Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Donate $500000 to Joplin Tornado Relief

Through their foundation, Springfield native Brad Pitt and partner Angelina Jolie on Friday contributed $500,000 to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, to bolster the recovery effort in Joplin.

"Rebuilding after a disaster is a long process," said Brian Fogle, President of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. "As our neighbors in Joplin begin to deal with the devastation, this donation from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation gives them the hope and confidence they will need to rebuild their lives, homes and community."

The money will be used to support mid- and long-term rebuilding efforts in the storm-ravaged city.

"With the devastating loss of thirty percent of the city, the Joplin community faces great challenges ahead. Having spent much of my childhood there, I know these people to be hardworking, humble and especially resilient," said Brad Pitt. "The locally based Community Foundation of the Ozarks will be working shoulder to shoulder with these Joplin residents for the long haul as they rebuild their lives. We, too, hope to further help with these rebuilding efforts," Pitt said.

Added Jolie: "Our hearts go out to the families in Joplin who have lost so much."

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Angelina Jolie’s Jewelry Line is “Chic and Contemporary” and to benefit charity

You’ve seen the serious sparklers, but just what went into the creation of Angelina Jolie‘s new jewelry line, Style of Jolie? “She has been involved, every step of the way,” jeweler Robert Procop tells PEOPLE. “She wanted to create some beautiful art around jewels with the mission of helping children.” Jolie and Procop, who’s styled the actress in the past, started the project in August of 2010, creating storyboards, researching gems and metals and considering various designs.

“Angelina has a very classic style. She is very chic and contemporary,” Procop explains. “[The collection] is what she enjoys wearing on the red carpet, but also what she enjoys wearing when she’s at home. It’s also what she enjoys giving as a gift.” In fact, at Christmas, Brad Pitt gifted Jolie with a bracelet similar to the the five-row white quartz tablet bracelet (above) after seeing her design. Another piece the actress particularly loves is the Angelina Jolie exceptional emerald necklace (above), containing 44 green gems totaling 103.48 carats.

“It’s probably one of the finest collections of cushion emeralds ever assembled,” Procop says. “The stones are just so bright.” Though the line — which features pieces starting at $4,000 and benefits the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict — is only available to private clients at the moment, Procop hints that later this year, a more accessible retail version will hit the market. But for now, the jewels are hitting the road: after a short stint in Beverly Hills, they’ll move on to a gallery in Monaco for about two weeks. Seems they’re following in the footsteps of their jet-setting creator.

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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Visit St. John's Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Missouri

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie paid a visit to St. John's Children's Hospital in Springfield, Missouri on Dec. 30. Pitt and Jolie had just returned from a Christmas vacation in Namibia and stopped by to spend some time with Brad’s family in his hometown.

Last year Pitt and Jolie donated $1 million to St. John's Foundation for Community Health. The pediatric cancer center of the hospital was named after Brad’s mother, Jane. It is now called the St. John’s Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s tour of the facility was joined by Pitt’s parents, Bill and Jane, and his brother, Doug.

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Donate $150,000 to SOS Children's Villages

The Jolie-Pitt Foundation today announced a donation of $150,000 to SOS Children's Villages – USA. The donation is given in recognition of National Adoption Day, which celebrates adoptive families and highlights the needs of the over 100,000 children still waiting for adoptive families in the United States. SOS Children's Villages play a vital role in the healing and stabilization of foster care children, and constitute a critical step along the way to family reunification or adoption for many children.

SOS Children's Villages provides loving, stable homes to children around the world whose biological families cannot properly care for them. Founded over 60 years ago, SOS operates over 500 Villages in 130 countries including Illinois and Florida in the US. The Jolie-Pitt Foundation donation will provide the supplemental long-term financial support needed for a family of four foster children in an SOS Village in the US.

Dr. Heather Paul, CEO of SOS Children's Villages – USA expressed her gratitude for the on-going support from Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt: "I am truly thankful that Angelina and Brad understand the power of family – the kind of stable family that SOS holds as an essential part of healthy child development. Together, Angelina and Brad have been eye-witnesses to the great work of SOS in Ethiopia, Jordan, a Darfur refugee camp in Chad, and Haiti. Angelina and Brad know that children's need for a family is universal."

In the US, SOS Children's Villages is a haven for a foster child, a haven from the storm of multiple placements, abuse or neglect. SOS puts foster children back together again with their brothers and sisters, and strengthens them for a bright future – a future that can include reunification with a biological parent, adoption, or success as an independent adult.

Through this donation, The Jolie-Pitt Foundation will provide support to an SOS foster care family for a number of years. This long-term approach is crucial to transforming a child who has suffered years of abuse - healing cannot happen overnight.

SOS Children's Villages in the US have achieved impressive results. Less than 50% of foster care children in the US complete high school, while SOS youth have a completion rate of almost 100%. Over 300 foster children now call SOS home in Illinois and Florida, including many groups of biological brothers and sisters.

SOS Children's Villages operates under these core principles:

1. Siblings should grow up together in a family-based environment.
2. Children should be re-unified with their biological family whenever possible.
3. Foster care children should never "age-out" of the system. Post-high school support is critical to a young adult's long-term success.


SOS Children's Villages in the US receive public support for the basic needs of their foster children. The additional services needed to transform a child's life are provided by private donors. The $150,000 donation from The Jolie-Pitt Foundation will fund numerous services such as full-time, professionally trained caregivers, counseling, intensive support toward family reunification, vocational training or college preparation.

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Angelina Jolie Urges Aid For Pakistan's Flood Victims

Angelina Jolie says it's vital that people help Pakistan's flood victims and not surrender to compassion fatigue.

The floods have displaced 20 million people, but donations are below those for catastrophes like the Haitian earthquake or the Asian tsunami.

Jolie said she understood that "it is getting hard for people – they see Haiti, they see these other events ... and they get exhausted by the time another big one rolls around."

But she said Pakistanis face "mass death, mass displacement, and this situation is going to get worse."
Jolie has visited Haiti, Iraq and other countries as a U.N. goodwill ambassador.

The star says she might visit Pakistan once "the cameras go away."

Jolie spoke Monday at the London premiere of her spy thriller "Salt."

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Angelina Jolie joins Twitter Wagon: How and Why

Brad Pitt’s Salty partner and the mother of his child Angelina Jolie has now come aboard the popular social networking site Twitter which has already enveloped into its snares celebs from all walks of life; be it Britney Spears or Justin Bieber or Shahrukh Khan.

Now, Jolie is contemplating using the tag @AngelinaJolie that’s being misused by an impostor pretending to be the real Jolie. Jolie has already meted out a request to the authorities to terminate that fraudulent and pass over the reigns of the account into her hands.

UsMagazine reports, “Jolie had her people obtain the account for her so no one else could have that user name. There was actually someone else using @AngelinaJolie but Angelina requested the account suspended and took it over.”

However, Jolie has no intention of chatting with her tsunami of fans .Of course, her gruelling schedule doesn’t permit her so. Besides, she is not a teenager or a chatterbox as such. Her motherly duties eat up whatever spare time she gets after wrapping up her professional commitments.

Her Twitter page shall be used to create social awareness about charitable issues or other philanthropic matters.

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Hollywood actor Brad Pitt Supports Organ Donation

While Angelina Jolie is busy being Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, life-partner, Brad Pitt, is encouraging people to put their body parts on the line with organ donation.

Pitt is one of many celebs who support organ donation.

Not ready to become an organ donor? Try donating blood, which is something you can do right now.

Professional snowboarder Chris Klug is just one of the many people who are living today because of organ donation. The Huffington Post reports that Klug received a liver transplant in July 2000 thanks to an anonymous donor.

Donate Life America makes it really easy to become a donor yourself. Find out how to become an organ, eye, or tissue donor by clicking on the state where you live. In California, it's as easy as checking "YES! I want to be an organ and tissue donor" when applying for or renewing your driver's license or ID card through the California DMV. If you want to be sure your wishes are heard loud and clear, The Gift of a Lifetime has a donor card you can download, sign, and carry with you in your wallet.

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Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt In Bosnia (PHOTOS)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie took a break from Venice and work to visit Bosnian refugees this week, and now there are photos.

UNHCR goodwill ambassador Jolie and partner Pitt visited the village of Medjedja, near the eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad to, as the caption on the photos said, "spotlight the plight of 117,000 people who have not been able to return to their homes, even though the Bosnian war ended 15 years ago."

Sunday they spent the day on an Italian island with their kids for an Easter egg hunt.

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Spend Easter Egg-Hunting and Heading to Sarajevo

Easter wasn't all chocolate-covered bunny marshmallows for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

After spending the day with the kids on an egg hunt, the dazzling duo hopped on a plane from Venice to Sarajevo late Sunday for a surprise visit to meet refugees of Bosnia's 1992-95 civil war.

"They are in Bosnia to visit the sites run by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees," UNHCR spokeswoman Aida Prljaca told Agence France Presse.

No word on whether Brangie have their brood in tow, and Prljaca claims they'll have no contact with media during their jaunt.

An all-girls school in Tangi, Afghanistan, began its first semester last month, thanks to a $75,000 donation from goodwill ambassador Angelina.

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Angelina Jolie Goes to Haiti

After having some fun at the Super Bowl with partner Brad Pitt and son Maddox, Angelina Jolie has made her way down to Haiti.

The “Salt” actress is visiting the country as part of her UN goodwill ambassador job and was able to spend time with the natives.

She visited hospitalized Haitian survivors on Monday in the Dominican Republic and met with the Dominican President, Leonel Fernandez.

As previously reported by Gossip Center, Miss Jolie and Mr Pitt enjoyed the big game in Miami, Florida on Sunday with their son Maddox – cheering on eventual winner, the New Orleans Saints.

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Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Donate $1 Million to Doctors Without Borders

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have made good on their promise to reach out to victims of the massive earthquake that struck the island of Haiti on Tuesday.

The couple donated $1 million to Doctors Without Borders for the organization's emergency medical operations in Haiti, UsMagazine.com has confirmed.

"It is incredibly horrible to see a catastrophe of this size hit a people who have been suffering from extreme poverty, violence and unrest for so many decades," Jolie -- who has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations since 2001 -- said in a statement.

Pitt -- who, along with Jolie, has been a longtime supporter of Doctors Without Borders -- added, "We understand the first response is critical to serve the immediate needs of countless people who are now displaced from their homes, are suffering trauma, and most require urgent care."

Earlier on Wednesday, Pitt, 46, and Jolie, 34, said they were "devastated by the news" and pledged their support.

In a statement, the couple said, "We will work closely with our good friend Wyclef Jean to support the humanitarian efforts on the island and help those who have been injured and left without homes and shelter."

On Tuesday, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake and several strong aftershocks ravaged the poverty-stricken nation, and thousands have been feared dead.

Donate now to support Doctors Without Borders' work in Haiti at their official site, or find out how else you can help at the Red Cross (text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the organization).

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Support Victims of Haiti Earthquake

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie expressed their deep sorrow on Tuesday night (January 12) over the widespread loss of life that occurred in the Haiti earthquake earlier in the day.

“We are devastated by the news from Haiti,” the couple said in a statement to JustJared.com. “We will work closely with our good friend Wyclef Jean to support the humanitarian efforts on the island and help those who have been injured and left without homes and shelter.”

Wyclef released his own statement on how YOU can help: “Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake – and several very strong aftershocks – struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince.

“I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.

“President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.

“Many people have already reached out to see what they can do right now. We are asking those interested to please do one of two things: Either you can use your cell phone to text “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill), or you can visit Yele.org and click on DONATE.”

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Angelina Jolie offered her piloting services to John Travolta in bringing the bagels to Iraq

Rising to the occasion, the Oh Boy Dough Company of Knead, California has donated a ton of dough already kneaded to the Red Cross.

This needy organization will begin baking bagels to ship overseas to our soldiers in Iraq.

The Red Cross was overwhelmed at this generous donation by the OH BOY DOUGH COMPANY and began passing out containers of the kneaded dough to their volunteers to start the baking.

By the end of the week over two million bagels were brought in by the volunteers to ready them for shipment to Iraq.

The need for transportation in getting the bagels to our soldiers has not yet been met. The Red Cross is pleading for help in obtaining the air transport needed for this worthy cause.

John Travolta has offered the use of his several personal planes and Angelina Jolie
has offered her services in piloting the planes to bring the bagels to Iraq.

Travolta and Jolie have discussed the possibility of turning this event into a movie, directed by Brad Pitt. "We want the citizens of the United States to be aware of the wonderful people who have made this all possible, mainly John and I". said Jolie.

Both Travolta and Jolie in wanting to "rise to the occasion
have donned the uniform of the Oh Boy Dough Company to show their support in getting these bagels delivered.

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ngelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Spread Holiday Cheer! Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/12/25/angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt-spread-holiday-chee

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie get into the giving holiday spirit with a donation of $100,000 to support the American SOS Children’s Villages for Christmas.

Angie, 34, shared her thoughts about the organization, saying, “We have seen first-hand the remarkable job SOS does to raise orphaned and abandoned children and keep families together. No one ‘ages out’ of an SOS Village: vocational training, advanced education, living assistance and moral support are there forever.”

Brad chimed in, “In this holiday season, many of us take for granted that we are surrounded by loving family members. The poor outcomes for foster children indicate that we must do a much better job of supporting them.”

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Jolie and Pitt Support American Foster Children With Grant of $100,000 for Christmas to American SOS Children's Villages

SOS Children's Villages - USA today announced a gift of $100,000 from Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt to support its two American SOS Children's Villages for Christmas.

