,000 to restore 120-year-old schooner Lettie G. Howard, thanks in large part to a recent gala fundraising performance by singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash. Repairs will begin following interviews with shipyards. The goal is to make Lettie seaworthy once again so that she can continue to train future generations of students.

Interview Conducted Via Email By: Giacinta Pace

Q: What is your charity?

Rosanne: The South Street Seaport Museum and its schooner, Lettie G. Howard. It started with my friendship with Captain John Doswell. He took me and my family out on the John J. Harvey fire boat several years ago and we became friendly. After that, I went on a couple of sails on the Pioneer around the harbor and grew more and more interested in New York's maritime history and the beauty of the harbor, and the steadfast work of the folks at the Seaport Museum. Lettie G. Howard is one of New York City’s most important vessels, but with age it fell into significant disrepair. It's beautiful, historically important, and it has a unique role in that it is a teaching vessel. There aren't many of those. It’s so important not only because it’s educational but because it connects people to the maritime history of New York City.

 Q: How are you involved?

Rosanne: I love the people at the Seaport Museum and the Museum of the City of New York. On April 8^th I held a special performance to raise money to restore Lettie. Personally, this is important to me because New York is a maritime city, and the reason we are such a great city is because we started at the harbor front. I love that history, and my own family history.  They were sailors and mariners and came over from Scotland in the mid 1600s.  William Cash, one of my ancestors, was a whaler. In 1839, Captain Cash shipwrecked on one of his early voyages off the coast of Long Island, on a ship called the Edward Quesnel. I've been to the spot where the ship foundered many times. It's an eerie kind of time travel.

Q: How can people help? 

 Rosanne: Well, I hope people learn more about Lettie and understand the importance of preserving history. Once they do, they can donate to the Seaport Museum to help them reach their financial goal. I encourage people to visit the southstreetseaportmuseum.com website to learn more!

Q: What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?

Rosanne: My husband read aloud to me when I was recovering from brain surgery and I will never forget it. [On November 27, 2007, Cash was admitted for brain surgery for Chiari Malformation Type I. Although the surgery was a success, the recovery was slow. She resumed writing, recording and performing in late summer of 2008.] It was a quiet kindness that fit who I am and what I like. In fact, during the whole recovery, so many people were kind to me-- brought me food, flew in from other states, gave me movies and books-- I will never forget those kindnesses. 

Q: What is the charity act that has been the most satisfying for you?

 Rosanne: I recorded a song called 'Jim And George' about 15 years ago, and it was just sitting there, unreleased. I gave it to the Church of St. Luke's in The Fields here in New York City a couple months ago, for their outreach programs for homeless LGBT youth and People Living With AIDS. They put it on their website and sell downloads for $1.99, and every cent goes to their programs. It was really satisfying for me that a song I wrote about a gay couple, which had never been released, is now helping people with AIDS and LGBT youngsters who live on the streets.

Aris Kamarotos www.ariscamarotos.com

Greek Actress Theodora Voutsa

Theodora Voutsa is a Greek actress and producer. Over the years she has starred in six television series and participated in numerous films including "The Free Diver" directed by Alki David with Adam Baldwin, Camilla Rutherford and Judd Nelson.

Voutsa has also acted on stage in Athens in plays by such greats as Moliere, Shakespeare, Wilde and Coward. She had the honor of performing in Epidaurus and Irodion in Ancient Greek Theaters with the National Theatre of Northern Greece.

This Jane-of-all-trades also recently published a book about her famous father called, “Thoughts of My Father.” Her father, Costas Voutsas, has been an actor for over 63 years and is considered a Greek living legend.

Voutsa is currently living in Rome where she is working with the English Theatre of Rome and the Independent English Theatre. She has just completed filming the movie “il Tour di Davide” directed by Nicola Sersale.

Interview Conducted Via Email By: Giacinta Pace

Q: What is your charity and how did you get involved?

Theodora: To Hamogelo or "Child's Smile" is a voluntary, non-profit organization. Their main concern is to defend the rights of children not only in theory but in practice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. [They also] ensure [the] necessary means for their [the children's] physical, mental and spiritual balance.

