We’re excited to announce the launch of the second annual Firefox Challenge, a competition to raise awareness and funds for charitable causes.
Mozilla builds products, like Firefox, that put users in control of their online experience and shape the future of the Web — not for profit, but for good. As part of our commitment to making a difference, this holiday season we’re hoping to get everyone in on the spirit of doing good. So, just like we do with Firefox, let’s turn individual action into global impact together.
Last year, we brought together a dozen cause-minded celebrities and thousands of individuals from around the world. This year, we’re turning up the volume. The Firefox Challenge will run longer, we’ll have more weekly prizes, and there will be a total of $100,000 in grand prizes for first, second, and third place to the causes of the fundraisers that raise the most between now through January 10, 2013. All together, Mozilla will donate a total of $200,000 to charitable organizations during the Firefox Challenge.
Each celebrity team is giving away great prizes too. You could win a limited edition Shepard Fairey Haiti poster signed by Olivia Wilde and Fairey, a ukulele signed by Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd and other celebrities, two tickets to the premiere of Jason Bateman’s new movie Identity Thief, an iChat and signed iPad mini from Edward Norton, and more.
The initial fundraising teams are being lead by:
- Edward Norton, Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust
- Will Ferrell, Cancer for College
- Kristen Bell, Somaly Mam Foundation
- Sophia Bush, Pencils of Promise
- Jason Bateman, City Year
- Seth Rogen, The Alzheimer’s Association
- Jonah Hill, F Cancer
- Olivia Wilde, Artists for Peace and Justice
- Ian Somerhalder, Ian Somerhalder Foundation
- Jordin Sparks, The M.A.D. Girls Inc
- Christy Turlington Burns, Every Mother Counts
Starting today, anyone can take part in the Firefox Challenge by donating to a celebrity’s fundraising efforts; joining a celebrity’s team to fundraise alongside them; or by starting a fundraiser for their own favorite cause.
Full details of the Firefox Challenge and how to participate can be found on the site at: http://www.crowdrise.com/firefoxchallenge
Join us and let’s show the world that individual action can have global impact.
Edward Norton – Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust
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Edward Norton is a actor, writer and environmentalist. He was one of the founders of Crowdrise and he currently serves and the UN ambassador on Biodiversity. He recently starred in the Bourne Legacy and Moonrise Kingdom. He has been nominated for an Academy Award twice, first for his work in The People vs. Larry Flynt and the second time for American History X. He has starred in The Hulk, Fight Club, Rounders, Death To Smoochie and Primal Fear. Edward has been the president of the board of Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust for many years and spends a great deal of time working in Kenya.
The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust works to protect the legendary ecosystems and astounding biodiversity of East Africa through conservation that directly benefits local Maasai communities.
The world increasingly relies on many traditional communities like the Maasai to protect the ecological treasures that exist within the land that they own. But the incredible wilderness and wildlife of Africa’s grasslands and the famous culture of the Maasai people both face daunting threats to their long-term survival. The fate of both rests with the Maasai themselves as they work to figure out how to benefit from their incredible natural resources while preserving them. That’s what MWCT is all about—a pioneering partnership between professional conservationists and dynamic young Maasai leaders to show that the Maasai community can thrive, not just survive, by managing their ecosystem wisely.
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Will Ferrell – Cancer for College
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Will Ferrell is a writer, producer and star of many of the funniest movies ever made. These include Elf, Anchorman, Step Brothers, Talladega Nights, The Other Guys, Blades of Glory and many more. He produces and occasionally stars in the HBO TV series East Bound and Down. Will has been very active with Cancer for College since it’s founding and has even created an exclusive line of sunscreen for the charity.
Cancer for College was formed in 1993 by Craig Pollard as a senior project while in college. Craig was a two-time cancer survivor and witnessed first hand the financial impact cancer can have on a family and the hope a college education can provide to a survivor.
Since their inception, Cancer for College has provided over $750,000 in scholarships to more than 700 cancer survivors and amputees. Cancer for College continues to thrive and grow. Join their on-going mission of providing inspiration and hope to survivors of cancer and amputees who want to live their dream and share in the college experience.
Click here to check out Will’s fundraiser and donate at least $25 before Jan. 11 (EST) for a chance to win a beautiful cowbell that’s signed by Will.
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Kristen Bell – Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF)
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Kristen Bell is currently staring in the hit TV program House of Lies. She is best known for her films, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, When in Rome, Couples Retreat and the recent comedy Hit and Run. Kristen has starred other TV shows such as Gossip Girl, Heroes and she played Veronica Mars in Veronica Mars. Kristen is a social activist and environmentalist and was born in Detroit, MI.
The Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the eradication of sex slavery and the empowerment of its survivors, led by the vision and life’s work of Cambodian survivor and activist Somaly Mam. Founded in 2007, the organization’s multilateral approach helps victims to escape their plight, empowers survivors with economic independence and as part of the solution, and engages governments, corporations, and individuals in the fight.
The SMF work closely with partners in Southeast Asia, where the trafficking of women and children is widespread and where, for nearly two decades, Somaly and her team have rescued women and children from exploitation and abuse and assisted them on a journey to health, hope, and economic independence. Thanks to SMF, the outreach team and shelters have international support, and our Voices For Change survivor-leaders work as advocates, activists, and catalysts of next-generation change.
