Even though most people don't know it and hear little about it, Mariah is one of the most giving and charitable celebrities of our time; and not for the publicity involved with most celebrity charities, but for the personal rewards she receives knowing that she helped make someone's life more manageable. Simply put, Mariah knows what it's like to need help from others.

In addition to raising awareness through public service announcements and millions of dollars through donations for various charities, Mariah is one of the few celebrities that not only pays lip-service for causes close to her heart, but also interacts with these causes on a regular basis. Below are the charities that Mariah most aggressively supports, as well as a timeline of her various charitable highlights.

Camp Mariah

Camp Mariah was founded in 1994 as the centerpiece for The Fresh Air Fund's Career Awareness Program, which focuses on expanding the educational and career options of New York City adolescents. Boys and girls, ages 12 to 14, make a commitment for three years in order to participate in specially-designed educational, recreational and camping experiences in New York City and at Camp Mariah. Named after Mariah, obviously, for her generous and continuous support and dedication to the cause, Camp Mariah provides three-and a-half week summer camp sessions for nearly 300 boys and girls. It offers a unique setting for young people to enjoy career exploration and preparation for the world of work. The summer program is both educational and recreational. In addition to career awareness, boys and girls enjoy traditional camping activities including hiking, swimming and singing around campfires. The Career Awareness Program offers a curriculum at Camp Mariah that introduces young people to specific career fields, such as science and technology, communications, and health and fitness. Campers attend classes and workshops in creative writing, journalism, photography, television and video production, fashion design, dance, computer applications, and more. All classes provide an opportunity to teach young people about the wide range of career possibilities available to them. Mariah herself regularly makes appearances at the camp, often bringing along industry friends to inspire the campers and prove to them that no dream is impossible. She is also notorious for taking the kids out for a day, whether it be to Rye Playland in 1996, the set of Glitter in 2000, or to the BET Studios in 2001. To make a donation to Camp Mariah or for more information, please contact the Fresh Air Fund via their website www.freshair.org, or write to: Camp Mariah c/o The Fresh Air Fund 633 Third Avenue, 14th Floor New York, NY 10017 1-800-367-0003

Make-A-Wish Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a global operation that is aimed at granting the wishes of children and young adults with life-threatening illnesses to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Make-A-Wish Foundation 3550 North Central Avenue, Suite 300 Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2127 1-800-722-9474 www.makeawish.org -- On December 9, 2002, Mariah met with the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Caleb Boulter, 17, of North Conway, New Hampshire, who has suffered with tuberous sclerosis and other life-threatening illnesses. She continues to keep in touch. -- In October 2001, Mariah donated $100,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, making the donation the first of its kind from an individual celebrity. -- Mariah brought two children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Erika Swiggum, 18, of El Segundo, California, and Vanessa Primrose, 11, of Sacramento, California, to the premiere of her movie Glitter at the Mann's Village Theatre in Westwood on September 20, 2001. -- Mariah was presented with the Make-A-Wish Foundation's 2000 Chris Greicius Award for Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year. -- Mariah met with the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Anna Chan, 15, who has fought Hodgkins Lymphoma, backstage after a performance at Wembley Arena on February 29, 2000. -- In January 2000, Mariah gave up her seats at the 27th Annual American Music Awards to Titiana Charles and Colleen Wright of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and dedicated her Lifetime Acheivement Award to the two girls. She later took them with her for a Rolling Stone magazine photo shoot.

Save The Music Foundation

VH1's Save The Music Foundation is a non-profit initiative with two primary missions: To restore music education programs in America's public schools, and to raise awareness of the positive impact music participation has on students. VH1 Save The Music 1515 Broadway, 20th Floor New York, NY 10036 1-888-841-4687 www.vh1savethemusic.com -- On April 17, 2005, Mariah was on hand once again at the "Save The Music: A Concert To Benefit The VH1 Save The Music Foundation," now in its 8th year, with three sizzling performances including the show opener, "It's Like That" with Jermaine Dupri and Fat Man Scoop, "With You I'm Born Again" with John Legend, and then closing the show with "I'll Be There" featuring Trey Lorenz. "I've been involved with 'Save the Music' for a while," Mariah says of the concert. "It is important because they do tend, when they're cutting costs, to take away some of the programs that help kids develop their creativity." -- On July 29, 2003, Mariah held a special Meet and Greet to benefit the Save The Music Foundation after her performance at the United Center in Chicago. For a $200 donation, people received advanced placement concert tickets and the opportunity meet with Mariah backstage. -- In June 2003, a microphone personally autographed by Mariah was auctioned off on eBay to benefit VH1's Save The Music Foundation. Several months later, she auctioned off a pair of front-row seats for her sold-out concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall. -- On May 9, 2003, Mariah visited CBS-TV's Early Show to promote the Save The Music Foundation and to collect instruments to be donated to local school systems. -- Mariah joined India Arie and Bill Clinton at an elementary school in Newark, New Jersey on June 29, 2001, to promote the Save The Music Foundation and to donate about 750 musical instruments to the school system. -- On June 15, 2000, Mariah visited NBC-TV's Today Show to promote the Save The Music Foundation and to collect instruments to be donated to local school systems. -- After being treated for food poisoning, Mariah arrived in New York - fresh out of the hospital - to perform at VH1's third annual Divas Live concert event on April 11, 2000, which benefited the Save The Music Foundation. -- Mariah performed at VH1's first annual Divas Live benefit concert in 1998, which supported the newly-developed Save The Music Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from the subsequent album and video releases were also donated to the foundation. Following the show, she taped a public service announcement to publicize the cause.

