Extending a Helping Hand: 10 Celebrities Who Support Foundations

Beyond the life of glamor and fame, most celebrities return to their humble roots and give back to their community. They serve as ambassadors and spokespeople for local and international NGOs, become active volunteers in various charities, or even start a foundation themselves.

Here are just some the TV and movie personalities with big hearts:

1) Angel Locsin

An ambassador of the Philippine Red Cross, the actress has been a familiar face in relief and recovery operations after calamities. She is usually seen, sans makeup or cameras, packing goods in the warehouse or distributing goods to typhoon survivors.

(Photo from www.redcross.org.ph)

http://www.redcross.org.ph/dev/media/k2/items/cache/afb2f0b609b92600310905cf1a1820fe_XL.jpg

2) Agot Isidro

For more than 10 years now, Agot has been an active volunteer at the Create Responsive Infants by Sharing (CRIBS) Foundation. She became a licensed foster parent in 2012 after complying with the requirements of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. CRIBS provides an alternative home environment for abandoned and surrendered children, addresses the recovery of sexually abused female minors, and facilitates foster care and permanent placement.

3) Piolo Pascual

The Pascual family founded the Hebreo 12:1 Foundation in 2009. The non-profit organization advocates education and helps send poor, but deserving scholars to school.

Hebrews 12:1 in the Bible says, "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let's throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

(Photo from Piolo Pascual Advocacy FB Page)
https://www.facebook.com/584884014915454/photos/a.669754709761717.1073741844.584884014915454/669761653094356/?type=3&theater

4) Karylle

Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) spokesperson Karylle is the face of the organization's campaign, "Some things are meant to last a lifetime." In an article on the PAWS website, the singer-actress explains, "A pet is a lifetime commitment."

5) Judy Ann Santos

Since its inception in 2004, Judy Ann's Touch A Heart Foundation has been supporting Aeta children and families in Zambales through medical missions, feeding, and gift-giving. Some of its projects also focus on battered women and sexually-abused children.

6) Heart Evangelista

Heart founded the “Heart Can” Foundation in 2006. It aims to help children with respiratory diseases. She is also a PAWS spokesperson like Karylle.

7) Gary Valenciano

Mr. Pure Energy is a member of the Board of Trustees of Shining Light Foundation, a Christian institution that aims to spread the gospel by working hand-in-hand with strategic partners and donors. It financially supports pastors, missionaries, and church workers.

8) Diether Ocampo

In 2006, actor Diether Ocampo and three friends founded Kabataang Inyong Dapat Suportahan (K.I.D.S.). It aims to establish help less fortunate Filipino children through scholarship, medical-dental missions in far-flung areas, book drives, and other outreach activities. As noted on the KIDS website, the founders saw it as a way to "give back to the society that has been good to them, and to show the world that there are no limitations when it comes to realizing dreams."

9) KC Concepcion

Actress and TV personality KC has been a World Food Program (WFP) National Ambassador Against Hunger since 2008. On the WFP website, the actress explains, "Part of my job is to help WFP make hunger a big issue, so that it is seen as important as poverty and AIDS."

10) Jasmine Curtis-Smith

During a post-celebration of the actress just last April, she was awarded the title, "World Vision Youth Ambassador", by World Vision Executive Director Josaias dela Cruz. She now joins the ranks of other celebrities who are World Vision Ambassadors as well, like Lea Salonga, Sam Milby, and Christian Bautista.