Philanthropy

As Jeffrey Fashion Cares kicked off its 20th fundraiser and runway show Monday night, the Susan G. Komen of Greater Atlanta and the Atlanta AIDS Fund benefit had a sleek new venue, the John Portman-designed American Cancer Society center downtown and a bright young guest designer to celebrate.

There were opportunities to ride in a NASCAR pace car, getaway to wine country and dine in style at master chef Franck Steigerwald’s private table Saturday night at the American Cancer Society’s Birthdays Ball at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. But dollar for dollar, nothing beat the rare opportunity to paint with the African elephants at Zoo Atlanta during the evening’s spirited live auction. The private painting session for you and five of your closest animal and art aficionados ended up pulling in $5,000 for the charity, retaining 100 percent of the experience’s estimated value (given that the pricey pachyderms each eat about 300 pounds of food a day, the five grand should just about cover the painting session’s catering bill). The black tie fundraiser, presented by Delta, Georgia Power and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia was an evening dedicated to raising money and to raising awareness about the iconic cancer nonprofit celebrating its centennial birthday in 2013.

On the 15th anniversary of VDay, "Vagina Monologues" playwright Eve Ensler is going global with One Billion Rising, planned as the largest day of action in the feminist's long-standing commitment to ending violence against women and girls. In addition to the city of Atlanta declaring Valentine's Day 2013 "A Rape and Violence Free Zone" today (well, the intentions are good even if the reality is unlikely), some of Atlanta's most notable women, men and children are gathering this morning at the state capitol downtown starting at 10 a.m. Locals join One Billion Rising global gatherings in 203 countries in the effort to end assaults against women. Ensler's longtime friend and former Atlantan Jane Fonda is heading up the left coast rising today.

For former Atlanta City Council president and onetime mayoral candidate Lisa Borders, just days into replacing the iconic Ingrid Saunders Jones as Vice-President of Global Community Connections and Coca-Cola Foundation chair, Monday night’s screening of Girl Rising should have been an easy assignment. But the documentary, focusing on the stories of nine girls from across the globe who are beaten, raped, and sold into slavery as they bravely battle to get educations, is anything but easy. The film, produced by the Intel Corporation and distributed by CNN Films, features narration by Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Alicia Keys, and Selena Gomez. It is equally empowering, educational, and at points, harrowing to watch.

Captain Planet Foundation chair Laura Turner Seydel and Atlanta jewelry designer Elizabeth DuPree Lynch had some major scoop to share with us on a recent afternoon at DuPree Lynch's gorgeous Buckhead home. As Atlanta author Elizabeth Dewberry and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" newest cast member Marlo Hampton hosted an intimate private afternoon jewelry shopping spree of DuPree Lynch's designs as a fundraiser for the globally minded eco non-profit (to check out a photo gallery from the party, click here), Turner Seydel tipped us about CPF's next big fundraiser.

Five years after his death, Atlanta painter Paul Chelko's love of edgy art, the human form and empowerment of women continued to inspire the artists and models involved in Saturday night's third annual Bodies as a Work of Art charitable fundraiser.

It's the city's one charitable fundraiser female attendees never have to drag their male counterparts to. And thanks to chairman Carey Carter, Monday night's second annual Bodies as a Work of Art benefit at Tongue & Groove in Buckhead amped up the exposure, the donations and the sexiness. The exhibition of live body art inspired by the edgy artistic sensibilities of the late Atlanta artist Paul Chelko benefits the Chelko Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to empowering women through art and education. This year, the evening also benefited Jaden's Ladder, a charity dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence.

Sure, the temps will be hovering in the 90s this afternoon when Turner Field opens for business with the Arizona Diamondbacks but the spouses of the Atlanta Braves will be in full-on holiday mode. The Braves wives, including Kim Hudson, Tim Hudson's missus, will be out in force taking up fan donations of new unwrapped toys (minimum value is $10) for the team's upcoming Christmas in July visit to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta next month.

For months, Elise Roth Tedeschi's nearly 2,000 Facebook friends have been closely monitoring her status updates as the beloved Atlanta publicist battles pancreatic cancer. But this month, the details of Tedeschi's scary prognosis — she was diagnosed with Stage Three pancreatic cancer in January — were made public for the first time as friends organize a June 29 benefit, Feel The Love Elise, at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown.