Relentless Giving: Star-Studded Evening raises 1.25 million dollars in support of Artists for Peace and Justice

Held at the majestic Casa Loma (operated by Liberty Entertainment Group), the evening's title sponsor was APJ strategic partner Bovet 1822. Thanks to the exceptional support of Bovet 1822, APJ is able to give 100 per cent of every dollar raised directly to supporting health, dignity and education initiatives in Haiti.

Haggis, Raffy and Bello presented J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO) founder Sean Penn with the second annual Peace and Justice Award, recognizing his extraordinary longstanding commitment to supporting communities in Haiti and promoting the ideals of peace and social justice around the world. Bello started her tribute to Penn by asking guests to declare a word that described him; when the word "Relentless" was sounded, there was a collective sigh of agreement in the room. Other words to describe the award recipient: generous, passionate, kind, fearless. Upon accepting his award, to a standing ovation, Penn encouraged every table in the room to commit to giving at least $1000 each to APJ, many making donations substantially more than this amount.

A live auction throughout the evening, led by auctioneer Stephen Ranger, helped to sell one-of-a-kind experiences that went for impressive amounts in support of the cause, including:

• Attending the premiere of Paul Haggis's Gold, starring Matthew McConaughy;
• soul crooner Maxwell's surprise auction item of accompanying him and Queen of R&B Mary J. Blige on their King + Queen of Hearts world tour. Some bidding from singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado and an offer of a personal massage from Maxwell himself got the auction item to go twice, for $30,000 each
• Furtado's own auction item of a living room concert for 12 people went for $70,000;
• Jeremy Renner promised to be a perfect "gentleman" if someone bid on a date with himself; he promised to be "inappropriate" if someone bid even more. In the end, his auction item, which went for $50,000, was won by a duo Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARDED to go on a double date with the star for the red carpet TIFF premiere of his film The Arrival.
• A day on set with David Simon's new HBO series The Deuce starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal went for $30,000 and;
• $45,000 was pledged for a trip via private jet with George Stroumboulopoulos to the Global Citizen Festival to hear Usher and Metric perform.

Guests in attendance were treated to a musical performance of "It's A Wonderful World" by the indie-soul American singer-songwriter, Arum Rae. Slaight Music artist Kayla Diamond, winner of the label's It's Your Shot contest, also entertained the crowd earlier that evening with her alt-rock tunes.

Additional VIPs who walked the red carpet for the event, included Jimmy Jean-Louis, Maripier Morin, Peter Tunney, Gabriella Wright, Jeanne Beker, Ian Hylton, Drew and Jonathan Scott, and Kevin O'Leary

Immediately following the 2010 earthquake, APJ funded the purchase of land and construction to build Haiti's largest and first free high school, the Academy for Peace and Justice, which serves the poorest and most deserving youth in Port-au-Prince. The Academy reached 2800 students at full capacity in 2016 and celebrated its first graduating class, giving underprivileged children the opportunity to continue their education beyond the sixth grade.

"The Toronto APJ event is the number one fundraiser of our year. Since 2009 when we launched APJ at TIFF, we have been able to give Haitian children a chance to go to school and build a brighter future for their country," says Haggis. "In eight years with the incredible Toronto community and our APJ family, we've accomplished an unbelievable amount, including celebrating the first ever graduation. Thanks to our many supporters, we've made great strides in bringing education, healthcare, and hope to the children of Haiti, but there continues to be so much more that we can do. Tonight, we have honoured our friends and recognized our achievements, but we must maintain the momentum to create jobs, empower young people and help support the next generation of Haitian leaders."

In addition to the generous donations made by event attendees, organizations came together to give back. These included: Bovet 1822, Liberty Entertainment Group, Joe Fresh, Milborne Real Estate, Sentry Investments, Audi, Slaight Music, NKPR, The Farwell Group and The Remington Group

Image selects available for download here.

For more information or to donate now, visit www.apjnow.org or follow Artists for Peace and Justice on Twitter and Instagram @artistsforpeace, and use the hashtag #APJFest16 to see all event highlights. Charitable Registration #82296 2205 RR0001.

About Artists for Peace and Justice
Founded by filmmaker Paul Haggis, Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) is a non-profit organization that encourages peace and social justice and addresses issues of poverty around the world. APJ's immediate goal is to serve the poorest communities in Haiti with programs in education, healthcare, and dignity through the arts. The organization is committed to long-term, sustainable development in direct partnership with the Haitian people. The model is simple: APJ believes in empowering local communities, fostering economic growth, and the power of education to change a nation. APJ is based in New York; David Belle serves as its CEO. To learn more, visit www.apjnow.org  or follow @artistsforpeace on Instagram and Twitter.

About J/P HAITIAN RELIEF ORGANIZATION
J/P Haitian Relief Organization is dedicated to saving lives and bringing sustainable programs to the Haitian people quickly and effectively. Following the tragic earthquake of 2010, J/P HRO began working immediately to make a meaningful and lasting impact in Haiti. The goal of J/P HRO is to support the residents of the camps we manage and surrounding areas transition from life left homeless by the earthquake to durable, sustainable, and prosperous communities. J/P HRO has implemented its mission through four integrated programs: Medical, Camp & Relocations Management, Engineering & Construction, and Community Development/Education. Most recently, J/P HRO has expanded its focus to include a nation-wide reforestation effort called Haiti Takes Root, in coordination with many other governmental and non-governmental organizations. We work with the support of and in collaboration with local and national government leaders, community based organizations, other international NGOs, UN agencies, donors and—most importantly—the community members themselves. More information can be found at www.jphro.org. You can follow J/P HRO on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/JPHRO, add J/P HRO to your Google+ circles at http://bit.ly/jphroplus, and find J/P HRO on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JPHRO.

About Bovet 1822
About Bovet 1822 Since its foundation in 1822, BOVET has artfully combined the most sophisticated mechanisms with the finest craftsmanship, employing artisanal techniques such as gem-setting, engraving, and miniature painting. Under the visionary guidance of Owner Pascal Raffy, BOVET acquired renowned Manufacture DIMIER 1738 in 2006 and immediately began producing the Maison's movements, hair springs, and dials in-house. His passion for Haute Horlogerie also led to the introduction of the remarkable Amadeo® convertible case system, which draws inspiration from the exquisite 19th century pocket watches produced by BOVET for the Chinese Emperor and collectors worldwide. Today, BOVET demonstrates its excellence through varied collections that encompass models as emblematic and remarkable as the Braveheart®, Ottantasei and Shooting Star tourbillons, to name just a few of its icons. www.bovet.com

SOURCE Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ)