The Willow Foundation is a national charity established in 1999 by Arsenal footballer and BBC sports commentator Bob Wilson and his wife Megs as a lasting memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died of cancer aged 31. It is the only national charity to provide psychological and emotional support for seriously ill 16- to 40-year-olds through the provision of special day experiences.
Every special day aims to provide beneficiaries and their loved ones with a break from the realities of their diagnosis and treatment and the inspiration to make the most out of life. At a time of uncertainty, spending quality time with family and friends can help restore a sense of normality, boost confidence and create precious memories for the future.
To date, Willow has provided more than 15,000 special days for young adults living with life-threatening conditions including cancer, motor neurone disease, cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease. 2013 saw the 10,000th Special Day Willow provided and 2019 will see the 16,000th. The importance of having something positive to look forward to at such a difficult time cannot be overestimated and provides memories and motivation for the beneficiaries and those close to them.
The charity receives no government or lottery funding and is totally reliant on the generosity of individuals, companies and trusts to fund its work. Among donors and supporters have been Pat Jennings OBE KSG, Natasha Kaplinsky, DJ Tim Westwood, Bob Finch and Michael Holland's Oil Aid. [1]
In 2018 a football superfan raised £17,500 for the charity by touring 92 league stadiums in 12 days and becoming the first person to run around every ground he visited in the country. [2]
Stars on Canvas was a high-profile charity event held in December 2008 and again in 2010 involving numerous famous celebrities, sports personalities, artists, actors and comedians. Each star was asked to create an art image on canvas that portrayed aspects of their personality and character. The event was repeated successfully in 2012 - with a press night and public showing at Maddox Arts Gallery in London. Mo Farah's canvas fetched over £2,000 alone.
Among the celebrities who donated their art were actors Lord Attenborough, John Hurt and Jude Law, artists Peter Blake, Tracy Emin, Karen Burt, Sara Abbott, and Jamie McCartney, comedians Michael "Atters" Attree, Steve Coogan, Matt Lucas, Catherine Tate and London Mayor Boris Johnson
This year (2013) will see Willow present Sports Wave - a series of paintings depicting the UK's top sports stars.
A telethon is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other purportedly worthy cause.
The Restaurants du Cœur, commonly and familiarly known as the Restos du Cœur, is a French charity, the main activity of which is to distribute food packages and hot meals to those in need. The association does not only target homeless but also all those with a low or very low income. Now the association also helps people to find housing and supports other projects. This not-for-profit association has the "reconnu d'utilité publique" status which exempts it from specific taxes.
The Community Chest of Hong Kong is an independent, nonprofit organization established on 8 November 1968 in Hong Kong. As one of the most important charities in Hong Kong, The Community Chest serves as an umbrella organization to provide grants to a wide range of community projects.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is a cardiovascular research charity in the United Kingdom. It funds medical research related to heart and circulatory diseases and their risk factors, and runs influencing work aimed at shaping public policy and raising awareness.
The Northwestern University Dance Marathon, commonly known as NUDM, is a philanthropic dance marathon held every March at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1975, NUDM is one of the nation's most established and largest entirely student-run philanthropies. NUDM is one of the only annual Dance Marathons in the country to continually change its primary beneficiary. NUDM has raised over $1 million for its beneficiaries each year since 2011, and involves over 1,000 students participating as dancers and committee members. Since 1997, the Evanston Community Foundation has been NUDM's secondary beneficiary.
A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis.
A walkathon (walk-a-thon), walking marathon or sponsored walk is a type of community or school fundraiser in which participants raise money by collecting donations or pledges for walking a predetermined distance or course. They are similar in format to other physical activity based fundraising events such as marathons and cycling races, but are usually non-competitive and lower intensity. The low intensity model is ideal for mobilizing broad-based community support, and as a result Walkathons usually target participants from a wide range of ages and economic backgrounds.
Joker Poker was a late night Australian poker program on Network Ten which aired in 2005 and 2006. The 2005 edition was hosted by Adam Spencer, with the second and final edition hosted by Mike Goldman. Both were co-hosted by New Zealand poker pro Lee Nelson and Australian model Laura Weston acted as hostess. The show was produced by Australian Production Company Freehand Productions.
Lee National Denim Day is a fundraiser created by Lee Jeans to support the women's cancer programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Every year, people are asked to donate the money they would spend on a pair of jeans to support breast cancer research and wellness programs. The beneficiary of the program is the American Cancer Society. It is celebrated on the first Friday of October.
The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), based in Los Angeles, United States, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization of the entertainment industry. EIF funds more than 300 charitable organizations annually, both in the Los Angeles area and throughout the entire United States. Till date, EIF has pledged more than $1 billion for its philanthropic initiatives.
The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, also known simply as the Jay Fund, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1996 and "helps families tackle childhood cancer by providing comprehensive financial, emotional and practical support", according to the foundation's mission statement. Charity Navigator currently rates The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation as a 4-star organization, its highest rating.
The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation is an American not-for-profit cancer research organization focused on "discovering the talent to discover the cure". The organization states that its goals are to: "identify the best and brightest early career scientists in cancer research, accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into new diagnostic tools and treatments, and to enable risk-taking on bold new ideas".
Nude calendars are a type of wall calendar that feature nude models in a variety of scenes and locations. Predominantly in the United Kingdom, nude calendars are produced to raise money for charity.
The Pittsburgh Penguin’s Foundation is a non-profit organization located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Foundation began on July 20, 2010, with the support of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s, Pittsburgh Penguins ownership group. The Foundation offers preventive wellness and developmental programs, charity programs, and promotes activity among youth and families while teaching life skills.
The Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Foundation, established in February 2004, was an NGO in Uzbekistan, pursuing the goal of supporting domestic science, culture, education and sports. Among the founders and trustees of the Fund are famous figures of culture and arts from Uzbekistan and foreign countries. Chairperson of Board of Trustees is Gulnara Karimova. The Fund Forum is already the biggest public organisation in Uzbekistan, and it is also rapidly expanding its international activities, currently it has representative offices in Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Paris, Vienna, Geneva, Madrid, New York City, Berlin and London. The NGO was closed in November 2013.
Semper Fi Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides a variety of programs to assist wounded veterans in all branches of the United States Armed Forces. The organization describes its mission as "providing urgently needed resources and support for post-9/11 combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families." As of November 2019, the Semper Fi Fund has issued 209,000 grants totaling $210 million in assistance to 24,000 service members and their families.
The Blooming Great Tea Party was started in 2008 by the Marie Curie charity. It's the charity's second biggest annual fundraising campaign, only beaten by its Great Daffodil Appeal.
The Marie Keating Foundation is an Irish foundation focused on raising the awareness of cancer, and the importance of early detection and providing a range of support services for patients at every step of a cancer journey. The charity was founded in 2001 by the Keating Family including Ronan Keating, and is one of the largest national cancer charities in Ireland.
Gina Long is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, journalist, radio presenter and global charity campaigner. She was awarded an MBE for services to the charity sector in December 2015. She was made a Honorary Fellow of the University of Suffolk in October 2018.
Podari Zhizn is a countrywide Russian non-governmental charitable organization founded in 2006 by actresses Dina Korzun and Chulpan Khamatova. It has sister charities in the United Kingdom and in the United States (Podari.Life).