Angelina Jolie Watch

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are supporters of Global Action for Children. In 2006, the Joli-Pitt Foundation gave GAC $1 million. They followed up with a $100,000 contribution late last year. The advocacy and policy group is using Madonna’s failed Malawi adoption to bring attention to orphans and marginalized children all over the world.

Executive Director Jennifer Delaney(pictured above) published an opt ed piece in US News and World Report. Click below to see what she had to say

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have given Global Action for Children an early holiday gift.

“Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their family have given Global Action for Children an end of year holiday gift of $100,000,”  the GAC’s executive director, Jennifer Delaney, said in email to supporters.   “We are honored by and greatly appreciate the Jolie-Pitt Family’s continued commitment to Global Action for Children and our efforts to serve orphans and the most highly vulnerable children living in poverty.”

In 2006, the Jolie-Pitt Foundation gave the GAC $1 million.  “This generous gift comes at a critical time - a time in which the global economic crisis threatens survival of programs benefiting children most in need.” Delaney added.  “We hope this large gift from the Jolie-Pitt’s will inspire you to consider giving an end of year gift as well.”

Angelina has worked closely with the organization for several years.  GAC was founded in 2003 and is a  “an independent, collaborative campaign of nongovernmental, faith-based, and student organizations dedicated to supporting orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) and the communities and families that care for them.”

The organization is calling for President Elect Obama to establish a position that will oversea foreign. Delaney stated:

“Establishing an executive-level office to oversee and coordinate  foreign assistance  programs for children in developing countries will ensure aid is spent on building healthy future civil societies, economic growth and political stability in developing countries-not to mention fulfilling a critical U.S. public diplomacy goal.”  Approval ratings of the U.S. have been high in PEPFAR (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) beneficiary countries, but it does require leadership in the executive branch.”

You can can support Global Action for Children HERE.

I forgot to mention this but the forum was co-sponsored by Angie’s group Education Partnership for Children of Conflict. She founded the group with Gene Speerling last year as part of the 2007 Clinton Initiative. In this video from Tuesday’s conference, she’s talks about how transformative education can be to a child of conflict.

To read additional facts about children of conflict click below. I am eternally grateful to Angelina for her continued education on this subject. (more…)

Rumors started swirling yesterday that Angelina might join brother James Haven on the Hill to lobby for Global Action for Children. That was sorta right.

Today, the Washington Post confirmed that Angie is in DC. She, Pax and Maddox were spotted at the Air and Space Museum yesterday where lots of tourist took photos at a respectable distance. Mad wore a navy blue hoodie while Pax sported an olive green jacket. Pax also asked a lot of questions as the brothers toured Space Hall, Skylab and the WWI and WWII exhibits. (Guess he’s well versed in English now.)

Angie was actually in town to attend last night’s Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards gala. She’s also expected to be at the Council on Foreign Relations today. According to Policy Director Leila Nimatallah “She might” help James with the lobbying effort.

Marianne Pearl was one of the women honored at the Vital Voices Event for her reconcilliation work after the the death her her husband.

Here’s a bit ‘o information that I didn’t know. James is actually a youth pastor at “Saddleback Church, the SoCal evangelical megachurch run by Purpose-Driven Life author Rick Warren.” I knew he was a devout Christian but I had no idea he’d gone into ministry. He’s also on the advisory board for Global Action for Children. These two really have done their mom proud.

Updated while posting. Angelina was indeed at the Council on Foreign Relations. See photos above and after the cut. She really is getting big. Wonder when this baby is due.

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt contributed over $8 million to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation in 2006 according to their federal tax returns. Brad donated $4,402,317, and Angelina gave $4,123,613. The fund dispensed a little over $2 million to worth causes. Here’s how it broke down:

• $1 million to Doctors Without Borders (International Division)
• $1 million to the Global Action for Children.
• $137,935 to the Namibia Red Cross Action Program
• $100,000 to the Daniel Pearl Foundation
• $100,000 to Global Green U.S.A.
• $100,000 to Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research.(Epidermolysis Bullosa is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the presence of extremely fragile skin and recurrent blister formation, resulting from minor mechanical friction or trauma) Interesting to note that Cortney Cox and hubby David Arquette also support this cause.
• $20,000 went to an art park in Los Angeles. (If anyone knows the name of the park please let us know)
• $5,000 donations went to two orphanages that Angelina visited

These folks really do put their money where their mouth is.

Note:  Sorry for the delay in posting.  I’ve been ill. Thanks for your continued support.  It means a great deal.

Global Action for Children will hold two conference on grassroots advocation. The first call will be held on Tuesday, 11/27 , at 11:30 a.m. EST

To participate, dial 1-712-432-2777 and use access code 217445.

Their will be an identical call on Thursday, November 29, at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Global Action for Children is a nonpartisan, results-oriented coalition dedicated to advocating for orphans and other vulnerable children in the developing world. Angelina helped the organization officially launch back in April.

At the time Angelina said, “The numbers associated with this problem are staggering. It is overwhelming and the scale of the problem seems to give many an excuse for inaction. In many ways it is better to think of these children one by one - each deserving of our care and attention, each being of equal value, and each being a test of whether justice - or injustice - will prevail.”

According to GAC, there will be 20 million AIDS orphans worldwide by 2010. Millions more will be orphaned by other preventable diseases such as tuberculous and malaria. Around the world, approximately 120 million primary school-aged children are out of school, and the vast majority are girls. Last year Brad and Angelina gave $1 million to GAC.

I know that the cause of children world wide is daunting but things like this conference call are the first step to being informed and taking action. I really appreciate organizations  that create opportunities for us non millionaires. Every little bit we are able to do helps.  We CAN change the word one person at a time.

angelina jolie, global action for children, children, orphans, AIDS