Brad Pitt Heats Up Clinton Global Initiative Session On Climate Change

Hello from the Clinton Global Initiative! Hollywood film star Brad Pitt just pledged $5 million toward rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans at the Clinton Global Initiative on Wednesday afternoon.

"We're prepared to break ground by the end of the year, but we need your help," the actor said of his commitment to helping rebuild the New Orleans area hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. "We will match dollar for dollar any and every single contribution up to $10 million."

Pitt is working with film producer Steve Bing on the 'Make It Right' project. The effort seeks to install 150 affordable and sustainable homes. Bing also pledged $5 million in matching donations.

The male half of the Brangelina celebrity phenomenon spoke of the work his group already had performed in support of the project. The three day event in New York is an opportunity for the keepers of 602 such 'commitments' to report progress on pledges they made at earlier CGI gatherings, and make new ones.

The star of last year's Oscar-nominated film 'Babel' also sounded off on architectural design. He joked that it was important to make the houses affordable, "and not have it look like a Prius," before he admitted that he owns two of the boxy hybrid cars.

Will that be it for the excitement? In our elbows out news cycle, Pitt's star power gives off light and has a gravitational pull. But do we care as much about Merck's work to spread its Gardasil vaccine to protect women and girls from cervical cancer and HPV, or the use of micro-loans through Kiva.org to offer up seed capital and help the world's poor?

There are certainly a lot of other good stories to tell here, and we're waiting to hear what comes next.

Comments

[MHBoston]

It's nice to hear a bit of good news after all the horrible stories of the past few days (Burma, Iraq, etc.). Say what you will about Brad Pitt, but he's putting his money where his mouth is, which is a lot more than I could say for many of his Hollywood brothers and sisters.

[vippy]

I don't care what the politics of this action are as long as some poor chap and/or family
profits from this. Not that it is going to hurt Brad Pitt any!

[BowlingForRevenge]

Bless his little pea picken heart!
X's & O's to Mr Pitt for doing what the rest of deep pockets Hollywood won't do...COMMIT FINANCIALLY without a wit about how it will fatten someones bottom line.
While a business here and a restaurant there will help the tax base GRADUALLY only BIG MONEY commitments will EVER make a difference.

After listening on Martha Stewart (when Pres. Clinton visited)to how $1000 can maintain a school for 100 children in Sudan for a whole year I understand that folks want BANG for their BUCKS as it's so much more impressive to say I TOTALLY UNDERWROTE THE COST of a school in Africa for a year than I donated $1000 to the 9th WARD rebulding effort which was gobbled up in paperwork and probably bought toner cartridges for someones printer!

HOLLYWOOD I believe Mr Pitt has thrown down the glove....who will pick it up now??????

[SpanishDancer]

Does anybody else find it interesting that the release of the long-stalled and problematic Jesse James movie JUST SO HAPPENS to coincide with the Clinton Global Initiative, where both Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie JUST SO HAPPEN to be glamorous invitees with impressive initiatives to unveil? How convenient! THEY ALWAYS DO THIS ... THEY USE THEIR "CHARITY" (and their politically correct brown children) to polish their images and sell their films, among other nefarious motives. They've been doing it for years. What a pity more people can't see through this scam ...

[brooklyncitizen]

This is a very small-minded post.

What IS a scam is what Bush and FEMA and Louisiana's Governor have allowed to happen to the residents of the 9th ward. Years after the fact,after ALLOWING the levees to collapse, housing projects have been closed down and residents are still scatterd all over the country without having received as much as a ticket back home.THeir houses have not been repaired and frankly it is clear that the intention is not to have certain residents return...oh and yes, billions have been pilfered from all the aide money we sent in.

And you are accusing Brad Pitt of a scam.Sad.

[KenoshaMarge]

Politically correct brown children? Good grief you really had to dig down to find something so low to say about someone who is doing the terrible deed of trying to help New Orleans and it's people. Lucky for you that you haven't the class to understand how despicable what you wrote is to people with even a modicum of decency.

[mommadona]

I consider Brad Pitt one of the shining examples of humane maleness in this 21st century.

Kudos to him and his family.

[egret106]

Thank you and bless you, Brad Pitt. You and Angelina are two of the people I admire the most. Your willingness to help those in need whether here or abroad shows a compassionate heart. Louisiana appreciates everything you do.

[Qbear]

THANK YOU Brad Pitt

You are more impressive every day, and you are SAVVY about spreading your seed money into various neighborhoods, so the city has to restore water and electricty to all the city.

BRAVO!

[AngFL]

Great work Brad! You are probably already aware of this, but as a reminder and as a way to encourage employment and opportunity for the native New Orleanians trying to recover and live their lives in N.O.
Black Contractors Say They're Excluded
WDSU - Wednesday 20 August 2007
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/082907F.shtml
New Orleans - Black contractors who claim they've been frozen out of New Orleans' rebuilding are calling on Congress and federal prosecutors to investigate the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
At a news conference, the local chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors said federal agencies continue to dole out billions of dollars to large corporations. The group also said it might resort to protests to get its message out.

[GregSolo]

Why can't people just be happy about it? Oh, yeah. Most people love to hate. Not very progressive. Bitch. Bitch. Bitch.

[average joe]

Brat Pitt Don't waste your money or your time. It's gone and the idiots and the criminals are in charge. The tourism is dead. Only crazy people live below sea level it's going to happen again. A waste of time and money. Get out while you can.

[JScott]

Anyone checking up to make sure he follows thru?

[tdh]

It's great that celebrities are generous and civic minded, but why does Brad Pitt make such violent movies? The damage those extremely violent pictures do to minds may outstrip any good he's doing philanthropically. He seems obsessed with violence -- not a great example for his, or anybody's, kids. The guy's good looking and decent enough, but, man, he's making his bucks perpetuating and glorifying violence. Disconnect.

[brooklyncitizen]

Men love violence.

It's everywhere: video games, sports, war, movies....

[Witchitalineman]

Good for Mr. Pitt.

[notyourproblemYET]

but god bless Brad Pitt..hes being used by the gov who would have him hung in a heart beat if he spoke out to much..ironic isnt it.

[notyourproblemYET]

let me clarify..Pitt is a good man..i just feel his generosity like so many celebrities is enabling the the government to break promises.I commend Pitt....in the end..if people like hin DIDNT get involved..imagine how much worse things would be.

[notyourproblemYET]

Americans have given ENOUGH to NO..THE GOVERNMENT was supposed to do something by now.
Dont give another ecnt to NO ..demand the millions we already SENT(i sent $100)be used already!Americans are in debt!The government has betrayed NO and the more we donate.the more THE GOV can sit back and pretned Katrina never happened.