Michael Jackson's Donations and Contributions

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:17:32 +0100

January, 1979:

Michael Jackson donates an unspecified number of books, including Peter Pan to the Chicago Public Library's Young Adult Section and promotes reading through a library program called Boogie to the Book Beat

July, 1981:

Concert in Atlanta Georgia, Triumph Tour, - benefit concert raises $100,000 at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia for the Atlanta Children's Foundation in response to a series of kidnappings and murders that had been plaguing the children of Atlanta for months.

January 10, 1984:

During the filming of Pepsi commercials, Michael Jackson is burned. As a result of the on-set accident, he is admitted to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California. Despite palm-sized second and third-degree burns to the back of his head when pyrotechnics, somehow, went awry, Jackson visited several other burn patients and later donated a hyperbaric chamber (used to treat burn victims) in addition to a large donation toward preparing and equipping the Michael Jackson Burn Center.

April 9, 1984:

David Smithee, a 14-year-old boy who suffers from cystic fibrosis is invited to Michael's home. It was David's last wish to meet Michael. He dies 7 weeks later.

April 14, 1984:

Michael equips a 19-bed-unit at Mount Senai New York Medical Center. This center is part of the T.J. Martell-Foundation for leukemia and cancer research.

July 5, 1984:

Michael Jackson and his family hold a press conference to announce the changing of the ticket distribution system for the Victory Tour. During his speech, he announces, "Finally, and most importantly, .... I want you to know that when I first agreed to tour, I decided to donate all the money I make from our performances to charity." Three charities benefited from Michael's generosity: The United Negro College Fund established the Michael Jackson Scholarship Fund which, by 1988, had provided scholarships for 70 students at UNCF member schools, Camp Good Times for terminally ill children and the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia and Cancer Research

July 14, 1984:

The Jacksons, performing in Jacksonville, Florida entertain eight children suffering from incurable diseases. Fourteen-year-old Malanda Cooper, a young victim, who has only a short time to live, writes the Major asking to meet Michael. Michael meets her backstage

prior to a performance. Later 700 disadvantaged children are treated to the show.

July, 1984:

The Jacksons perform at Texas Stadium in Dallas, donating 1200 tickets to underprivileged children (valued at $39,000).

August, 1984:

As negotiations for a performance in Gary, Indiana break down, the Jacksons transport forty children from the Thelma Marshall Children's Home for orphans, foster children and abandoned children, The Hoosier Boys Home and the Donzels Work Study Program for high school students working toward a college education to Detroit, Michigan for the third performance there.

September, 1984:

David Smithey a fourteen year-old fan, through the auspices of the Brass Ring Society, fulfills a lifelong dream. He is invited to visit Michael Jackson in his home in Encino. David, a victim of cystic fibrosis had long wished to meet Jackson. The two young people shared an afternoon watching movies in the private screening room, eating lunch and playing video games. Before leaving, he was treated by the superstar to a black sequined glove and his red leather jacket from Beat It. Seven weeks later, David Smithey died.

December 13, 1984:

Michael visits the Brotman Memorial Hospital, where he had been treated when he was burned very badly during the producing of a Pepsi commercial. He donates all the money he receives from Pepsi, $1.5 million, to the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children.

January 28, 1985:

Michael Jackson is one of the first artists to arrive at A&M Lion Share Studios for the historic recording which brought dozens of nationally acclaimed artists together in the hope of alleviating famine in Africa. In an all night session, the largest-grossing single in the history of the recording arts, We Are The World, is recorded, spawning a videocassette and a book, all the proceeds of which would be funneled directly through to famine relief efforts. The famine relief efforts of this recording resulted in over $60 million dollars being channeled directly into the countries most affected. Michael Jackson contributed to the effort not only as featured artist, but co-wrote the song with Lionel Ritchie and recorded the demo tracks distributed to the participating artists.

March, 1985:

Michael Jackson visits a young girl who was paralyzed in a car accident in Miami, Florida. Later, he sent her a tape of the Victory Tour concerts and a tour jacket.

1986:

Michael set up the "Michael Jackson UNCF Endowed Scholarship Fund". T1986

his $1.5 million fund is aimed towards students majoring in performance art and communications, with money given each year to students attending a UNCF member college or university.

February 28, 1986:

After having had a heart-transplant, 14-year-old Donna Ashlock from California gets a call from Michael Jackson. He had heard that she is a big fan of him. Michael invites her to his home as soon as she is feeling better. This visit takes place on March 8th. Donna stays for dinner and watches a movie together with Michael.

