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The 'Mean Girls' Cast Reunited to Raise Money for Las Vegas Shooting Victims


PHOTO: Paramount/Everett Collection

On October 3, a.k.a. Mean Girls Day, the movie’s cast have come together to raise money for the victims of Sunday’s deadly shooting in Las Vegas. In a video shared by the iconic 2004 film’s stars on social media on Tuesday, they set a goal of raising $300,000 for the National Compassion Fund.

In the video, which was posted to Twitter by Jonathan Bennett, he, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, and Daniel Franzese take turns calling their fans to action. “We know today is a special day, and that’s because of fans like you. It’s October 3rd,” they say. “This year, though, we’re doing things a little differently. We want to turn the attention to those who need it. After Sunday night’s tragic events in Las Vegas, let’s give back. In honor of Mean Girls Day, we’re asking each of you, the groolest fans out there, to help. We’ve started a GoFundMe page, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the National Compassion Fund. If every fan gave just $3 in honor of October 3rd, just $3, we would hit our goal of $300,000 in no time.”

They add, “Guys, look. We know ‘fetch’ is never gonna happen, but we can make this happen. On October 3rd, I’ll ask you what day it is, but we’ll also ask you to help. So, you go, Glen Coco, to GoFundMe.com/October3. Thank you for being a fan and thank you for your help.” In the three hours since Jonathan posted the video online, the campaign has already raised more than $9,000.

According to the GoFundMe page, the National Compassion Fund is sponsored by the National Center for Victims of Crime, and previously helped raise money for victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012, and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The NCF website promises that “100% of the funds received through the National Compassion Fund Las Vegas will be distributed directly to victims,” and that donations will provide “critical support to the victims and their families” in both the short- and long-term. Fetch, indeed.

Related: Here’s 5 Ways You Can Help Victims of the Las Vegas Shooting



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Jennifer Lopez Is Donating $1 Million to Help Puerto Rico Hurricane Victims


Amid the dizzying series of natural disasters to occur over the past few weeks was Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that left all of Puerto Rico without power, potentially for months. It’s killed at least 24 people, and it still continues to damage infrastructure throughout the region as a Category 2 hurricane. To help the victims attempting to rebuild their lives and communities, Jennifer Lopez is donating $1 million brought in by her recent Las Vegas concerts to Hurricane Maria relief.

“Given the loss and devastation, we need to pay attention to urgently support Puerto Rico and the Caribbean with donations and contributions,” she announced in a press conference with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday. “Alex Rodriguez and I, who are both New Yorkers, are using all our resources and relationships in entertainment, sports, and business to garner support for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. … We are working day and night to identify the needs.”

The singer and actress, who is of Puerto Rican descent, shared that she herself has family in Puerto Rico that she still hasn’t heard from.

As co-chair of the Empire State Relief & Recovery Effort, J.Lo has teamed up with her ex, Marc Anthony, and other celebrities to help the recent victims of Mexico’s earthquakes and the Caribbean’s hurricanes. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and player J.J. Barea have organized two airplanes full of supplies. The New York Yankees and Major League Baseball have also promised to contribute.

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Earlier, in an Instagram post, J.Lo urged fans to donate to Puerto Rico First Lady Beatriz Areizaga’s United for Puerto Rico relief fund. “The devastation is beyond belief,” she said. “Today, Puerto Rico needs our help.”

Want to get involved in the Puerto Rico relief effort? Here are some ways to contribute.



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Salma Hayek Has Raised Over $250,000 for Mexico Earthquake Victims


The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that killed at least 230 people in Mexico this week hit close to home for Salma Hayek, who lost friends and an uncle in another earthquake that hit the country in 1985.

That’s why the actress created a CrowdRise page to raise money for Unicef, which has sent people to help with relief in Mexico. The campaign has already raised more than $250,000, and Hayek has donated $100,000 herself.

“I have lived through the aftermath of a disaster of this magnitude, and it’s horrific,” she says in a video supporting the campaign. “I am starting a CrowdRise to try to raise money to help the families that are going through this nightmare right now in Mexico. I implore to your hearts, to the goodness of your hearts, to your compassion, to help.”

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Other celebrities including Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Shay Mitchell have shown support for the earthquake’s victims on social media.

Former President Barack Obama tweeted a message of support too.

