Many believe that celebrities are in most cases self-centered and careless, and, while it may be true for some, there are stars that really use their fame for higher purpose. They dedicate their time and money supporting good causes and founding charities. Here are the top charity organizations supported by celebs.

Water.org – Matt Damon

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Damon co-founded Water.org, which helps provide clean water to developing countries. The organization’s official website states: “Co-founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, Water.org is a nonprofit organization that has transformed hundreds of communities in Africa, South Asia, and Central America by providing access to safe water and sanitation.” Furthermore, Matt is a supporter of ONE Campaign which fights AIDS and poverty in third-world countries. He also associated with fellow Ocean’s 11 cast mates and founded Not On Our Watch, which concentrates on supporting and bringing attention to human brutalities in third-world countries.

FINCA – Natalie Portman

 

 

 

 

 

This Harvard graduate works with many charities including FINCA, the Foundation for International Community Assistance. This organization provides microloans to women, and that leads to women who can support themselves and employee others, breaking the cycle of poverty. Most recently Portman participated in Lipstick for Charity where she teamed up with Dior to support Free the Children. This is a charity that provides money for education for girls in Kenya.

Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation – Leonardo DiCaprio

 

 

 

 

 

DiCaprio has founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. This organization works to “protect Earth’s last wild places” while also “fostering a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world.” Established in 1998, LDF has worked on several significant environmental and humanitarian issues through grant making, campaigning, and media projects.

Bring Change 2 Mind – Glenn Close

 

 

 

 

 

Hollywood legend Glenn Close is the founder of a charity that challenges public perception about mental illness. The foundation, Bring Change 2 Mind, aims to change how the public perceives those who suffer from mental illness and to eradicate the stigma through outreach and education based on research. “About one in six people suffer from a mental illness,” Close said, “It’s part of being a human…It’s not a cool subject for a lot of people, it makes people uncomfortable. The idea is, let’s get out and talk about it so people don’t have to feel shame.”

Not On Our Watch – George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle and Jerry Weintraub

 

 

 

 

 

Not On Our Watch is an organization to stop the violence in the world. Clooney has visited Sudan personally, and spoken with victims of rape and torture. His charity has donated millions of dollars to help those suffering in the region, with much of the funding going through the United Nations World Food Program. The organization’s official website states: “Our mission is to focus global attention and resources towards putting an end to mass atrocities around the world. Drawing upon the powerful voices of artists, activists, and cultural leaders, Not On Our Watch generates lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection for the vulnerable, marginalized, and displaced. We encourage governing bodies to take meaningful, immediate action to protect those in harm’s way. Where governments remain complacent, Not On Our Watch is committed to stopping mass atrocities and giving voice to their victims.”

Believe Foundation – Rihanna

 

 

 

 

 

In 2006, Rihanna founded the Believe Foundation . According to the foundation’s website, BELIEVE gives children a chance to not only survive, but thrive in a world where many will never receive the medical attention, school supplies, toys and clothes that they deserve. The foundation is partnered with DKTS , an organization that fights the great fight to delete blood cancer. In 2007, Rihanna was named Cartier’s LOVECHARITY Bracelet Ambassador . Rihanna has used her fame to help a mother of two find a bone marrow transplant. She also donates to disaster relief, AIDS and environmental issues. Rihanna has raised money through concerts and has even taken the time to meet children from the charities she’s supporting.

Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation – Mark Wahlberg

 

 

 

 

 

The Mark Wahlberg Foundation was founded in May of 2001. Wahlberg wants all children to have a nurturing environment and the support they need to succeed so that they can leave the streets and enjoy brighter futures. The foundation provides a way to make progress toward that goal. While the Mark Wahlberg Foundation doesn’t create projects on its own, this charity provides funding for other organizations that work to further the types of causes it focuses on. Long before starting the foundation, Wahlberg became an adamant supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs, because he had been a member of the group as a child. This is just one of the programs that the Wahlberg organization now funds.

IS Foundation – Ian Somerhalder

 

 

 

 

 

Ian Somerhalder Foundation is a corporation located in Los Angeles, California. The organization “aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures. We are a team, a group of people, who view the environment as an interconnected organism of which we are not separate but a part of. There is no differentiation between all living things: trees, rivers, animals and humans. We are all one interdependent organism.”

Jolie- Pitt Foundation – Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

 

 

 

 

 

Actress, mother and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency, Angelina Jolie is almost always doing something for charity. She and her husband Brad Pitt organized the Jolie- Pitt Foundation which was launched in 2006 to assist in humanitarian crises around the world. When the foundation launched Pitt and Jolie donated $1 million dollars to both Doctors without Borders and Global Action for Children. The Jolie-Pitt’s have also given millions of dollars to many organizations all over the world.