A recent fundraising event in the Hamptons hosted by Amy Green and her husband, Gary, helped raise $500,000 for the African Community & Conservation Foundation and Tusk Trust, the African conservation charity led by Prince William. The soiree saw many celebrities in attendance, including Paula Abdul, Armand Peri, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Quinton Aaron, gathering together for a good cause with hopes of raising funds to support Africa and its conservation efforts.
Giving Back to Organizations That Care for the African Communities
The African Community & Conservation Foundation (ACCF) is a non-profit organization started by those with a genuine desire to protect wildlife zones throughout the region, emphasizing conservation efforts that benefit the animals and people living within nearby communities. The foundation aims to raise funds needed to prevent poaching, conserve beautiful land, and connect with community members, offering the necessary assistance to help them survive and thrive, even during some of the most challenging times. Tusk Trust, the other charitable organization supporting African communities, seeks to strengthen African conservation efforts to help community members and wildlife.
As two organizations Amy Green holds near and dear to her heart, the decision to host the event in the Hamptons to raise money for a good cause was a no-brainer. Giving back to African communities through philanthropic efforts is more critical than ever in the aftermath of the global Covid-19 pandemic, and Amy is well aware of that.
Unbelievable Devastation Caused by the Global Pandemic
While the COVID-19 pandemic took a massive toll on the world as we know it, African communities experienced tremendous suffering, with previous conservation efforts at significant risk due to growing economic challenges. Although the virus created extreme devastation by eliminating thousands of jobs for the people of Africa, the war between Russia and Ukraine has also contributed to the struggle, causing a massive global food crisis. As a result, much of the food supply is no longer available. A lack of food will only continue to contribute to the destruction of communities throughout the continent, creating more significant cause for concern.
Understanding the full extent of the dire situation, Amy Green agreed to bring some of her closest allies together to support such a crucial mission, ultimately helping raise funds needed to help Africa. Unsurprisingly, Paula Abdul, known for supporting the World Food Program, decided to attend the event to support a good cause.
“I’m incredibly passionate about the mission of these organizations and how committed they are to making a difference to those throughout Africa. Tusk and The African Community & Conservation Foundation have dedicated their time and effort to sustaining incredible land, preventing poaching, and helping with food security to ensure that the people within these communities have nourishing food to consume each day,” shared Paula. “It’s my honor to attend such an event to raise awareness of what’s going on in Africa and help others see the value in making a contribution that can drastically improve lives and protect the continent. Every contribution counts.”
Raising Funds for a Good Cause
The event began with a special auction that enabled guests to bid on various items for a chance to go home with something extraordinary in exchange for their contribution. The auction itself helped raise more than $250,000 for the non-profit organizations. While in attendance, Paula Abdul also encouraged attendees to support another African initiative, the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, which started with the goal of helping rangers throughout the continent with a focus on conservation efforts to prevent the extinction of thousands of animals native to Africa. Rangers play an integral role in conservation efforts by preventing the poaching of rhinos and elephants, ultimately protecting the animals and keeping them out of harm’s way.
By the end of the night, guests of the entertaining event helped raise a staggering $500,000, proving it was quite a success as one of three events where the ACCF and Tusk joined forces to raise funds. The CEOs of both organizations are experiencing overwhelming feelings of joy knowing that the money raised can support their latest endeavors that involve reducing food scarcity and protecting wildlife through anti-poaching efforts.
When asked about the immense support, ACCF’s CEO, Brady Forseth, said, “We’re in awe of the generosity of others and are incredibly thankful for their contributions to our non-profit organization. The thousands of dollars raised last night will undoubtedly make a difference in the lives of many throughout Africa, bolstering our conservation programs and increasing the level of aid we can provide to thousands of community members. We look forward to the positive impact these funds can and will make on African communities, especially those throughout some of the most rural areas.”
Brady Forseth wasn’t the only one excited about the contributions others were willing to make to protect Africa’s people, land, and animals. Charles Mayhew, CEO of Tusk, said, “We’ve collaborated with ACCF to increase our impact with an all-hands-on-deck approach to helping African communities. It’s been wonderful working with the organization and others, including Paula Abdul and Amy Green, who so kindly hosted this exciting soiree for dozens of attendees. When joining forces like this and getting everyone involved in our mission, we can be the change we wish to see in life.”
Amy Green, recent ACCF Ambassador, agreed with Charles’ sentiment on getting together for a good cause and joining forces to make a difference for the people of Africa.
“Gary and I felt incredibly honored to host the Karibu Africa event. We’re firm believers in the importance of helping others and doing what we can to make a positive change, which is why this event was such a big deal. Knowing that we’ve managed to raise such a significant amount of money tells us that we’re certainly doing something right here,” shared Amy. “We hold many of these things close to our hearts, including education, food security, and sustainability. We’re also true animal lovers who want to see wildlife thrive and survive instead of losing their lives due to a lack of conservation. With that in mind, it made the most sense for us to help two organizations with similar values and beliefs that look forward to assisting the people and animals in Africa. These missions have even inspired me to become an Ambassador for the ACCF. I’m excited to continue helping the organization as much as possible.”
As a guest attending the event, Quinton Aaron of The Blind Side said, “The event was spectacular. It was everything you’d expect and more. We all had a great time getting together with some of the most amazing non-profit organizations, knowing how much effort they put into helping Africa and how much of a difference the funds raised can make for many communities.”
Also in attendance was Armand Peri, innovative author, bodybuilder, and the CEO of Hunk-O-Mania in New York City. While excited to attend the event for a good cause, Armand brought his wife Francielle and daughter Sophia Peri with him to enjoy the experience.
Known for his massive following on Instagram, with more than 10 million people watching his every move on social media, Armand helped the event gain traction and publicity by posting about it and the names of the charities to his following and supporting the cause before the event even began. “Contributing to the foundations that aim to help the African people and wildlife was incredibly important to my family and me. I believe in the good these organizations are doing with their steadfast conservation efforts and look forward to seeing the progress made from the funds raised,” said Mr. Peri. While the event was undoubtedly one for the books, with thousands of dollars raised for these charitable organizations to assist the African people and protect their communities, it doesn’t stop there. ACCF and Tusk will continue collaborating during future events while serving African communities throughout the continent. In addition, Prince William, a noteworthy patron of Tusk Trust, will push for funding to help support rangers in different parts of Africa, bringing more rangers on board to protect the animals, prevent poaching, and support wildlife.