A victim of the dark side of many celebrities, Amy Winehouse was a talented singer, popular in England and the United States. Winehouse died of a drug overdose in July of 2011. On September 14, 2011, which would have been her 28th birthday, her father launched the Amy Winehouse Foundation. The charity raises funds for drug addiction education, treatment, and the homeless. So far, the charity has donated close to $1 million to help drug addicts.
This month, Mitch Winehouse, Amy’s father, has organized a series of events to raise money for the foundation. The series is called #Amys30 and includes an art exhibit, launch party, pop-up shop, mass parachute jump and several concerts. Proceeds will go to the foundation, which is promising a gift to Beat (Beating Eating Disorders), a charity that helps women with eating disorders. Mitch Winehouse believes that Amy’s drug use stemmed from the addiction related to anorexia.
While the charity is based in the United Kingdom, donors from the United States can support the foundation and the money will go to charities based in the U.S. Overseas, the foundation gives to organizations that provide music therapy to troubled youth. The foundation also gives support to scholarships for under-privileged families and prevention programs.
A biography of Amy Winehouse, written by Mitch Winehouse, can also be purchased on the foundation’s website. One hundred percent of profits go to charity.
Amy Winehouse won five Grammy Awards for her album Back to Black in 2006. Famous for singing about the habits of addiction, the star had several stints in rehab before her death. She is currently listed as one of VH1’s Greatest Women in Music, and had previously had the best selling album in Britain’s history.