Surprisingly enough, it doesn’t seem like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spent the holidays in some far-flung war zone or refugee camp. Well, maybe they did, but if that‘s the case, I haven‘t heard about it, so they spent Christmas being relatively quiet. You know they couldn’t just disappear completely though! No, they had to make a $100,000 donation to the SOS Children’s Village program in America. Jolie and Pitt have been associated with the international SOS program for a while, even making a visit to a Jordanian SOS village in October (later, the Enquirer claimed the children in the Jordanian home were Angelina’s “secret family”). Anyway, this is the first I’m hearing of Angelina and Brad’s support of the domestic SOS villages, but the interest probably sprang from the international examples they’ve seen first-hand. People has more:
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie felt the spirit of giving this holiday season.
The famously generous couple donated $100,000 to the American SOS Children’s Villages, an alternative foster care organization with locations in the U.S. in Illinois and Florida.
“We have seen firsthand the remarkable job SOS does to raised orphaned and abandoned children and keep families together,” Jolie, 34, said in a statement. “No one “ages out” of an SOS Village. Vocational training, advanced education, living assistance and more support are there forever.”
Heather Paul, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages USA, thanked the Jolie-Pitts for their generosity and said they were longtime supporters of the organization. “We are deeply grateful that this year they have included in their generosity our villages in Illinois and Florida and our 300 children who call SOS ‘home,’ ” she said in a statement. “In this holiday season, many of us take for granted that we are surrounded by loving family members. The poor outcomes for foster children indicate that we must do a much better job of supporting them.”
SOS Children’s Villages is the largest nonprofit organization in the world solely dedicated to orphaned and abandoned children. There are 500 villages in 132 countries.
[From People]
Yeah, the SOS Children’s Village sounds like the way the American foster care system should be run all of the time. Granted, there are many, many loving families who open their homes to foster kids, and that’s wonderful too. But there are so many foster kids who get caught in a bad, poorly-run, inefficient, dispassionate system. It would be nice to have something like a Children’s Village be built into the existing foster care system nationally – and by donating money to the program, Brad and Angelina have just significantly raised the profile of the work. To donate to the American SOS Children’s Village program, go to the SOS-USA site’s donation page here!
Angelina and Brad posing for photos with some of the kids in a Jordanian SOS Chilren’s Village back in October, photo courtesy of SOS Chidren’s Village International.
I admire this couple and think they are doing so much around the world by setting a great example. Be nice and do your part to help. I checked out the website to SOS Childrens Villages and it’s really touching.
$100,000 is an insult coming from these two. They can afford so much more.
@ suzanne
Actually 100,000 dollars is 99,999 more then they are have to give. Your statement is a bit ridiculous. People; even Brad and Angie give what they want. They are not required to give a penny.. And by the by.. how much money have you donated to charity. Oh and don’t forget to give us you annual income so that we can be as judgemental in deciding if it is enough based on our standards. Some of you people sound like idiots. GTHU and stop knocking people for caring enough to give. NO matter what the amount.
OH and before the naysayers claim they posted this contribution. It was posted by the SOS Children’s Village on their web site. Oh and yes I made a donation. I am sure for Suzanne it was not enough
Great post Lisa.
I had never heard of SOS before Angelina/Brad. I wonder how much their donations increase after a press announcement like this?
@ lisa
People that attack other people make these boards so NOT fun.
That’s a pretty idiotic thing to say Suzanne, much more than the money they’re donating, they’re also raising the profile of this amazing charity, which I had never heard about and think is absolutely wonderful.
@ Mandy
I disagree. It is fun. Especially when people make stupid comments. I agree with Lisa–charity is charity. And the money they gave is probably no comparison to the publicity they also gave this charity.
for a nice positive story like this Kaiser, could you not have gone with a good picture of them? Brad’s horned beard is grossing me out.
Love Angie.
Don´t people who donate money have a benefit on their taxes?
Yes Sol We all get a benefit on our taxes… that would be for everyone who donates.. I give to the Salvation Army, Dignity YOU Wear, and several other charities. they give me a receipt and yes I claim it on my taxes.. I also give clothing, money to collections plates, homeless people on the streets.. Sometimes I claim and sometimes I don’t
But I digress. what exactly was the point of your comment.. I am a bit confused.
Why the announcement every time this couple give?
I’m happy they’re contributing to worthwhile causes, as they should be, as I’m sure many other wealthy and/or famous folk are doing so quietly.
I hate to be cynical but the timing of their donations always coincide with their negative periods in the media.
Just a note about the SOS Villages – I had a friend who worked with one a few years ago and they were a wonderful organization. It really gave the kids a healthy environment.
I’m usually pretty apathetic about Brad and Angelina, but they do get some great charities some notice.
Mel when isn’t there something negative in the press about Brad and Angelina? They donate, UN trips throughout the year. Donations/charity work by celebrities is always in the news. People only complain when it’s about Brad and Angelina.
I believe they have supported SOS Villages internationally in the past — it looks like this gift was earmarked for their US facilities. I think it is a great charity. Announcing the gift makes sense because their silly celebrity helps promote a really good cause. SOS Villages international is super-important because world-wide there are TONS of orphans due to AIDS. Africa has been especially hard-hit.
You need to pay taxes regardless why not donate to your favorite charity or one that needs help instead. When one pays taxes it goes to people who are lazy and can work but choose not to.
Yeah, when I pay taxes it goes to pay all those lazy U.S. Soldiers! And those NIH guys who watch out for pandemics! Lazy, lazy, lazy!
@ suzanne, considering that they support quite a few charities and probably more we havent heard about they probably give that much because they have to spread the cash around a bit.
@ mandy, its not like lisa was replying to her comments out of context.
Wonder why they can’t donate to Breakfast for Learning programs for kids in the States? It’s more underfunded than SOS.
I admire their generosity- I can’t remember the exact amount, but there was a report recently that they had given around $6 million this year. I know that Angie is known for giving around a third of every paycheck to charity, and they give all the money they get for interviews, pics of the kids, etc.
I always find it amazing when people kvetch about the charities/amounts that people support- isn’t any giving a good thing? I’m sure their total giving to SOS (international and domestic) is far more than $100,000.
Why the press release every time they donate a damn penny? It seems they donate for the publicity only. Funny that MANY other celebrities donate and do so quietly, with class and not looking for recognition.
Yawn.
We get it. They are charitable.
Enough of press releases every time they want to dole out more of the $$ they collected, from the exploitation of their kids..
When they go through all of that 28 million dollars they collected over 3 yrs, for the photographs of their kids and start actually GIVING away 1/3 of their income like Jolie says she does..then I’ll be impressed. Until then, it was actually Shiloh, Pax, and the Twins that “made” this money from their parents selling their privacy for the almighty buck.
Damn right @ yearight! Nice of them to donate money, but I’m getting tired of hearing about it every single time. I thought “St” Angie planned on living a chunk of the year in her Cambodian home in the jungle? I’ll donate the money for the entire family’s plane tickets.
It’s a great charity and it was nice that they donated.
But I too get tired of the constant press statements. A lot of people, celebrities and otherwise make donations all the time without releasing statements. With these two I always feel like it’s more for their image than anything else, but in the end the charities are helped, so that’s the important thing.
If I were a charity supporting abused, homeless children or anyone who could use every extra penny, I would be hollering and screaming for every celebrity donation to be splashed all over the newspapers.
Why?
Because as much as we hate it, Americans love to emulate our celebrities. We analyze what they wear, drive, eat and DO. And if they donate to charity, then hopefully this will prod (or inspire) others to do the same.