People.com Celebrity Stars Giving Back This 2021 Holiday Season From volunteering at soup kitchens to donating to Toys for Tots, 'tis the season for these big names to give back By Kate Hogan Kate Hogan Instagram Twitter Kate Hogan is Director of Digital Specials and Features at PEOPLE. In her 14 years at the brand, she has covered everything from pets and babies to style and Sexiest Man Alive, interviewing celebrities including Céline Dion, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Evans. Currently, she oversees the creation of photo galleries that complement breaking news and major PEOPLE moments like The Beautiful Issue and 100 Reasons to Love America. She has offered expert celebrity commentary on Good Morning America and Access Hollywood. Before joining PEOPLE in 2008, Kate was an editorial assistant at Morris Visitor Publications. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication and resides outside of Chicago with her husband and three kids. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 23, 2021 02:40 PM Share Tweet Pin Email 01 of 36 Derek White/Getty Just call him Shaq-A-Claus! Shaquille O'Neal surprised an Atlanta school with toys and treats as part of a Pepsi Stronger Together event on Dec. 20 in McDonough, Georgia. 02 of 36 Saint West, indeed. Kanye quietly donated the majority of the more than 4,000 toys given away at a Dec. 19 event in the Englewood neighborhood of his hometown of Chicago. "I'm so proud that Kanye is, once again, responding to our request to help the children of Englewood and beyond," Alderman Stephanie Coleman said, per ABC7. "He is no stranger to our community. His presence has always been felt in our neighborhoods and he loves visiting, but this Christmas he has truly been our modern-day Santa Claus." 03 of 36 Feeding America On Dec. 17, actress/comedian June Diane Raphael volunteered with Feeding America at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank alongside members of The Jane Club — the platform she cofounded for women to build community and support. 04 of 36 The Image Direct Bella Hadid organized a toy drive in New York City ahead of Christmas, on Dec. 18. 05 of 36 To celebrate his holiday film Angel Falls Christmas, streaming exclusively on IMDb TV, Chad Michael Murray dressed up as Santa and stopped by a Los Angeles news station on Dec. 15 to donate nearly 400 toys to HOLA (Heart of Los Angeles). 06 of 36 Michael Simon/StarTraks Nick Cannon dressed up as Santa to deliver Toys"R"Us goodies to St. Mary's Hospital for Children in Queens, New York, on Dec. 14. 07 of 36 MIchael Simon/StarTraks Katie Holmes joined Epic, a digital reading platform for kids, for the Dec. 7 "My Winter City" event in N.Y.C., reading her favorite holiday books to children from the Hit the Books program in Harlem. 08 of 36 Macklemore. Brooks Running This season the "Next Year" rapper Macklemore is doing good in his home city of Seattle, where he teamed up with Brooks Running to help support Mary's Place, a local shelter that serves people experiencing homelessness. Macklemore and the athletics company are calling on people across the country to join their Run Merry movement — an initiative that'll be donating $50,000 to Mary's Place — by nominating loved ones on social media, who just may receive a "surprise" for doing so. 09 of 36 Yvonne Tnt/BFA Kelly Bensimon was among the celebs who came out in N.Y.C. on Dec. 10 in support of the Good+Foundation, donating toys for kids at alice + olivia designer Stacey Bendet's annual bash at Zero Bond. 10 of 36 Feeding America On Dec. 10, actor/comedian Paul Scheer volunteered with Feeding America and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank at the St. Ferdinand Church for a day of giving back ahead of the holidays. 11 of 36 Cesar Pimienta - Tes Back home in Colombia on Dec. 9, Maluma opened a new Medellin-based center for his foundation, El Arte de Los Sueños, where children can come practice music and dance and receive psychosocial care. 12 of 36 Daniel Swartz for Yellow Ribbons United Former NFL star Derrick Dockery and his family hosted the Yellow Ribbons United Winter Wonderland party for more than 200 military families at Washington, D.C.,'s Nats Park, with a surprise visit from the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman — and the Grinch! 13 of 36 Cardi B/Facebook On a holiday episode of her Messenger Watch Together series Cardi Tries, Cardi B and model Karreuche worked together in a supermarket — and at the end of their day, told the employees they were getting two weeks' additional pay to show appreciation and gratitude for their service during the pandemic. 14 of 36 Paras Griffin/Getty Images Pittsburgh Steelers star JuJu Smith Schuster popped up at a Wal-Mart over Thanksgiving weekend, surprising one little girl with her dream Christmas present. Given his history of giving back at the holidays, there are probably more heartwarming surprises to come! 15 of 36 Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Food Bank For New York City Bella Hadid joined largest hunger relief organization in New York City, the Food Bank for NYC, to distribute food to neighbors in need at annual holiday meal distribution at the organization's community kitchen in Harlem over Thanksgiving weekend. 16 of 36 Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Food Bank For New York City The host of Food Network's Healthy Appetite, Ellie Krieger, spent her Thanksgiving weekend at the Community Kitchen and Pantry with the Food Bank of New York and Feeding America. 