Photos: (Getty)
By Melissa Unger
It’s the season for giving, but some of our favorite celebrities have got an jump on us all. Famous faces like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber have been giving all year around. But these celebrities have taught us that giving comes in all shape and sizes and that they don't have to be large or planned, but simply just come from the heart.
Here are our top picks of celebrities who have inspired us to practice kindness and pass it on to others. Also, don't forget Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week Feb. 10-16, 2014! Pass it on!
+ Justin Bieber Helps a Homeless Woman
Photo: (Instagram/JustinBieber)
The globe trekking mega star that is Justin Bieber is not too busy to help out on a whim. While driving through L.A. he saw a homeless women asking for money. She was holding a sign that read "just need some help." Justin simple rolled down the window of his car and handed that distressed woman a few bucks. Then Justin took to Instagram to post a photo of the act to inspire others with the caption, "Always give back."
+ Taylor Swift Donates on Her Birthday
Photo: (Getty)
Leave it to Taylor Swift to put others before herself. She chose to celebrated her 24th birthday by putting others first. This year on her 24th birthday the pop star donated $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony in Tennessee. This comes after the singer had already donated $4 million to endow the new facility at Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.
+ Carrie Underwood Donates $1 Million to the American Red Cross
Photo: (Getty)
Carrie Underwood likes to wrap things up in a big way. The country cutie finished off her 2013 Blown Away Tour in Abbottsford, BC, by donating 1 million dollars to the American Red Cross for disaster relief. The contribution benefited Carrie's home state of Oklahoma after it was struck by devastating tornadoes earlier that year.
+ Lady Gaga Takes Photos With a Homeless Man
Photo: (fameflynet)
Lady Gaga is certainly a lady and she certainly loves all her fans even if they can't afford her album. Fans were waiting to take photos with Gaga outside her motel when the singer noticed a homeless man. Planning on getting a pic with him he told her “But I smell.” To which she replied, “Don’t worry, I smell too.” Reportedly she gave the man some money, and posed for a series of pictures with him and even gave him a rose.
+ Lupe Fiasco Makes One Fan's Dream Come True
Photo: (NecoleBitchie)
Proving music can heal, Lupe Fiasco made one of his fans actually feel better. Ola Ojewumi is a 22 year old defying the odds after receiving a kidney transplant at the age 12. Sick and wheelchair bound, the girl that was told that she wouldn't live to see age 20 attended one of his concerts when she caught his eye. Lupe sang his song "Superstar" to her and even met her backstage for some personal time and photos.
+ Tom Hanks Surprises a Fan
Photo: (YouTube/RitaAbraham)
Tom Hanks made Sarah Moretti's day. The legendary actor took time out of his schedule from Broadway's "Lucky Guy" to meet with Sarah who suffers from Autism. Sarah wrote dozens of letters to Tom, who made her dream come true.
+ Ellen Gives Waitress a $10,000 Check
Photo: ("Ellen")
Do we even need to include Ellen on this list? I mean shouldn't one of the most generous people in Hollywood have her own list? With all the nice and surprising things the dancing queen does throughout the year it was hard to pick just one of her many acts of kindness, but this one warmed our heart. Back in October, Ellen invited Sarah Hoidahl, a 22-year-old single mother and waitress at Ruby Tuesday in Concord, New Hampshire to her show. Due the government shutdown, some National Guard soldiers were furloughed and Sarah treated them to a meal by paying the bill of $27.75 even though that day Sarah only made $8 from waitressing. Ellen decided that no good deed should not go unnoticed, so she paid Sarah back for the bill, threw a new TV (since Sarah doesn't have one at all) and topped it off with a $10,000 check.
+ John Mayer Buys a Guitar for Fan
Photo: (Instagram/juliefermin)
John Mayer is a class act, especially when he and girlfriend Katy Perry popped into a music shop in New York City's SoHo neighborhood. John and Katy bumped into a fan, Julie Fermin, who was admiring an expensive guitar. After taking pictures with the famous couple, Julie admitted that she couldn't afford the guitar. Unbeknownst to Julie, John purchased it for her after he left the store.