You’ll have the opportunity to check out Messing’s design skills — the piece will be featured in InStyle magazine this February and May. Also, a special website will go live to showcase the piece on January 13, staying up for a little over a month.

Additionally, Messing has been confirmed as a celebrity participant in the Leaves of Change charity initiative. She is the first A-Lister to join in, but will soon be joined by others in designing a gold pendant necklace with some sort of leaf motif. The stars will then decide whether they want proceeds from the sale of their designs to go toward a charity of their choice or Jewelers for Children, which helps children whose lives have been devastated by serious illness or abuse.

Hoping to get your hands on a celebrity-designed piece of jewelry? You’ll have to wait for spring, at which point a charity event will be held in Los Angeles, along with an online auction. I’ll keep you up to date, don’t worry!

In addition to this generous donation, Beyonce will hold a benefit concert through her Survivor Foundation, a family-run charity that her Destiny’s Child bandmate, Kelly Rowland, also supports. She hopes to raise money for those in the area who’ve lost their homes, property, and jobs.

The Survivor Foundation isn’t brand new — in fact, it has raised over two and a half million dollars in the Houston area since it was first established with the purpose of helping those affected by disasters and providing assistance to children and others who are homeless or suffering from AIDS.

Photo courtesy of beyonce-knowles.com

While Newman always wanted the world to be a better place, one of the things that helped him make it so started off as a bit of a joke in his basement — Newman’s Own. It quickly became, as written in a statement issued by the Newman’s Own Foundation, a “highly respected, multi-million dollar a year food company.” Rather than profiting personally, Newman donated all profits and royalties to thousands of charities around the world, totalling over $250 million.

The Foundation’s statement went on to say, “Paul took advantage of what life offered him, and while personally reluctant to acknowledge that he was doing anything special, he forever changed the lives of many with his generosity, humor, and humaneness. His legacy lives on in the charities he supported and the Hole in the Wall Camps, for which he cared so much.”

The statement also offered a quote from Newman’s own lips, that I think is a beautiful way to sum up the way this great man, who we’ll all miss so much, viewed the world and his own circumstances: “I wanted to acknowledge luck; the chance and benevolence of it in my life, the brutality of it in the lives of others, who might not be allowed the good fortune of a lifetime to correct it.”

I encourage you to do something for a cause you believe in today, in honor of Paul Newman. I will.

Photo courtesy of GreenDaily.com

Ferrell began the event as one of his most-loved characters, Ron Burgandy (from Anchorman), saying, “It is a glorrrious day here in beautiful San Diego, we’ve got a record turnout. I thought there’d be more media here frankly, for some one of my stature. In fact, I’ll have to say as I look out into the face of the media here, you guys look like a bunch of idiots compared to when I was in the newes game. Have some class, some dignity. I don’t see anyone wearing a suit.”

Cancer For College has long been supported by Ferrell, and for good reason. It was founded by his college buddy, Craig Pollard, who is a two-time cancer survivor. Pollard found strength in knowing that, after getting a bone marrow transplant, he would return to college, and he wants other kids and young adults to have that same opportunity.

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

The top five spots were rounded out by Herb Alpert, Barbra Streisand, Paul Newman, and Mel Gibson, followed by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who shared the Number Six position on the list.

A mix of actors, comedians, athletes, and other personalities filled out spots seven through 30, with seven different celebs tying for Number 20 by giving a million bucks. I really suggest reading the full list — it’s so interesting to see what these large amounts of money are going toward. Many of the donations were made to the donor’s own foundation, while others benefited churches, schools, athletics, refugees, healthcare, and more.

This made me wonder — if you had, say, a million dollars earmarked to donate to the charity (or charities) of your choice, what organization or type of charity would you choose?

Already Speedo International and Warnaco have donated an additional $200,000 to get the foundation started, and Michael is putting his plans into effect, starting with an eight-city tour across the U.S. to discuss his experiences with children. The tour will be the launch of an education program — Dream, Plan, Reach.

The Dream, Plan, Reach program will teach children about planning, goal-setting, and responsibility, which are qualities that are important in athletics, in the classroom, and in life in general.

Michael is proud of his accomplishments, but he also knows he didn’t get there by himself. “Thanks to a lot of hard work, some good fortune, the inspiration I drew from so many supporters around the world, and my incredible teammates, I was able to achieve that dream by winning eight Gold Medals in Beijing,” he said. “Now, my goals reach beyond the pool, to helping others realize their dreams, and continuing to grow the sport I love so much. I feel it’s only appropriate that I continue the momentum that Speedo helped to create, by committing my bonus to the establishment of the Michael Phelps Foundation, which I hope will help me inspire others to achieve their dreams, and give back to the sport that has given me so much.”

Photo courtesy of americajr.com

Anyone wanting to party with the teen sensation will pay a bit more than a regular Disneyland ticket for the pleasure — tickets are going for $232 a piece to ensure the charity benefits. Miley said, “The best part of the party is we’re going to recognize some really cool kids from Youth Service America who are giving back to their community. That’s so awesome because I think it’s really important for kids like us to volunteer.”

Only (only?) 5,000 tickets are available for the bash, and if you’re interested, you might want to get yours now. Learn more about the party and get your tickets here (warning — automatic music will play).

Photo courtesy of mileycyrusheaven.com

Just three years after its inception, Hot in Hollywood is fast becoming one of the major celebrity charity events in L.A. This year’s event, at The Avalon in Hollywood, had live musical performances, DJs, and an auction. As always, the money raised (including the $8,000 Heigl plunked down for a Jamaica trip) will benefit charities dedicated to the prevention, education, testing, and treatment of HIV/AIDS — this year, it will go to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Real Medicine Foundation.

Ferrera had a ball playing host this year, saying, “It is such a great space to make a fool out of myself! It was professional chaos!” The past two events were hosted by Pressly, who was honored this year with an award for her dedication toward HIV/AIDS awareness. She shared her reason for being so involved — she had an uncle who tragically died from the disease.

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

A Kiss For Country brings in country music stars to kiss a piece of paper and sign it so it can be auctioned off to raise money, which goes toward stopping the domestic violence cycle. Jewel became familiar with the campaign last year at the Country Music Awards. She was impressed with the way it was run and the importance of the cause, and the MKACF is thrilled to have the singer on board as its spokesperson this year.

The MKACF has been very successful in raising funds for domestic violence shelters — it has contributed over $11.5 million already. If you’re interested in helping, click here to see which stars are doling out kisses for a cause.

Photo courtesy of jeweljk.com

The book that was auctioned off was The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book to which J.K. refers in the final book of the Harry Potter series. There were originally seven, and aside from the one that was auctioned, she gave six as gifts. With the blessing of those who received that book as a gift, as well as Amazon.com and the support of Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and Amazon, that book will be made available to the public December 4.

J.K. doesn’t plan to make any money off the release of this book — she has signed over her royalties to the charity she and Emma Nicholson co-founded called the Children’s High Level Group. The charity works “at a political and practical level to ensure that UN minimum standards for the care of children are implemented across the whole of Europe and beyond.”

The Tales of Beedle the Bard will have more than just a few storied J.K. jotted down. The author said, “The new edition will include the Tales themselves, translated from the original runes by Hermione Granger, and with illustrations by me, but also notes by Professor Albus Dumbledore, which appear by generous permission of the Hogwarts Headmasters’ Archive.”

Photo courtesy of theage.com.au