SOS-Florida and SOS-Illinois were founded over fifteen years ago to provide an alternative form of foster care in the U.S. that puts an end to multiple placements, separation from siblings, physical and sexual abuse or neglect and abandonment.

Ms. Jolie said of the donation, "We have seen first-hand the remarkable job SOS does to raise orphaned and abandoned children and keep families together. No one 'ages out' of an SOS Village: vocational training, advanced education, living assistance and moral support are there forever."

SOS Children's Villages - USA CEO Heather Paul stated, "The Jolie-Pitt Foundation has been a strong and loyal supporter of SOS Children's Villages around the world. We are deeply grateful that this year this couple has included in their generosity our villages in Illinois and Florida and our 300 children who call SOS 'home.'" Brad Pitt: "In this holiday season, many of us take for granted that we are surrounded by loving family members. The poor outcomes for foster children indicate that we must do a much better job of supporting them."

About SOS Children's Villages in Illinois and Florida

SOS-Florida in Coconut Creek provides a home for 75 children of all ages. Services include tutoring, therapy, life skills, and family reunification when possible.

SOS-Illinois operates two villages, one in Lockport which cares for 102 children. A second village in South Chicago takes care of 84 children and youths. A Social Center also provides day care and support services for other families at risk. Another SOS Village on the West Side of Chicago is in the planning stages.

About SOS Children's Villages

For 60 years, SOS Children's Villages has been dedicated to the long-term care of orphaned and abandoned children. With 500 villages in 132 countries, SOS offers a family-based village model that provides for the holistic needs of a child - family, community, education and support - essential for the successful transition from childhood into adulthood. Through Villages, schools, medical facilities, micro-lending, and family strengthening programs, SOS Children's Villages impacts the lives of over 1 million people each year. In 2009, SOS Children's Villages was honored with the Save the World Award. SOS is also the recipient of the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize and the Mother Teresa Gold Medal.

About U.S. Foster Care

There are 518,000 American children in foster care. Three in four are separated from their siblings. Most will live in six or more foster homes in the U.S. foster care system. Unfortunately, their future can be bleak: 25% are homeless at some time, 45% never finish high school, 40% live on public assistance and 84% have a child within 18 months of "aging out" of the system.

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Glowing Angelina Jolie leaves Brad Pitt's side to cosy up to Muhammad Ali

With Brad Pitt on her arm, you would think Angelina Jolie would be content to snuggle up to just one American superstar.

But it seems meeting legendary boxer Muhammad Ali brought out the fan in the 34-year-old who couldn't resist giving him a cuddle after being introduced to him at a Unicef charity ball.
Muhammad Ali, actress Angelina Jolie, and actor Brad Pitt

Hug it out: The actress dived in for a cuddle with the former boxer

Beaming at partner Brad as she cosied up to the Parkinson's sufferer, 67, the Changeling actress looked like any other admirer delighted to meet her idol.

Initially, the couple just shook hands with Ali and his companion.

But after after a lively chat, the foursome got on so well that mum-of-six Angelina leaned in to give him a cuddle.
Muhammad Ali, actress Angelina Jolie, and actor Brad Pitt

Star struck: The couple were thrilled to meet Muhammad Ali and his companion
Muhammad Ali

Tactile: Angelina shared the affection around

The superstar couple both looked delighted to be on a night out together and were tactile and affectionate throughout the Beverly Wiltshire event in Los Angeles.

Revelling in an evening off parent-duty, they stole romantic moments at every opportunity and didn't leave each other's side at the star-studded event.

Their public displays of affection follow a newly released unauthorised biography claiming there are 'irreparable tensions' in the couple's relationship.

It was clear that the Hollywood couple remain unshaken by the allegations made in Ian Halperin's new book, Brangelina: The Untold Story of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

'They've broken up so many times it would make your head spin,' the author claims, declaring the couple will break up by 'Christmas 2010.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Show of unity: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt cosy up at a UNICEF ball at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles last night

But there was no sign of disunity between the two last night.

Angelina, a UNICEF ambassador, was seen gazing adoringly at her 46-year-old partner of five years and at one point ran her fingers through his hair.

And while all eyes were on the couple, they were not the only celebrities present.

A host of stars attended, including George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bruce Willis and Cindy Crawford.

The evening was designed to honour individuals who made key contributions to UNICEF's mission to save and improve children lives worldwide.

Producer and long-time philanthropist Jerry Weintraub was honored as Man of the Year with UNICEF's Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award.

The evening raised more money for the organisation than any UNICEF Ball to date.

Weintraub, Pitt, Clooney, Damon and Don Cheadle allo donated $250,000 to help the organisation's mission to reduce the number of preventable deaths of children from 24,000 to zero.

Weintraub directed the actor's in Ocean's Eleven and it's follow-up franchise.

Other guests included Joan Collins, Larry David, Selena Gomez, Benji Madden and Joel Madden and Alyssa Milano.
Joan Collin
Larry David

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Angelina Jolie mulls buying a house for sponsored children

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has been paying for education and food of seven children in Jordan and is now considering buying them a home.

According to staff at SOS Children’s Village in Amman, Jolie, who has six kids of her own, became guardian to the three girls and four boys in 2003 and has been providing them with food and clothing ever since.

And SOS employee Aysha Shahin adds that the actress may even be investing in a home for the family to live in, reported imdb.com

“Angelina will support us by visiting again, even sponsoring a house which will pay the children’s expenses. She’s a sweetheart, and one of our greatest supporters, she said.

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Brad and Angelina are $7 million givers

Angelina Jolie, 34, and Brad Pitt, 45, gave a whopping $6.8 million to charities in 2008, the Hollywood Reporter says.

That was the amount given to various groups through the philanthropically minded couple's Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which donated about half of the $13 million it raised last year to nonprofits like Global Health, Human Rights Watch, the Armed Services YMCA, and Pitt's own Make It Right Foundation, dedicated to rebuilding New Orleans.

Another $1 million went to various causes in Cambodia, home country for their son Maddox.

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Angelina Joli and Brad Pitt one of theTop 20 most generous stars

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Oprah routinely top the media lists of the most generous celebrities. But if you're pulling in nearly a million dollars a day without hardly having to break a sweat, shouldn't you be giving something back?

The gap between the very richest one percent of Americans and the bottom has been widening ever since the Reagan Administration. The wealthiest one percent, or 14,000 families, control 22.2 percent of wealth, while the bottom 90 percent of us (133 million families) are left with just 4 percent of the total pie, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

What's more, the amount of the total income pie going to the very top of the top earners -- the .10 percent who fall into the Oprah category -- has been rising sharply, especially since 2000. The very top 1/10th percent of earners got 12.6 percent of the pie in 2007. And their share grew by 94 percent between 2002 and 2007. Not only are they getting more than the rest, but every year their slice is getting bigger.

So with all that pie, if you're one of the top of the top of the income pyramid, giving back is something that you should, if you have a conscience, consider.

A lot of celebrities know this and some seem to feel a bit guilty. Many celebrities shy away from publicizing their charitable giving. The Giving Back Fund has had trouble getting stars to release their charitable contributions for just that reason. They don't want to be seen as cashing in on their good works. But publicity is good because it can serve as a role model for others.

"Our hope is that celebrities will begin to become more comfortable sharing information about their charitable giving --- perhaps not disclosing everything they give, but sharing enough to enable them to serve as role-models to their peers and fans," said Marc Pollick, President and Founder of The Giving Back Fund.

Many, if not most celebrities are seriously committed to their causes and have used their fame to draw world attention to urgent global problems. But take a look at the Forbes magazine Celebrity 100 - which ranks the top earners and power brokers in the entertainment business --and you start to wonder why some of the very wealthiest aren't doing more. Or why some of those who aren't earning armored cars full of cash every minute are doing such good things but not getting much publicity.

The line between charity for charity sake and charity for the sake of public image is a hard one to distinguish. And maybe it doesn't even matter. If you're giving $50 million dollars to make the world a better place in some way, that money can do a lot of good and you deserve moral credit for giving it.

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Brad Pitt awarded for Orleans project

Film star Brad Pitt has been presented with an award recognising the green credentials of his housing project in New Orleans.

The actor, who was at Bill Clinton's Global Initiative summit in New York, said the project, set up in 2007, has "exceeded my expectations".

Pitt's Make It Right organisation built 13 homes in an area of New Orleans ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The houses have environmentally friendly features such as green roofs.

'Greenest community'

Green roofs help cut the costs of heating and keep the houses cool during New Orleans' hot summers.

In response to the award from the US Green Building Council, Pitt said: "We demanded that these homes be sustainable, that they have aesthetic qualities."

He added they were also built with storm resilience, safety and affordability in mind.

The organisation's plaque stated that Pitt's foundation had created "the largest and greenest single family community in the world".

The project is continuing, and Pitt's goal is to have 150 homes up and running by next year.

Pitt, along with actress partner Angelina Jolie and their six children, have a home in the Louisiana city which was refurbished last year to accommodate their expanding family.

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