Nightly News profiles celebrities 'Making a Difference'
Posted: Sunday, November 08, 2009 10:43 AM by Daily Nightly Editor
Starting Monday, November 9, "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" will launch a week-long series profiling five different actors and artists and their personal commitment to an important cause for the broadcast's "Making a Difference" segments.
One of Nightly News' most popular regular features, "Making a Difference" profiles ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help their neighbors -- or even complete strangers -- in these tough economic times. During this special week, one-on-one interviews with each celebrity, combined with visits to some of the people whose lives they have touched, highlight the incredible work being done around the world.
On Monday night, anchor and managing editor Brian Williams spends time with Jon Bon Jovi. The singer’s Soul Foundation (http://www.jonbonjovisoulfoundation.org) helps create affordable housing for lower income and homeless families in the Philadelphia and New Jersey area. Brian spends the day with Bon Jovi visiting his Philadelphia site, and attending the ribbon-cutting for a playground his foundation helped restore.
Lester Holt interviews Grammy-winning artist Alicia Keys in New York on Tuesday. Alicia Keys is the global ambassador for Keep a Child Alive (http://keepachildalive.org), a foundation that provides life-saving treatment, care and support to families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. Lester traveled to Durban, South Africa, where he found the uplifting stories of some of the people who benefit from Keys' efforts.
Award-winning actress Glenn Close sits down with Anne Thompson in Wednesday’s segment at Fountain House in New York. (http://www.fountainhouse.org) Close is deeply committed to her work with Fountain House, which helps people recovering from mental illness to find jobs, education and housing. Close’s sister, who suffers from mental illness, joins her for the interview.
Natalie Morales interviews another Oscar-winner, Halle Berry at the Jenesse Center (http://www.jenesse.org) for Thursday’s segment. For the last ten years, Berry has vigorously supported the Los Angeles-based center that provides shelter for domestic violence victims and teaches them self-sufficiency. Having had one-on-one interaction with some of these women, Berry vigorously fund-raises and develops partnerships with companies that will bring more awareness to Jenesse Center's services.
And on Friday, Amy Robach interviews country music superstar Tim McGraw. Tim and his wife, singer Faith Hill, founded the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation (http://www.neighborskeeper.org) in 2004 to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Since then, the foundation has helped victims of Hurricane Katrina and provided funding for numerous community charities across the country that enable neighbors to help neighbors -- adults and children from all walks of life. Robach also travels to Baton Rouge, LA, to meet some of the people putting their lives back together with the help of Neighbor's Keeper.
