Top 10 Successful Nonprofits Started by a Hollywood Celebrity

Hollywood actress Angelina Jjolie

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Most people don't make money rapidly like celebrities in Hollywood. Each movie earns them more than the majority of us will make in a lifetime. With each television show, they can generate a person's average annual salary.

There is a great responsibility that comes with great power, and some celebrities around the world seem to understand it. Many celebrities don't drop their large paychecks on mansions, clothes and other indulgent valuables; many use their net worth and platforms for good.

While some Hollywood celebrities are used to showing off their riches and excesses, other celebrities dedicated considerable time and resources to help promote the well-being of others.

Here are some Hollywood celebrities who lead the pack in charity work.

Morgan Freeman: Rock River Foundation

When he does not play God in films, he is a generous benefactor, supporting many charities and compassionate causes around the world. One-million dollar grant was a considerable sum awarded through his Rock River Foundation, which supports people residing in his native state of Mississippi. The funds go to support arts and education. His foundation was featured in the Mississippi Business Journal. Its mission is for all children to have a good education and to learn how to become successful and self-sufficient adults. He gives a lot to the campaign, but they also depend on matching donations to keep the funds flowing to that good cause. Mr. Freeman is very modest about helping others and claims that he doesn't refer to it as a charity, but simply doing what people should be doing. The world would be a better place if everyone had a great attitude.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith: Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation

The Hollywood family is committed to giving back to the society through the Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Family Foundation. The celebrity family has contributed over $52,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, $200,000 to the Baltimore School of the Arts, and $126,000 to the Lupus Foundation, and other foundations worth over $900,000 in donations. Also, both Will and Jada Smith were public Scientologist. The amount they donate to that religious organization before they leave quietly is not known, and Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith were also public Scientologists.

Leonardo DiCaprio: The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

The climate activist and Titanic actor established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which has since 1998 generated $61 million to support more than 65 organizations that help with everything from the protection of indigenous people to climate change awareness and wildlife conservation.

Matt Damon: Water.org

In 2009, actor Matt Damon co-founded Water.org after combining his old foundation, the H20 Africa Foundation, with fellow founder Gary White's to launch Water.org. The Foundation aims to eradicate poverty by providing clean water for underprivileged communities around the world, including Indonesia, Uganda, Brazil, and other nations. To this day, Water.org has provided clean water to more than 12 million people.

Angelina Jolie: Jolie-Pitt Foundation

Brangelina, half of the former power couple, is frequently assisting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. However, when she isn't doing that, Angelina Jolie is running the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which helps refugee camps in places like Darfur region of Sudan and Chad. Before separating, Pitt and Jolie contributed $8.4 million to the foundation in 2008. Jolie also teamed up with organizations that help abandoned and orphaned children to become independent.

Ashton Kutcher: Thorn

Ashton Kutcher is the co-founder of a life-sustaining nonprofit organization known as Thorn. Thorn works with the best minds in various sectors and involves over 20 international NGO partners and over 40 technology partners, and constantly strives to increase its reach. Thorn is passionate about ending child sexual abuse and exploitation, and creating awareness about sex trafficking so that it can be ended. They create lead programs, pioneer awareness efforts products and provide resources and funding to more than 5,000 law enforcement organizations. Thorn was founded because the power and technology to protect children are there, and they wanted to build a platform for the two to intersect and save lives.

Mariska Hargitay: The Joyful Heart Foundation

Olivia Benson's fierce dedication to trapping sexual predators and rebuild the victims' lives touched Mariska Hargitay's heart as her on-screen objectives became reality in the real world. In 2004, Mariska Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation as a means of providing support and healing to victims of child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Over the past 14 years, changes in policies have been enacted from coast-to-shore throughout the country, $115 million in donated assets and $32 million in funding have been directed to over 20,000 survivors and health professionals. The Joyful Heart Foundation offers victim support and educational program, recovery programs to reach out to the public and empower law enforcement, and engages in relentless advocacy to end this vicious cycle.

Matthew McConaughey: Just Keep Livin Foundation

Matthew McConaughey inspires high school children to stay healthy and active. McConaughey and his wife Camila founded the Just Keep Livin Foundation in an effort to motivate high school students to be involved in helpful and healthy behaviors. The foundation is centered on four areas: nutrition, fitness, wellness, and service to teach children to look after themselves and others.

Emma Watson: HeForShe

Emma Watson rose to fame with her superb performance of Hermione Granger in the film replica of the Harry Potter series. She also plays a key role in HeForShe, which is depicted as a solidarity campaign for women's advancement. Emma is the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Women and an open advocate for HeForShe, which aims to encourage boys and men to be advocates for change as women fight for equal rights. So far, uncountable activities for gender equality have been assigned to this non-profit organization and the number is growing day by day.

Eva Longoria: Eva Longoria Foundation

The Eva Longoria Foundation was founded by the celebrity in 2011 to empower Latinas and provide them with resources and support so that the community can reach its ultimate potential through entrepreneurial and educational initiatives. Their work includes parent support, STEM extracurricular activities, and mentoring programs as the main focus areas.

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