The organization supports children who [have] disappeared, children in hospitals and children being taken advantage of. They help the children by taking them into the organization's "houses" or medical units and offering them social and psychological support.

To Hamogelo partners internationally with other organizations, governmental or non-governmental, with similar goals and values.  Through it's participation with the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children (MCE), To Hamogelo has the ability to work with other European organizations toward the goals of eliminating sexual and psychological abuse of children and identify missing children across Europe.

To Hamogelo is also a member of the Board of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), working with the other members, including the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to find solutions and implement programs worldwide to eliminate the phenomena of extinction and exploitation of minors. An example of this worldwide action at work is the promotion and processing of data on the international missing children website - www.missingkids.com.

Q: Why is this charity important to you?

Theodora: To Hamogelo is very important to me because it helps children! [Children are] members of our community who can not take care of themselves and are forgotten by our society. I could go into the cliches, children are our future etc...but words like these do not count if you haven't seen a child being helpless looking around for someone to hold on to. That is what To Hamogelo does.

Psychologists say that our personality is formed [during] the first 7 years of our lives, and what we see and learn through these 7 years will guide. Where will an abandoned, sexually abused, mistreated child be guided to? To Hamogelo offers not only emotional support, but security, by taking these children and putting them in the houses the organization has created [and] giving them books, food and warmth.

To Hamogelo is often there, where it is needed, near the children, even before the government organizations. Their work is very important.  Especially now, during a very difficult time for Greece and many other European countries, where cuts are occurring everyday in the social structure.

This organization is not government funded. It relies " the kindness of strangers".  I was first approached by Mr. Gianopoulos, their president, to help them out as a comedian in a TV marathon they were organizing to raise funds. I got to know this man and his vision and continued helping them in any way I could. Mr. Gianopoulos had a son who died at the age of 10. His son's last wish was to help other children. Mr. Gianopoulos quit his job and sold everything to make his son s dream come true, and created To Hamogelo Tou Paidiou.

Q: Why should celebs support charities?

Theodora: As mentioned before, because of the crisis, because of taxes, because of cuts in funds and people dealing with major issues, charities seem to come last on the list, or not even get on the list. Celebrities should support these organizations and be their link to the world. Artists should hold the mirror up and tell people, "Look, if you do not like what you see you have the power to change it, and this is how..." All we need is someone to take the first step and the rest will follow.

Giacinta Pace

Teen Kids News Reporters Hannah & Cailin Loesch interview David Copperfield on the red carpet for The Croods premiere.

David Copperfield has been hailed by audiences and critics alike as the greatest magician in the world. He holds 11 Guinness World Records and has sold more tickets than any other solo entertainer in history, with ticket sales in the billions. Copperfield has also appeared on both Television and Broadway and is famous for illusions such as making the Statue of Liberty disappear and Walking Through the Great Wall of China. Copperfield is currently performing at the Hollywood Theatre in the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The magic man's proudest achievement, however, is his charity Project Magic. Since 1982, Project Magic has been helping patients from all walks of life in a thousand hospitals across 30 countries worldwide. It is a therapy program especially designed by Copperfield to give back to those in need. Teams of magicians and occupational therapists work together to teach magic to physically-challenged patients to aid in their rehabilitation. 

The tricks taught in Project Magic functions on several different levels, and were designed to help improve dexterity, coordination, visual perception, spatial relationships and cognitive skills. Another, and perhaps, more important benefit of Project Magic, is that it motivates the patients' therapy and helps them to build self-esteem.

The American Occupational Therapist Association has endorsed this program as being an authentic therapeutic tool and when Copperfield's busy schedule permits, he works directly with the patients and gives seminars to introduce and discuss his form of treatment.

Q: Can you tell us about your charity?

David: I have a program called Project Magic which is in about 1000 hospitals in 30 countries around the world. It uses magic as a form of therapy for people with disabilities.

Q: Why do you choose to support this charity when there are so many other ones out there?

David: Because I invented it!

Q: Have you had any memorable experiences while working with them?

David: A lot of the people that have gone through the program actually teach magic to patients now. So people have come full circle and that’s really very rewarding!

Q: How can people help?

David: Go to Project Magic's website or through my website and you can read all about it. It is pretty cool. It’s been building up for many many years so it’s been good.