October, 1986:

Michael's Pets, a line of stuffed animals modeled after Michael Jackson's zoo is released to market.

Michael Jackson requests that from each purchase, one dollar should be donated to a children's charity.

September, 1987:

Michael Jackson donates $20,000 to the family of a young Japanese boy, Yoshiyaki, who had been recently kidnapped and killed. News footage of his empathy with Yoshiyaki and his family shows a highly emotional Michael Jackson addressing the incident, "I am very sorry and deeply saddened to hear about Yoshiyaki. If I could, I would like to rush to his parents to express my words of sympathy and pay tribute to Yoshiyaki. I would like to dedicate my Japanese tour to Yoshiyaki.. Yoshiyaki, I know you're out there watching us. I hope such a brutal and heartbreaking thing never happens again. And I love you." Jackson then proceeded into the song I Just Can't Stop Loving You.

October 1987:

At the end of his Bad Tour, Michael donates some personal items to the UNESCO for a charitable auction. The proceeds will be for the education of children in developing countries. Among the items were sunglasses, t-shirts and a windbreaker.

November, 1987:

Michael Jackson donates 10,000 pounds to the Children in Need Appeal in Britain.

November, 1987:

Michael Jackson visits a children's hospital while touring in Australia.

February 1, 1988:

The Song "Man In the Mirror" enters the charts. The proceeds from the sales of this record goes to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a camp for children who suffer from cancer.

April 1988:

Free tickets are given away for three concerts in Atlanta, Georgia to the Make A Wish Foundation.

April, 1988:

It is announced that 4,000 tickets from Michael Jackson's concerts in Britain will be donated to ITV Telethon which will raise 200,000 pounds for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.

May 22, 1988:

Michael visits children who suffer from cancer in the Bambini-Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome. He signs autographs and gives away sweets and records to the little patients. He promises a check of 100,000 pounds to the hospital.

July 16, 1988:

Before a concert at Wembley Stadium Michael meets the Prince of Wales and his wife Diana. He hands over a check of 150,000 pounds for the Prince's Trust, and a check of 100,000 pounds for the children's hospital at Great Ormond Street. He also contributes to the Wishing Well Fund, established to help finance the construction of a new building for London's Hospital for Sick Children. Michael toured the hospital and visited with some of the patients.

July 20, 1988:

Michael visits terminally ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. At a unit for less critical patients he stays a little bit longer and tells a story.

August 29, 1988:

At his 30th birthday Michael performs a concert in Leeds, England for the English charity-organization "Give For Life". The goal of this organization is the immunization of children. Michael presents a check for 65,000 pounds. The proceeds from the concert were contributed toward helping immunize 40,000 children.

November 1988:

One hundred tickets to the Atlanta, Georgia Bad Tour concerts were given to the Children's Wish Foundation to be distributed to terminally ill children.

December 1988:

Michael visits 12-year-old David Rothenburg. His father had 5 years earlier burned him very badly in an act of revenge against his former wife.

January 1989:

The proceeds of one of Michael's shows in Los Angeles are donated to Childhelp USA, the biggest charity-organization against child-abuse. In appreciation of the contributions of Michael, Childhelp of Southern California is founding the "Michael Jackson International Institute for Research On Child Abuse".

January 10, 1989:

The Bad Tour comes to an end. Under-privileged children are donated tickets for each concert and Michael donates money to hospitals, orphanages and charity-organizations. During many of the stops Michael is joined backstage prior to the concert with ill children from the local areas in which he performs. Seth Riggs, Michael's vocal coach, remarks, "Every night the kids would come in on stretchers, so sick they could hardly hold their heads up. Michael would kneel down at the stretchers and put his face right down beside theirs so that he could have his picture taken with them, and then give them a copy to remember the moment."

February 7, 1989:

Michael visits the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California. Some weeks earlier a 25-year-old man had fired at the school's playground. 5 children had been killed and 39 had been wounded. Many of those present reported that Jackson's visit helped them to feel safe again.

March 5, 1989:

Michael invites 200 deprived children of the St. Vincent Institute for handicapped children and of the organization Big Brothers and Big Sisters to the Circus Vargas in Santa Barbara. After this event he invites them to his ranch to introduce his private zoo at his Neverland Ranch to them.