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Sophia Bush – Pencils of Promise
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Sophia Bush starred in One Tree Hill for 9 years. You can currently enjoy her on the CBS show Partners. Sophia spends every single free moment of her waking life involved in helping causes that she believes in. She has been awarded many awards for her philanthropic work.
Pencils of Promise was founded in October 2008 in hopes of building just one school by creating a movement of people who saw themselves as global citizens, regardless of age or status. Since starting with just a $25 deposit, they have now built more than 50 schools.
Pencils of Promise is now a global movement of passionate individuals, many of which are the most dynamic and impactful young leaders Pencils of Promise has ever seen. They are committed to supporting a world with greater educational opportunity for all. Thousands have joined Pencils of Promise, making contributions through acts both large and small. There are more than 75 million children without access to education, and Pencils of Promise intends to change this.
Click here to check out Sophia’s fundraiser and to donate. |
Jason Bateman – City Year
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Jason Bateman has just finished shooting the movie version of his cult classic TV show, Arrested Development. Jason is best known for his roles in Horrible Bosses, The Switch, Couples Retreat, Juno, Dogdeball, Up in the Air and many more. Jason has been involved with City Year for many years.
City Year is an education focused, nonprofit organization that unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service to keep students in school and on track to graduation.
By focusing their work in 3rd-9th grade, City Year provides a continuum of care, and saturate feeder patterns so students who need help receive multiple, consecutive years of interventions and supports. Their Long-Term Impact strategy will ensure students have an opportunity to improve their performance that couldn’t be achieved by focusing on a single grade or single intervention alone.
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Seth Rogen – Alzheimer’s Association
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Seth Rogen is a writer (Superbad, Pineapple Express) director (The End of the World) producer (The Green Hornet) and actor (Knocked Up. Funny People, 40 Year Old Virgin).
Besides all of these on screen talents, his off screen work is equally impressive. He is very active in helping support the work of Alzheimer’s Association and produces a comedy show for them called Hilarity for Charity. This year, Hilarity for Charity will be held in Los Angeles on April 25th.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.
Their mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Their vision is a world without Alzheimer’s disease.
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Jonah Hill – F Cancer
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Jonah Hill recently was nominated for an Academy award for his work in the movie Moneyball. Currently he is shooting a film directed by Martin Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio.
He has starred in many memorable comedic films such as Superbad, Knocked Up, 21 Jump Street and The Watch. Jonah is very excited about helping F Cancer use education to help people with early cancer detection.
F Cancer is on a mission to save lives by spreading one simple message: 90% OF CANCER IS CURABLE IN STAGE ONE!
F Cancer believes we are a generation with incredible technology at our disposal and they want to use it to educate through storytelling to change the way people think, talk and act about cancer.
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Olivia Wilde – Artists for Peace and Justice
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Olivia Wilde is an incredible actress and humanitarian. Her film works includes such movies as: The Change Up, In TIme, Cowboys and Aliens and the hit TRON movies. Olivia is very engaged in many different charitable efforts but she is especially devoted to the work of Artists for Peace and Justice.
Artists for Peace and Justice, established in early 2009, is a fundraising effort founded by Paul Haggis and friends that encourages peace and social justice and addresses issues of poverty and enfranchisement in communities around the world. The organization’s immediate goal is to build schools to serve the poorest areas of Haiti, providing an education, hot meals, clean drinking water and regular medical treatments to the children living in the slums.
Artists for Peace and Justice is a non-profit organization supporting communities in Haiti through programs in education, health and dignity. With your help, Artists for Peace and Justice is removing the barriers poverty poses to a future of opportunity for children in Haiti.
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Ian Somerhalder – Ian Somerhalder Foundation
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The IS FOUNDATION mission aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.
The IS FOUNDATION is 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.
The global problems and challenges we are facing are infinitely interconnected and co-dependent, therefore our solutions and actions must be enacted in an interconnected manner. There are numerous causes, many campaigns and organizations aiming to encourage change, which includes ending deforestation, planting trees, eliminating pesticides and healing our planet.
The IS FOUNDATION will behave in full collaborative spirit by joining with other Non-Profit, For-Profit and governing bodies globally.
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Jordin Sparks – The M.A.D. Girls Inc
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The M.A.D. Girls Inc, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, serves the community as a management group. They help individuals or organizations identify and implement projects to benefit a cause or humanitarian effort of interest.
The M.A.D. Girls Inc achieve their goals by promoting and encouraging corporate and individual social responsibility. By actively engaging in localized efforts to raise awareness, and by supporting activities that enhance the well-being of the less fortunate, we can make a difference.
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Christy Turlington Burns – Every Mother Counts
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Christy Turlington Burns is the founder of Every Mother Counts. She has a successful career as a model but devotes her energy to her family and her non profit. After the birth of her own child, Christy realized there were mothers around the world that were not receiving the care that they needed or deserved to deliver their babies safely. She produced a documentary on the subject called No Woman No Cry.
Every Mother Counts is an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal mortality reduction globally. Every Mother Counts seeks to engage new audiences to better understand the challenges and the solutions while encouraging them to take action to improve the lives of girls and women worldwide.
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