Avril Lavigne Announces Charitable Foundation

Published on: 2010/09/17 - in Entertainment Featured

This week, award winning singer/songwriter Avril Lavigne announced the launch of The Avril Lavigne Foundation.

Her foundation will partner with leading charitable organizations to design and deliver programs, raise awareness and mobilize support for children and youth living with a serious illness or a disability.

Lavigne explained that the catalyst for this decision was hearing about the personal experiences of her fans living with a serious illness or a disability.

“I am always amazed to see how these young people work so hard to not let their circumstances define them,” Avril wrote. “They want what we all want: the chance to pursue their dreams, and to believe that anything in life is possible.”

After learning about the huge numbers of children in the United States and around the world who have special health care needs, she decided to do whatever she could to bring some fun and joy and inspiration into their lives as well as support their health care needs.

Avril Lavigne already has an extensive history of supporting many charities since become an international music sensation in 2002.

During her last concert tour, she took time to meet fans with special needs in a number of venues, including many cities where formal fan meet-and-greet sessions were not held.

And while touring China, members of the Association of Social Workers presented her with the Certificate of Honor in recognition of her visit with hospitalized children who were injured in the Sichuan province earthquake that year.

The Avril Lavigne Foundation website lists partnerships with Easter Seals, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and The Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis.

On the site, she wrote to fans:

“I have been working with Make a Wish for many years to help seriously sick kids, and I am really excited to partner with Easter Seals in support of children and youth with disabilities. I will be sharing with you all a lot more in the coming year about what The Avril Lavigne Foundation is doing and how you can get involved if you want to support our efforts.”

Lavigne’s website also features videos related to the Foundation, including her recent visit with children at the after school program in Glendale, CA run by Easter Seals.

“I got to tour the state-of-the-art facilities and see the incredible support Easter Seals is able to provide these children,” she wrote about the visit.

Visit The Avril Lavigne Foundation website for more information.

Avril Lavigne was raised in Napanee, Ontario – just 20 minutes West of Kingston.