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.”

The Black Eyed Peas unveiled the new Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Academy at MACLA in San Jose on Saturday.

Earlier this year, Adobe Youth Voices and the Peapod Foundation announced Year 2 of their partnership with a new academy opening at the Urban Arts Partnership in New York City.

The new site at MACLA in San Jose is now the 5th in a series of academies that have been launched by Adobe Youth Voices in partnership with the Peapod Foundation, since 2009.

Located at 510 South First Street, the academy will be housed in a facility operated by Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA), an organization promoting visual, literary and performance art as a vehicle for civic dialogue and social equity.

The collaboration between The Black Eyed Peas Peapod Foundation, Adobe Youth Voices (the signature program of the Adobe Foundation) and MACLA will focus on empowering youth to find their voice and become agents of social change in addition to learning important digital literacy skills. Beginning September 2011, programs and services will be offered for youth ages 13-18. An estimated 300 youth are expected to participate in the academy annually.

“Every day we are inspired by the immense talent we see in young people.”, said will.i.am. “The Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Academies provide these youth with opportunities to advance their artistic and academic skills and channel their creative energy in ways we can only imagine. We are proud to help them make their voices heard.”