Rescue efforts are still underway to reach survivors of Tuesday’s earthquake. On Thursday rescuers were trying to reach a 12-year-old girl believed to be trapped inside the remains of a Mexico City school that collapsed, killing at least 21 children and five adults, according to the BBC.

If you want to help the region recover from the natural disaster, organizations currently taking donations include the rescue brigade Topos México, the Mexican Red Cross, and the humanitarian aid group Direct Relief.



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Hurricane Harvey Victims Need Tampons, Pads, and Diapers—Here's How You Can Help


PHOTO: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI

It’s been a week since Hurricane Harvey first made landfall, and now tens of thousands of Texans are trying to cope with the colossal damage caused by the storm. Harvey—possibly the worst disaster Texas has ever seen—has left at least 46 people dead, forced around 42,000 into emergency shelters, and left over 60,000 without power.

It’s hard to imagine dealing with your period and other bodily functions on top of it all, but for countless women, it’s the reality. In the wake of the storm, securing tampons, pads, diapers, and other basics has been a major struggle for many women—especially those who are low-income or homeless. Most shelters don’t have such items stocked, and the supplies that were available are quickly dwindling.

“Periods don’t stop for hurricanes,” Dana Marlowe, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Support the Girls, told Circa. “Periods don’t stop for flooding.”

Millions of dollars have already poured into the Harvey relief efforts—and a growing list of celebrities pledging major donations—but there are plenty of opportunities for you to directly help women and families who are in desperate need of basic supplies. Here are a few organizations that need your help.

The Texas Diaper Bank is preparing for an expected 10,000 displaced families. You can donate to their website or check out their Amazon account for disaster relief essentials you can buy. If you are in the San Antonio area, the organization is also seeking out volunteers to help sort items for distribution.

#HappyPeriod collects pads, tampons, soap, wipes, and underwear for women who are low-income, homeless, or living in poverty. You can donate directly to their Houston chapter or purchase items from their Amazon wishlist to send directly to their Harvey relief operations.

The Homeless Period Project’s Houston affiliate has created an Amazon wish list and you can purchase pads and tampons for women and girls who have been affected by Harvey.

Support the Girls is sending bras, pads, and tampons to women and girls in Houston. A suggested donation of $22 is enough to cover a full kit containing all of these items. You can also send products to their Wylie, Texas, location.

Aquí Estamos RGV, a youth-led south Texas advocacy group for LGBTQ people of color, has partnered with the bilingual multimedia company NETA to collect donations for The Homeless Period Project of the Rio Grande Valley.

Simply the Basics is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that assembles hygiene kits—which include soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and feminine hygiene products—for homeless and low-income communities. They are accepting donations for hygiene kits to send to victims of Harvey.

For more ways to contribute to the relief efforts, here’s how you can help victims of Harvey in Texas, no matter where you are.



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Miley Cyrus Pledges $500,000 to Help Victims of Hurricane Harvey


Say what you will about Miley Cyrus, but there’s nothing not to love about this.

The pop star revealed during a Wednesday appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show that she’s donating $500,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, barely containing her tears as she talked about the devastating storm and its aftermath.

“It’ll make me cry, so I can’t really talk about it,” Cyrus said. “I don’t know why it makes me so upset…I really hope people know—I couldn’t fake it. My grandma’s sitting here and my mom’s here and I go home to my seven dogs. If I didn’t have that anymore, it’d just be really hard.”

“I’m really happy to help any way that I can,” she continued. “I hope people understand they can put themselves in those people’s shoes and just know what it feels like to have everything taken away from you.”

It’s no wonder Cyrus was so emotional: Experts have said Harvey is “probably the worst disaster” the state of Texas has ever seen. At least 35 people have died as a result of the storm, more than 30,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, and over 100,000 people are without running water.

Cyrus joins a growing list of celebrities pledging huge amounts of money to victims of Harvey. The Kardashian family has given $500,000 to the Salvation Army and Red Cross; Beyonce is working with her BEYGood foundation to help those in Houston; and Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the relief efforts. Comedian Kevin Hart has also signed onto the relief efforts, pledging $25,000 of his own and challenging other celebrities to rise to the occasion.

For those looking to follow suit and make donations of their own, there are plenty of ways to help—even if you’re miles away from Houston. Groups like Save the Children, the Texas Diaper Bank, and Global Giving had all set up Hurricane Harvey relief funds. Not sure where to contribute? You can find a full list of organizations here.



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