Actress Sandra Bullock joined the parade of Hollywood elite donating to the relief effort in Haiti Friday evening, announcing she would give $1 million to help the victims of the devastating earthquake that ravaged the region last week.
Bullock, Madonna and supermodel Gisele Bundchen all pledged aid Friday to Haiti -- Bundchen donated $1.5 million to the cause, while Madonna gave $250,000.
Bullock, who starred this year in "The Blind Side" and "The Proposal," will give $1 million to Doctors Without Borders' emergency operation in Port-au-Prince, the actress announced Friday.
Bundchen, a new mom with husband and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, was "so moved she knew she had to do what she could to help," a source close to the model told People.com. The Boston Globe reported that the donation will be given to the Red Cross.
According to People, Madonna pledged her $250,000 to Partners in Health, a Haitian health care provider.
"Sadly, the depths of the tragedy are just becoming known and the need for our support grows more urgent with every passing moment," she said in a statement. "I urge all of my friends and fans around the world to join me collectively to match my contribution or give in any way you can. We must act now.
Bundchen, Madonna and Bullock are the latest big names to open their checkbooks after Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie donated $1 million to help Haiti recover from the devastating earthquake, and a host of celebrities took to Twitter to urge fans to dig deep for the impoverished island nation.
U.S. & World
They were at the fore of a chorus of A-listers calling for help for Haiti that included Oprah Winfrey, Ben Stiller, Wyclef Jean and several others. George Clooney began planning a telethon similar to the one he hosted for tsunami victims in 2005 almost immediately, and all the major networks plan to air it on Jan. 22.
"I am heartbroken by the catastrophic events of the past six days in Haiti," Bundchen said Friday, People reported. "It is important in times like these that we come together and find ways to help in any way we can."
Pitt and Jolie earmarked their seven-figure gift to Doctors Without Borders, whose three hospitals in the Haitian capital were severely damaged by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake. With functioning hospitals crammed beyond capacity with injured quake victims, the money will go toward medical staff and equipment to build a 100-bed tent hospital with two operating rooms, The Associated Press reported.
"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," Pitt said in a statement.
Wyclef Jean has led a massive fund raising effort to aid his homeland, where he arrived Wednesday. Winfrey, Stiller, Ryan Seacrest, Lindsay Lohan, Adam Lambert, Shakira and Ryan Leslie were among the celebrities tweeting calls for donation
“I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse,” Jean wrote Wednesday on his blog. “The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.”
Coldplay singer Chris Martin urged fans to donate the international charity Oxfam, which set up a special Haitian appeal.
"I visited Haiti with Oxfam a few years ago. It's a country of extreme poverty and brutal living conditions," Martin said. "Most people in Port-au-Prince live in tin shacks. The earthquake that has struck Haiti will have turned the city into an unimaginable hell."
Lee Daniels, director of the film "Precious" said the devastation and suffering made this Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony seem "so unimportant." Daniels' film received three nominations.
"Ultimately, what we do is so unnewsworthy in comparison and so unimportant when you have things like this at hand," Daniels said. "'Precious' seems so unimportant when casualties like that happen."
Haiti-born actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, who plays The Haitian on NBC's "Heroes" has also appealed for help, with tens of thousands feared dead after Tuesday night's quake.
"Haiti is a poor country – and we cannot cope with such a situation. Haiti needs help. We need the basics, water, cans, clothing. So however you can help would be really good for the country," he said in a YouTube clip posted Monday, Access Hollywood reported.
Jean-Louis also revealed in the clip he had not yet made contact with his mother, father, cousins, uncles and friends.
"House" actress Olivia Wilde tweeted a promise to send any fan who donated $200 to Artists for Peace and Justice a personalized video message, MSNBC reported.
Other stars who have reportedly urged their online followers to help out with Haiti relief efforts include Demi Moore, Alyssa Milano, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton.
Coporations and governments were stepping up, too. Irish mobile phone operator Digicel promised $5 million in aid while the European Union has approved $4.37 million in initial relief funding. Canada is giving $4.8 million immediately with a promise of more to come. China is pitching in with $1 million. On Friday, the NFL and the player's union said they were donating $1million.
Click here for a list of ways to help Haiti quake victims.
