Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

NEW YORK CITY - From curbing world hunger to promoting water and sanitation, from battling the AIDS epidemic to pushing for more cancer research, Hollywood celebrities are lending their fame, influence and star power to make sure that such global issues get noticed by more people.

At the recently concluded Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting, there was no shortage of celebrities and famous world leaders who have adopted causes to help and subsequently promote.

Last year, power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie hogged the limelight with Andre Agassi. This year, there’s Bono, Matt Damon, Drew Barrymore, Wyclef Jean and Lance Armstrong

Drew Barrymore is the celebrity spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme, the world’s largest humanitarian agency providing food assistance to 90 million people worldwide.

“This experience was life-altering for me,” Barrymore told the media during a news conference that announced a $450 million mega-commitment for international school feeding and school-based deforming programs.

Barrymore shared that she found out about WFP in 2005 when she read an article in the New York Times about the school feeding programs in Africa.

“I cried after reading [that article] because I was so moved so I picked up the phone and called the UN. I said, ‘Hi. I’m Drew Barrymore. How can I help?’  Just like that,” Barrymore shared.

Next thing she knew she was on a flight to Kenya and there, she realized how deep and widespread the problem of hunger is. It was also then when she realized that this was her cause. For the next two years, she volunteered and helped, anonymously.

In May 2007, she was declared UN Ambassador Against Hunger for the WFP and she has been helping move the cause forward ever since.  

"I can’t think of any issue that is more important than working to see that no schoolchild in this world goes hungry. I believe that children have the right to be fed and educated," Barrymore added.