Catch the Do Something! Awards July 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on VH1.
By Hilary Gridley
What happens at the intersection of cause-driven celebrities and young people who are changing the world? The annual Do Something! Awards, a partnership between VH1 and the country’s biggest organization for young people and social good, DoSomething.org.
Tonight, Sophia Bush will host a night honoring celebrity “do-gooders” who donate money and time while inspiring millions of fans to get involved in the causes they care about. Viewers will get an in-depth look into how five influential superstars use their celebrity status to create change. Three of the honorees have held a place on the music charts: Jennifer Hudson, LL COOL J and Kelly Osbourne.
JENNIFER HUDSON
American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson and her sister Julia Hudson founded The Julian D. King Foundation in honor of Jennifer’s late nephew “to be a catalyst for change in children’s health, education and welfare.” The Foundation provides stability, support and positive experiences for children of all backgrounds to help them become productive, confident and happy adults. Each year, Jennifer and her sister give away school supplies to underprivileged children in Chicago as well as an annual Christmas Toy Drive.
LL COOL J
Famed rapper LL COOL J knows that unlikely partners can join forces to create real change. That’s why he teamed up with New York State Senate President Malcolm A. Smith to found Jump & Ball, an annual basketball tournament and summer athletic camp. The tournament, which takes place in Queens, fosters community cohesiveness and is a place where young people can showcase and cultivate their athletic talent. LL has also supported Chrysalis, an organization that helps the homeless find employment, and was honored by them in 2012.
KELLY OSBOURNE
In June 2012, Kelly Osbourne’s brother, Jack, announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Since then, the family has worked to raise awareness of the disease in hopes of finding a cure. At this year’s annual “Race To Erase M.S.” fundraiser, Kelly presented the charity’s Medal of Hope to Jack and her mother Sharon for their work toward finding a cure for M.S.
In addition, the awards will honor Patrick Dempsey, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and five amazing young people who are already creating positive change in their communities and beyond. Watch the Do Something! Awards tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on VH1 and follow the conversation on Twitter with #DSAwards.