In our world of political scandals and problematic policies, a little light from time to time is necessary to keep people’s hopes up. Celebrities are often judged and shunned by the public and the media. But it’s important to take note when their humanity shows. Here are some socially beneficial deeds done by some of the most famous celebrities.

Matt Damon

Star of big hits like “Good Will Hunting,” “The Martian,” and “Jason Bourne,” Matt Damon does more for the world behind the scenes than he does for entertainment. In 2006, he established a clean water initiative called the H20 Africa Foundation. He has also donated to various foundations like Red Cross, UNICEF, Save The Children, and over 30 more.

Ed Sheeran

In October of 2018, the singer songwriter Ed Sheeran donated over 300 personal items to support a charity organization called Zest, which supports terminally-ill young adults.

Aziz Ansari

Famous for his performance in shows like NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” and his Netflix special “Master of None,” Aziz Ansari has done a lot such as hosting a benefit for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing at the Wilbur Theater in Boston. He has also voiced a talking goat in a video by Oxfam America to encourage overall donations.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber has done a lot that many do not know about. He has granted over 250 Make-A-Wish-Foundation requests, donated over $500k to an AIDS charity, and in 2013 even traveled to Guatemala with an organization called Pencils of Promise to physically help build a school.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio is a huge advocate and activist for the environment. He has brought attention and funding to matters concerning the protection of biodiversity, climate change, ocean, forest change, and more. He has done all this through his non-profit organization “The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation,” which is dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of all living creatures on Earth.

J.K. Rowling

Well known for her achievements as an author, JK Rowling has established a charitable organization called Volant. Through Volant, she has donated to a variety of causes. She also founded Lumos, a non profit international children’s organization for the safe development for children.

Keanu Reeves

The star of “The Matrix” recently revealed that he has secretly been funding a private cancer research organization for years, claiming that he does not “like to attach his name to it.” He also donates to an organization called SCORE (Spinal Cord Opportunities for Rehabilitation Endowment), which helps recovery for hockey players with spinal cord injuries.

Beyonce

Everyone knows of Beyonce, but less people know of the long list of charitable work she has done. One example is the establishment of the Survivor Foundation, which is an organization to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. She has also raised over $82,000 for the victims of the Flint water crisis by donating ticket profits from a concert. On top of that she co-founded an organization called Chime For Change which helps girls by giving them education, power, and justice.

Despite these efforts, there are many who remain skeptical of celebrities. Some believe that truly good hearted celebrities do exist, but they are in the minority.

“Some celebrities do it in a heartfelt way, actually caring about the subject of what they do, like Steve Irwin,” sophomore Pranesh Ambokar says. “But most seem to just want publicity.”

Regardless of the motives of celebrities and their good work, it is important that people see the outcomes of what they do. In the end, people and situations will still be helped.