More than a dozen celebrities are urging their fans and the public to donate to the American Red Cross this holiday season and give a gift that will help people when they need it most.

Celebrities who are actively encouraging support for the Red Cross holiday giving campaign include those on the National Celebrity Cabinet as well as other entertainment supporters. Actors Nick Cannon, Jackie Chan, Ted Danson and Alyssa Milano; television personalities Nate Berkus, Leeza Gibbons, Dr. Phil McGraw and Nancy O’Dell; and award-winning artists Amy Grant, Wynonna Judd, Maroon 5 and Darius Rucker have lent their support.

The Red Cross holiday giving campaign features an online 2011 Holiday Catalog that enables people to make a tax-deductible charitable donation this holiday season that could provide items such as food and shelter for a disaster victim for a day; a military comfort-kit with a robe, phone or music card and other supplies for a wounded warrior; or basic necessities for a family who lost everything in a disaster.

Catalog gifts are contributions toward a Red Cross program area, not a donation to a specific project or item. The donations will be used to provide assistance where it is needed most within the program area; the remaining money is put to use where it is needed most.

Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning Actor Ted Danson narrates the Red Cross holiday television advertisement, now airing across the country this season, as the voice of animated claymation character Fred. Fred is frenetically shopping for “stuff” for the holidays but then drives viewers to give meaningful gifts via the Holiday Giving Catalog—gifts that really mean something.

American actor, comedian, rapper, record producer and radio host Nick Cannon lent his voice for the national radio public service announcements.

National Celebrity Cabinet member and television personality Nate Berkus made a financial donation toward the general Red Cross mission through the catalog. “I want my gifts to matter. And I know my support of the American Red Cross matters whenever and wherever disaster strikes. Join me,” stated Berkus.

“You can really make a difference for a lot of families by contributing to the Red Cross Holiday Gift catalog,” said Dr. Phil, who, along with his wife Robin, will be promoting Red Cross inspirational items for military members on his upcoming December 16 holiday show. Donations in support of members of the military are among the most popular Red Cross contributions.

“Join me this holiday season. Give your family and loved ones the gift of hope,” said Leeza Gibbons. Gibbons has lent her name, image and voice to promoting the Red Cross campaign in Simon Malls and select Circle K stores. Gibbons, along with other celebrity cabinet members including artist Amy Grant and designer Nate Berkus, also appear in the holiday catalog with images and supporting quotes.

Celebrities are also reaching tens of millions of their fans and supporters by using their digital media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and websites to promote donations to the Red Cross.

For example, Rucker informed his Twitter followers, “This year, support @RedCross services and help give the gift that saves the day.” Jackie Chan, Leeza Gibbons, Wynonna Judd, Alyssa Milano, Maroon 5, Nancy O’Dell, Darius Rucker and Amy Grant have “tweeted” or made Facebook or website postings, urging their followers to support the Red Cross holiday campaign.

“I love knowing that the gifts I give to loved ones through the Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog are truly saving and changing lives,” said Grant. ”If you want to give a gift this holiday season sure to touch someone’s heart, give to the American Red Cross. No doubt it will make a difference in someone’s life,” said O’Dell.

Each celebrity’s work on the holiday campaign is just the latest example of their support of the Red Cross. A telephone survey of 1,020 adults conducted earlier this fall found that even though 67 percent of Americans didn’t think the economic downturn would last this long, they still want to give to charity, with more than seven out of 10 saying they expect to donate more or about the same this holiday season as they did last year.

Sixty-eight percent of Americans believe that because of the economy, it’s important to give something to charity. That’s a 10 percentage point increase over the 58 percent who felt that way last year.

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Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, and the DreamWorks Pictures movie The Help, are joining forces this holiday season to help feed Americans facing hunger. Coinciding with the DVD/Blu-ray release of The Help on December 6, a national donation campaign will run from December 1 to December 11 to generate food and funding to help feed the 1 in 6 people in the United States who do not have enough to eat.

“The economic downturn really hurt American families,” said Feeding America Director of Media Relations Ross Fraser. “As a nation, we need to come together to help our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet. The collaboration between Feeding America and the producers of The Help is a great example of how we can come together to make a difference.”

“The film’s hopeful message of creating change along with its home entertainment release during the holidays inspired the team here to reach out and help make a difference in people’s lives,” noted Jeff Small, President and Chief Operating Officer of DreamWorks Studios.

“Feeding America seemed the perfect fit in that it operates nationally but is focused locally and housed within the communities it serves and will directly benefit those in need. We’re happy The Help can help.” To help put food in the hands of as many people/families in need this holiday season, Feeding America/ The Help are asking consumers to please help contribute in one of the following ways.

It’s this simple:

• Donate Online - Every $1.00 donated can help Feeding America provide meals eight meals for people in need. People who make online donations at www.feedingamerica.org/thehelp between December 1 and 11 will receive a limited-time $5.00 off coupon toward the purchase of the film The Helpon Blu-ray or DVD.Touchstone Pictures, the affiliate of The Walt Disney Company that distributed The Help, will provide a matching donation of up to $10,000, with a goal of providing more than 200,000 meals to families at risk of hunger.

• Get Social – Throughout the month of December, Facebook and Twitter fans of The Help will be encouraged to take action in their local communities. The Help Facebook and Twitter accounts will post details about how people can get involved and ask fans to provide feedback and talk about their local community efforts/contributions.

• Drop Off Food – Feeding America/The Help themed food donation boxes will be positioned at local community events in Manhattan, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas and Atlanta throughout December. The food collected will be distributed the local Feeding America food bank. Please consider donating foods that are most frequently requested, such as cereal, pasta, rice, beans, canned fruits and vegetables, soups, 100% juices, peanut butter, canned tuna, chicken or turkey.

Those who would like to stay connected with the Feeding America/The Help program are encouraged to:

• “Like” the Facebook page

• Follow us on Twitter

Unprecedented demand for food assistance

The state of the economy is affecting more Americans than any other time in recent history. The US Department of Agriculture reports that 49 million Americans are food insecure. Feeding America reports a 46 percent increase in the number of people seeking emergency food assistance through their nationwide network of food banks compared to four years ago.

For those not living in the five cities where the food drive takes place, DreamWorks will be doing grassroots and media awareness campaigns to encourage local community efforts. As well, you can find other ways to help on TakePart.com/TheHelp, the social action website sponsored by The Help‘s producing partners Participant Media.

Who’s Helping?

The #1  New York Times  best-seller by Kathryn Stockett comes to vivid life through the powerful performances of a phenomenal ensemble cast. The Help is an inspirational, courageous and empowering story about very different, extraordinary women in the 1960s South who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project — one that breaks society’s rules and puts them all at risk.

Filled with poignancy, humor and hope — and complete with compelling, never-before-seen bonus features — The Help is a timeless, universal and triumphant story about the ability to create change. To learn more about the movie please visit, http://thehelpmovie.com/us/.

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors.

Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinfoodbank/

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