How Hollywood Is Getting Into the Giving Spirit

By
ETONLINE

With Christmas just two days away, ET is taking a look at how the stars are giving back this holiday season.

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"This is the time of year where we say to people, 'You're going to go out shopping anyway. You're going to be buying presents for your friends and family, so just leave a little something at the store for the children of St. Jude,'" actress and activist Marlo Thomas told ET.

Her Thanks and Giving campaign is bringing celebrity faces to the cause -- helping to raise funds and awareness.

The That Girl star was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and recognized for her dedication to the kids at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The hospital was founded by her father, comedian and actor Danny Thomas, in 1962.

Kiefer Sutherland is teaming up with a breakfast program for schools called Bobby's Breakfast, which is an initiative of The Humpty Dumpty Institute.

"16.1 million children are not getting breakfast and don't know where their next meal is coming from," Kiefer told ET. "There's something that's refreshing about being involved in something that has an end result."

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The charity will match $22 for every dollar raised and will offer a night out with Kiefer to one lucky winner.

And the cast of CSI made one of their biggest fan's wishes come true when they introduced themselves to 17-year-old Lindsey Wheeler, who has cystic fibrosis.

"When I was younger, for my 7th and 8th birthday, instead of getting presents I asked for money, and we donated it to Make-a-Wish," Lindsey explained. "Now I am getting my own Make-a-Wish, and that is crazy."

CSI has special importance for Lindsey, as she will be studying forensic science in college, so the cast made sure she got some Hollywood forensic training.