Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken (born Clayton Holmes Grissom on November 30, 1978) is an American popular music singer who rose to fame on the American Idol television program, and who has become the most successful second-place finisher in that show's history.

Charitable work

Apart from his music career, Aiken has been dedicated to advocating for education and for children's causes. His interest in autism issues led him to found the Bubel-Aiken Foundation, which supports the integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of their nondisabled peers. The BAF runs summer camps which reflect this mission, and also presents Able to Serve awards to support the volunteer efforts of children with physical and mental disabilities. The BAF was recently presented with a $500,000 grant from the US government to develop a curriculum for inclusion to be used in schools across the country.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aiken has donated his time and his voice to multiple benefit events and concerts, including the 2004 Rosalynn Carter Benefit, the America's Promise Benefit, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (where he sung a duet with Heather Headley). He was one of the celebrity readers for the "Arthur Celebrity Audiobook (Stories for Heroes Series)," which benefits the BAF and other charities, and served as spokesperson for the series. He was also a spokeperson for the 2004 Toys For Tots drive, and is an ambassador for the Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®).

Related Topics:
Rosalynn Carter - Heather Headley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2004, he was appointed U.S. Fund for UNICEF National Ambassador, with a mission to help ensure that children everywhere are afforded a primary education. Through his work with UNICEF, he participated in the NBC4 telethon, which raised over $10 million, and recorded public service announcements in support of South Asian tsunami relief. He later recorded a video, featuring the song "Give a Little Bit," to be used as a public service announcement (PSA) to raise money for tsunami victims.

Related Topics:
UNICEF - Tsunami

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In March 2005, UNICEF sent Aiken to the tsunami-stricken Banda Aceh area to raise awareness for the need to restore education quickly to the children who survived this disaster, in order to provide stability in a time of great loss. In April 2005, on behalf of UNICEF, he appeared before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs of the Committee on Appropriations. In May 2005, Unicef sent Aiken on another mission, to Uganda, to raise awareness for the plight of children in this civil-war torn country.

Related Topics:
Banda Aceh - Uganda

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aiken is the 2005 spokesperson for the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF drive.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~