Variety To Honor Young Hollywood’s Top Philanthropists

Entertainment trade publication Variety has announced the line up for their Third Annual Variety’s Power of Youth event, dubbed the “World’s Greatest Block Party,” on Paramount Studios’ “streets of New York” in Los Angeles on December 5, 2009. 

This year’s event, produced in conjunction with Variety’s annual Youth Impact Report, features an exclusive afternoon of festivities and live performances. The day will celebrate a select group of outstanding young entertainers, chosen to receive the Variety’s Power of Youth “@15 Award”*, presented by Best Buy, who, through their efforts have made significant contributions to their chosen philanthropic and charitable causes.

The guest list is comprised of 700 invite-only guests made up of the who’s-who of under-25 actors, actresses, recording artists, and the children and families directly affected by Variety’s two incredible 2009 beneficiaries – Starlight Children’s Foundation and LA’s BEST. Starlight is a national in-hospital and outpatient program dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. LA’s BEST, a nationally recognized after school education, enrichment and recreation program, serves more than 28,000 children with the greatest needs and fewest resources throughout the City of Los Angeles.

This year’s honorees include “High School Musical’s” Corbin Bleu (for his work on behalf of the Starlight Children’s Foundation), “iCarly’s” Miranda Cosgrove (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital), Jesse McCartney (City of Hope), “90210’s” AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project) and “True Jackson, VP” star KeKe Palmer (The Boys and Girls Clubs of America).

“Through the amazing support of the entertainment community and our generous sponsors, Variety’s Power of Youth has had the fortunate opportunity of generating more than one million dollars to benefit the several charities this effort has supported over the past three years. It has helped to create a bedrock of social awareness within the next generation of entertainment,” Brian Gott, Publisher of Variety said in a statement issued to Access Hollywood. “With the help of more than 200 young artists who are in a position to influence their peers and fans, we are able to raise real money to support real causes where there is a real need.

“We applaud Variety for proactively recognizing young people’s philanthropic work through the Variety’s Power of Youth program,“ Jeff Peterson, director of community relations for “@15” said to Access. “@15 shares Variety’s commitment to highlighting the positive contributions teens make to our communities.”

Variety’s Power of Youth will be launching its annual auction on November 30, 2009. The auction features such high-profile auction items including:

· Tour of the “True Jackson, VP” set on the Paramount lot, followed by lunch with star Matthew Shively
· 2 red carpet bleacher seats to the 2010 SAG Awards
· 4 tickets to Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award
· Lunch with “Fame” star Naturi Naughton
· Walk on role in hit TV show “How I Met Your Mother”
· Round of golf with “Cory in the House” and “Zoey 101” stars Kyle and Chris Massey;
· Interview and star in a Tiger Beat photoshoot with “Hannah Montana: the Movie” star Lucas Till
· Meet Joe Torre and catch a game with “Wizards of Waverly Place” star Jake T. Austin

For more information on the auction HEAD HERE.

For the second consecutive year, Variety’s Power of Youth has a donation widget where fans can enter to win 4 tickets to the exclusive Los Angeles event via Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. Celebrity supporters have been embedding the widget on their personal websites, as well as promoting it on their Twitter, Facebook and MySpace accounts. To find and donate via the widget visit: www.variety.com/poy.

The goal of Variety’s Power of Youth is to reach out to the next generation of entertainers and encourage them to support philanthropic and humanitarian causes – and to use their positions in popular culture to encourage the millions of people who look up to them to do the same. Celebrity supporters of the cause include the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, Hillary Duff, Angus T. Jones, Selena Gomez, Abigail Breslin, David Henrie, Dakota Fanning, AnnaLynne McCord, The Sprouse Brothers, Lil Romeo, Tyler James Williams, Jesse Eisenberg, Maggie Grace and many, many more.

Variety’s Power of Youth 2009 is sponsored by Best Buy/@15, Electronic Arts (SIMS), Sony Playstation, Kyocera, Pizza Hut (Book it!), ABC Family, Coca-Cola, Radio Disney and Chipotle.