November 13, 1989:

The organization "Wishes Granted" helps 4-year-old Darian Pagan, who suffers from leukemia to meet Michael. Michael invites the little boy to a performance of Canadian acrobats.

December 28, 1989:

Young Ryan White, who suffers from hemophilia, spends his holidays on Michael's ranch. Ryan had been infected with AIDS by contaminated blood transfusions in 1984. After he was excluded from his school in Kokomo, Ryan fought against the discrimination of AIDS victims.

January 6, 1990:

Michael invites 82 abused and neglected children through Childhelp to his Neverland Ranch. There are games, a Barbeque and a movie show provided for them.

July 1990:

45 children from the Project Dream Street, Los Angeles, for children with life-threatening illness are invited to Neverland Valley.

August 18, 1990:

Michael invites 130 children of the YMCA summer program of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara to his Neverland Ranch. They enjoy a barbecue, play video games, visit his zoo and watch movies. Each child takes home a free pair of sneakers.

October, 1990:

Michael throws a party for eighty abused or neglected children from the Village of Childhelp in Beaumont, California. Later he hosted fifty children from Maclaren Hall and the Make a Wish Foundation at his home in California.

July 26, 1991:

Michael pays a visit to the Youth Sports & Art Foundation in Los Angeles. This Foundation supports families of gang members, and helps dealing with drug-abuse. Michael talks to the kids and presents them with a wide-screen TV set and a financial gift.

December 1991:

Michael's office MJJ Productions treats needy families in Los Angeles with more than 200 turkey dinners.

February 1992:

Within 11 days Michael covers 30,000 miles in Africa, to visit hospitals, orphanages, schools, churches, and institutions for mentally handicapped children.

February 3, 1992:

At a press conference at the New York Radio City Music Hall, Michael announces that he is planning a new world tour, to raise funds for his new "Heal The World" Foundation. This Foundation will support the fight against AIDS, Juvenile Diabetes and will support the Camp Ronald McDonald and the Make A Wish Foundation.

May 6, 1992:

Michael Jackson pays for a young boy's funeral who had been killed by a stray bullet during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, California.

June 23, 1992:

At a press conference in London, Michael makes an announcement about his Heal The World Foundation.

June 26, 1992:

Michael presents the Mayor of Munich, Mr. Kronawitter, with a 40,000 DM-check for the needy people of the city.

June 29, 1992:

Michael visits the Sophia Children's Hospital in Rotterdam and presents a check for 100,000 pounds.

July 1992:

Michael donated L. 821,477,296 to La Partita del Cuore (The Heart Match) in Rome and donated 120,000 DM to children's charities in Estonia and Latvia.

July 25, 1992:

On the occasion of a concert in Dublin, Ireland, Michael announces that he will give 400,000 pounds of the tour earnings to various charities.

July 29, 1992:

Michael visits the Queen Elizabeth Children's Hospital in London. To the surprise the children, he brings Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from Euro-Disney to the hospital.

July 31, 1992:

On the Eve of his second concert at Wembley Stadium, Michael presents Prince Charles with a check of 200,000 pounds for the Prince's Trust.

August 16, 1992:

6 year old Nicholas Killen, who lost his eyesight caused by a life aiding cancer surgery, meets Michael backstage in Leeds, England.

August, 1992:

The first Heal The World European Children's Congress meets in London, England. Eighty-four children between the ages of 8 and 16 come together to express their views on the world's biggest problems and the solutions, as they see them. Despite a case of laryngitis, Michael Jackson arrives at Regent's College after lunch and stays for approximately four hours

September 1992:

Michael donated 1 million pesetas to charity headed by the Queen of Spain.

September 30, 1992:

President Iliescu of Romania inaugurates a playground for 500 orphans which Michael has financed. Michael discusses his Heal The World Foundation.

October 1, 1992:

Michael chooses a concert in Bucharest, Romania for worldwide television broadcast. Bucharest is a logical choice due to the numerous orphanages the country is known for.

November 24, 1992:

At Kennedy Airport in New York, Michael supervises the loading of 43 tons of medication, blankets, and winter clothes destined for Sarajevo. The Heal The World Foundation collaborates with AmeriCares to bring resources totaling $2.1 million to Sarajevo. They will be allocated under the supervision of the United Nations.

December 10, 1992:

During a press conference at the American Ambassy in Tokyo Michael is presented with a check for $100,000 for the Heal The World Foundation by Tour Sponsor Pepsi.

And his list of Giving Goes On and On!

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Michael Jackson's Donations and Contributions