17 of 36 Courtesy Feeding America At the St. Ferdinand Church with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and Feeding America, Nine Perfect Strangers actress Tiffany Boone handed out groceries following the Thanksgiving holiday. 18 of 36 Courtesy Feeding America Jennie Garth was among the celebs serving dinners at Union Station Homeless Services with Feeding America in Pasadena, California, around Thanksgiving. 19 of 36 Courtesy Feeding America Actress Emily Tosta did the same, helping in the kitchen. 20 of 36 Courtesy Feeding America Migos rapper Quavo took time out of his Thanksgiving holiday to give back with the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Feeding America. 21 of 36 Kevin Hart. Roy Rochlin/Getty Images As Osmo's Chief Kindness Officer for the holidays, Kevin Hart recently delivered holiday cheer to three household heroes via an unexpected video call, telling them they won a complete collection of STEAM starter kits and games by Osmo, in addition to a tablet. The three lucky parents, who entered into Osmo's holiday giveaway in November but had not received any notification of final result, were incredibly surprised and overwhelmed by the actor's call telling them "you won!" 22 of 36 On Thanksgiving eve, New Orleans Saints players Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan surprised more than 100 local grocery shoppers by paying their tabs as they were checking out. (The reactions were priceless!) 23 of 36 Real Housewives of New Jersey star Tersa Giudice and her fiancé Luis "Louie" Ruelas spent their first Thanksgiving together as an engaged couple by helping feed homeless LGBTQ youth at the Ali Forney Center in New York City. They dropped off food for around 150 people, along with her daughters Gia, 20, and Milania, 15. "This year's THANKSGIVING was very special!" Teresa wrote in the caption. "@louiearuelas @_giagiudice @milania.ggiudice and I joined our @jasecannon and friends at the @aliforneycenter to feed over 150 beautiful souls." 24 of 36 Selling Sunset's Chrishell Stause and boyfriend Jason Oppenheim spent Thanksgiving at the Los Angeles Mission, distributing meals. "This is a cause close to my heart," Stause, who experienced homelessness as a child, wrote on Instagram, "and I feel like speaking on it helps dismiss the conventional stereotype some people have of who these people are." 25 of 36 Michael Tullberg/Getty Images Dane Cook and Tiffany Haddish joined forces on Nov. 25 at the Laugh Factory's 41st free Thanksgiving dinner at the comedy club in West Hollywood. 26 of 36 Susan Walsh/AP/Shutterstock On Nov. 23 in Washington, D.C., Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden assembled Thanksgiving meal kits during a visit to D.C. Central Kitchen. 27 of 36 Brendan Smialowski/getty The day before, the Bidens visited Fort Bragg in North Carolina to serve meals to soldiers and their families. 28 of 36 Courtesy Feeding America Liev Schreiber brought one of his children and a pal to the Food Bank for New York City at the Union Square Greenmarket for a day of giving back on Nov. 12, with Feeding America. The trio collected leftover produce and other food items from local farmers to be distributed to New Yorkers in need. 29 of 36 Courtesy HUNGRY The weekend before Thanksgiving, Kevin Hart partnered with HUNGRY — a tech-enabled food and engagement platform powered by local chefs — to provide more than 1,000 meals to the people of his native Philadelphia. 30 of 36 In Atlanta on Nov. 22, Real Housewives star Marlo Hampton and Power actress Naturi Naughton teamed up with Nouveau Bar & Grill to hand out 600 turkeys and sides to families who need them. 31 of 36 Scott Kowalchyk/CBS During his Nov. 22 visit to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in N.Y.C., World Central Kitchen chef José Andrés announced his $1 billion Climate Disaster Fund, to ensure no person in the world goes hungry as a result of future climate disasters. 32 of 36 David Livingston/Getty The day before Thanksgiving, Malin Akerman and January Jones joined the crew at the Los Angeles Mission to serve meals in Downtown L.A. 33 of 36 Always one to give back, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson surprised one lucky fan at a late November screening of his new film Red Notice with a custom truck. "Takes care of his 75 year old mom.Personal trainer.Leader at his church.Provides support and meals for women victimized by domestic violence.Proud & humble Navy veteran.Kind human being," Johnson wrote of the man he surprised. "Oscar said it right, just before he drove away ~ it's just love. That's all it is, brother.Just love." 34 of 36 FOX Nashville Twitter On Nov. 23 in Nashville, country singer Tracy Lawrence got to work frying turkeys for the Nashville Rescue Mission for the 16th year in a row, according to Music City's Fox 17. Over the years, the singer and his crew have served more than 6,400 turkeys and raised $1 million for families facing food insecurity. 35 of 36 Courtesy Krasdale Foods On Nov. 24, Fat Joe teamed up with Krasdale Foods to give away 3,000 grocery bags filled with more than $36,000 worth of food (plus some other cool goodies, right) at three different locations of his sneaker/apparel store, UP NYC, in New York. 36 of 36 Lucas Rossi/Peach Hill Media In celebration of Hallmark Channel's new movie Christmas CEO, airing Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. ET, Crown Media president and CEO Wonya Lucas, actor Paul Greene and Build-A-Bear Workshop president and CEO Sharon Price John greet Santa at an L.A. Build-A-Bear Workshop, with a special donation for Toys for Tots.