Run DMC co-founder Joseph Simmons – AKA Rev Run – recently hosted a charity event in New York for Soles4Souls.

The 44-year-old younger brother of Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons has partnered his shoe company, Run Athletics, with the Souls4Souls charity and encouraged guests at the event to donate shoes to send to Darfur. He also used the occasion to launch a new shoe design contest to raise money for the cause.

The winning design in the contest – which can be accessed at www.runathletics.com/soles4souls – will be manufactured and showcased at a special ceremony on December 17. The winners of the competition – and the top shoe donators at Simmons’ events – will receive a pair of limited edition Run Athletics sneakers.

December 1, 2011

Richard Branson’s Virgin Unite will help people in the fight against the spread of HIV AIDS this week by distributing 100,000 free condoms to the Bhubezi and Ndlovu Clinics in the Bushbuckridge area in the Mpumalanga province in South Africa, one of the most impoverished rural areas of South African, where an estimated 20% of the 500,000 people in the community are HIV positive.

The activity sees Virgin Unite, the not for profit foundation of the Virgin Group, take further direct action to tackle the spread of HIV where it matters most and is thanks to their partnership with The One Brand who donated the condoms to the Virgin Unite who will now distribute them.

‘One’ condoms are sold through a number of major UK retailers including The Co-operative and Morrisons with 100% of the profit funding HIV education and prevention projects in rural Africa. Together with the US Government (PEPFAR/USAID), Anglo American Thermal Coal and the Ndlovu Care Group, the South African Government and the local communities, Virgin Unite launched the Bhubezi Clinic. An innovative public-private partnership to tackle HIV/AIDS and improve healthcare in one of the most impoverished rural areas of South Africa where an estimated 20% of the 500,000 people in the community are HIV positive.

Jean Oelwang, CEO of Virgin Unite says: “Everyone has the right to basic healthcare. We are very pleased to be working with the One Foundation who have to generously donated the 100,000 condoms to help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS. Thanks also to the wonderful doctors and healthcare professionals working in Bhubezi and Ndlovu clinics in South Africa who have dedicated their lives to keeping people healthy. I’m sure these condoms will be a welcome gift”.

President Bill Clinton – founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States – actor and director Ben Stiller, and gallerist and art dealer David Zwirner have announced that they will co-chair an exclusive fundraising event on Friday, September 23rd in New York to benefit The Stiller Foundation.

The Stiller Foundation, founded by Ben Stiller in 2010, has been focusing efforts on building schools in Haiti where, according to a report from the United Nations, the January 2010 earthquake damaged or destroyed 8,000 schools that served 1.8 million children in and around the capital of Port-au-Prince alone. All of the schools on the western side of the city were totally destroyed, while 40% in the south were severely damaged.

President Clinton launched the Clinton Foundation Haiti Fund in 2010 and joined President George W. Bush in creating the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. He serves as the United Nations Special Envoy and co-chair of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission.

“Haiti has held a special place in my heart for more than three decades,” he says. “I have been impressed by The Stiller Foundation’s commitment to permanent, sustainable school development in Haiti and I am proud to join Ben Stiller and David Zwirner as co-host for the Gala celebrating Artists for Haiti. True recovery is about more than just moving people in and out of tents; it means setting up the institutions and systems that will empower citizens to build a bright future for themselves and their children.”

“Right now is a pivotal moment in Haiti’s future. And there is an opportunity for real change there. I’m honored that President Clinton has agreed to co-chair and attend our event,” said Ben Stiller. “I first became involved in Haiti through the Clinton Global Initiative, and his commitment and connection with the Haitian people is unparalleled. I’m also deeply grateful to my friend and partner David Zwirner, who has mobilized the art community in an unprecedented way. Through the generosity of these amazing artists, we have a chance to make a significant contribution to the rebuilding effort.”

On October 11, Christie’s New York will present The Richard Gere Guitar Collection – with proceeds going to charity.

Photo by Dave Allocca/DMI/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

The sale will offer approximately 110 lots, which will include a broad representation of vintage American guitars from the marquee names of C.F. Martin, Gibson, Fender, Gretsch and Epiphone, and a selection of amplifiers, as well as iconic guitars that belonged to Albert King, Peter Tosh and James D’Aquisto.

The sale is expected to realize in the region of $1,000,000. As a leading Hollywood figure, Richard Gere is known for his dynamic roles and iconic characters, but he is also an accomplished musician and played in such films as Cotton Club and Pretty Woman among others. Mr. Gere studied trumpet, and he is a self-taught pianist and guitarist who has played since his youth. With a passion for American vintage guitars, Mr. Gere amassed a personal collection built upon their playability and craftsmanship. Kept and played in his home and office, Mr. Gere’s collection has been under wraps until now.

“I’ve had a love affair with guitars since I was a kid,” said Gere. “They have been my true friends through the best and worst of times. I never planned to put together a collection, I just bought ones that I liked, the ones that sounded good and played well. Some are very special. Although it’s more than a little painful to let them go, each one has been played, loved and appreciated- and will be again. All my proceeds from this sale will go to support humanitarian causes around the world.”

Kerry Keane, Head of Musical Instruments Department, added: “Each guitar in this sale began as an instrument that Richard Gere purchased for himself, because he saw something brilliant, whether it was for its tonal quality, playability or sheer beauty. What transpired over a lifetime is an almost encyclopedic representation of American guitar making. This is an exciting opportunity for collectors and fans alike to take advantage of Mr. Gere’s unrecognized talent for creating a cohesive collection.”

On Sunday August 7, an all-star line-up performed a benefit concert for Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. Among the artists to take part were Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Jason Mraz, The Doobie Brothers, Tom Morello, John Hall, Kitaro, Jonathan Wilson, Sweet Honey in the Rock and many more.

Sir Richard Branson and Ronan Keating are taking on the ultimate challenge. They’re captaining a team to swim the grueling waters of the Irish Sea and raise £1million!

The Swim is a celebrity-led challenge to cross the Irish Sea from Holyhead to Dublin in a 10-person relay. Almost three times the length of the English Channel, this 56-mile swim hopes to raise £1 million for Cancer Research UK’s lifesaving work.

Will this team of celebrity adventurers beat the odds to swim the most treacherous waters off the British coast? Richard and Ronan are to be joined by Gadget Show host Jason Bradbury, Snog, Marry, Avoid presenter and pop star Jenny Frost and have most recently been joined by Strictly Come Dancing star Pamela Stephenson.

“I’m proud to be part of The Swim team, and take part in this unique challenge for Cancer Research UK,” says Richard Branson. “I’ve undertaken many challenging events over the past 25 years, including running the London marathon and setting world records. But swimming the Irish Sea, a distance of 56 miles, with a team of amateur swimmers … this really is going to be a challenge and we’re going to need all the help we can get!

“I’m lucky enough to be able to swim regularly, but this won’t prepare me for many of the hazards I’ll face during the challenge; the Irish Sea is going to be cold, dark, with ferocious waves. There’s no doubt it will be an incredibly tough swim, and we’ll have to work together as a team to see it through to the finish.

“I hope that you’ll help me and my teammates in supporting Cancer Research UK. We want to raise £1m for this fantastic charity, and every penny you donate will bring us closer to this total. We’re all training hard, and your support and sponsorship will help make every stroke worth it!”

The life of Michael Jackson will be celebrated in a celebrity charity concert in Wales in October.

The show was announced at a press conference earlier today that saw Michael’s siblings Janet, La Toya, Marlon, Tito and Jackie – as well as their mother Katherine Jackson – gather at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

“We wanted to do something decent and worthy of Michael’s musical genius yet something fun and authentic that you would envision Michael attending with excitement and joy surrounded by talent that he respected and loved,” said Chris Hunt, president of Global Live Events.

The concert will take place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on October 8, and will benefit a number of charities Michael supported, including AIDS Project Los Angeles.

Performers for the event have yet to be named, although Tito Jackson said “I know my brother would be very, very proud to see all the artists that he admired and respected so much coming together for this event.”

“I know that this tribute will be something spectacular,” LaToya added.

The concert will be broadcast live via satellite to televisions around the world, and will also be seen in 3D in select movie theaters. Performers will be named on August 3.

“I’d like to say thank you very much for helping to keep my son’s legacy alive,” said Michael’s mother.

Tickets go on sale August 4.

To commemorate the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11, a highly distinguished cast of film, TV & stage actors will gather for a benefit reading of Sarah Tuft’s “110 Stories” on September 8th & 9th at The Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan.

The illustrious cast – including, subject to availability, Lauren Ambrose, Andre Braugher, Billy Crudup, Edie Falco, Melissa Leo, Aasif Mandvi, Chris Noth, Vincent Piazza, Andre Royo, Susan Sarandon, Stelio Savante, Pablo Schreiber, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Michael Stuhlbarg, Kathleen Turner, Merrit Wever & others TBA – will share first person accounts of the tragedy.

According to 110 Stories’ Playwright/Creative Producer Sarah Tuft, “It’s the human side of history, without politics & agenda, giving voice to those who experienced 9.11 directly.” A love letter to New York City, the play was most recently performed by an esteemed cast at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles in 2010 with proceeds going to LA Red Cross for Haiti relief.

The Tenth Anniversary benefit reading of 110 Stories is Executive Produced by Ryan Heil/LIVEStyle Entertainment & Produced by Samira Qureshi, Stelio Savante & Cori Silberman. Proceeds from the event will go to the New York Says Thank You Foundation.

The mission of The New York Says Thank You Foundation is to commemorate the love and support given to New Yorkers by Americans from all across the country in the days, weeks, and months following 9/11, by sending volunteers from New York City each year on the 9/11 Anniversary in order to help rebuild communities around the United States affected by natural or man-made disasters.

There will be an opening night reception with the cast & a closing night party for VIP ticket-holders. Advance tickets go on sa le Monday July 25th at www.110storiesplay.com & after August 1st through the Skirball Center box office at (212) 352-3101 or here.