National Adoption Center

The National Adoption Center expands opportunities for children throughout the United States, particularly for children with special needs and those from minority cultures. National Adoption Center 1500 Walnut Street, Suite 701 Philadelphia, PA 19102 1-800-862-3678 www.adopt.org -- Mariah attended the Adoption Fair at New York's City Hall Park with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani on September 27, 1998 to discuss foster care and adoption. -- In 1999, Mariah filmed a public service announcement for the New York City local chapter of the National Adoption Center. -- Mariah announced on the February 8, 2000 airing of the Rosie O'Donnell Show that retail sales of her "Thank God I Found You" single would be donated to the National Adoption Center. -- Also in February 2000, Mariah held a charity luncheon at a New York restaurant, where she brought in kids from the local chapter of the National Adoption Center. She had presents for all the children and even brought in several of her dogs so the children could play with them. -- On December 18, 2000, Mariah took 100 orphans from the National Adoption Center for a pre-Christmas treat-retreat at her rented home in Aspen, Colorado. Alongside Mariah, the children got to snow sled, make gingerbread houses, sing songs, and chat with their favorite singer all day long! -- On December 21, 2001, Mariah hosted and performed on CBS-TV's Home For The Holidays, a program that plays a significant role inspiring people to action and positively affects the image of adoption and the children who wait. -- To promote her CBS-TV special and the cause itself, Mariah made guest appearances on The Early Show and The Late Show with David Letterman, as well as ABC-TV's The View, where Barbara Walters asked Mariah why so much of her charity work dealt with children and adoption. "There's over 500,000 kids in the system who need permanent homes and families and a lot of times in our daily life we don't think about things like that. All children need to be loved," Mariah said. -- Mariah spent Thanksgiving 2002 in Tokyo, Japan with 15 children from Seibi Home, a Japanese foster care house which hosts 160 children ages 2 to 18 mostly from broken families.

Police Athletic League

The Police Atletic League centers offer structured and personal guidance for youth, specifically, in a safe, friendly environment and provides a host of physical activities as well as a wide range of activities in performing and creative arts. National Association of Police Athletic Leagues 618 U.S. Highway 1, Suite 201 North Palm Beach, FL 33408 1-561-844-1823 www.nationalpal.org -- In the very beginning of her career, Mariah became involved with the Police Atheletic League. The first known account of her support came when she attended a dinner ceremony benefiting the cause on June 12, 1991. -- On December 17, 1992, Mariah sang Christmas carols at a children's Christmas party sponsored by New York's Police Athletic League. -- On July 14, 1993, Mariah held a private concert for the band members of the Albany Police Athletic League in Schenectady, NY, where she was preparing for an NBC-TV special. For "I'll Be There," she invited the members onstage. -- In 1994, she made several trips to local New York-based chapters of the Police Athletic League to speak with children in the afterschool programs. Mariah, who confessed her dislike for playing sports, even took time to play basketball with the kids.

Charitable Highlights

// 2004 //

Mariah attends the Fresh Air Fund's Salute To American Heroes, a spring fundraiser gala. Mariah attends a charity cocktail event and fashion exhibition called the Smile Collection. Proceeds go to Operation Smile, a non-profit organization providing reconstructive surgery to indigent children around the world. Mariah performs at Danielle Steel's gala benefiting the Nick Traina Foundation, which provides funds in areas related to manic-depressive illness and its diagnosis, including research and treatment, and funding organizations that help families who continue to battle the illness.

// 2003 //

Mariah invites 16-year-old aspiring singer and cancer patient Becca Solodon to serve as the opening act to her December 15th concert in Santa Barbara, California. Mariah embellishes pairs of Michelle K shoes, which are auctioned off on eBay. All proceeds of the auction go to the Fresh Air Fund. Mariah decorates UGG Australia boots, which are auctioned off to benefit Oceana, an organization created with the sole purpose of protecting the world's oceans, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation, dedicated to enduring the development of a cure for Parkinson's disease. Mariah designs a denim jacket bedecked with Swarovski crystals, which is auctioned on eBay. All proceeds of the auction go to the American Heart Association. Mariah donates a pair of her cutoff denim shorts to an auction benefiting the Turn 2 Foundation, which provides guidance to kids. The event raised more than $800,000. Mariah visits CBS-TV's Early Show to promote the Save The Music Foundation and to collect instruments to be donated to local school systems. An autographed microphone is auctioned off on eBay to benefit VH1's Save The Music Foundation. Mariah receives the American Heroes Award from the Fresh Air Fund at the Tavern On the Green in New York. Mariah is presented with the Z100 Lifetime Achievement Award for her philanthropy work in the New York City area. eBay Germany hosts an auction to meet with Mariah at one of her concerts in Germany. The money is donated to the Nordoff Robbins Foundation, a charity helping autistic children with music therapy. A pair of front-row seats for Mariah's concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall are auctioned off on eBay, with proceeds going to VH1's Save The Music Foundation. Mariah visits Universal Studios Japan to announce her Dream Kids Project. 1,250 under-privileged children from 16 institutions in Osaka are invited to the amusement park event. She is greeted by 3 children representing those institutions in the presence of over 5,000 fans. In thanks for her devotion to the children, the mayor of Osaka, Takafumi Isomur, presented Mariah with the key to the city. She holds a special Meet and Greet to benefit the Save The Music Foundation after her performance at the United Center in Chicago. For a $200 donation, people receive advanced placement concert tickets and the opportunity meet with Mariah backstage.

// 2002 //

Mariah meets with the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Caleb Boulter, 17, of North Conway, New Hampshire, who has suffered with tuberous sclerosis and other life-threatening illnesses. She continues to keep in touch. Mariah hosts a shopping spree at the Mall Of America in Minneapolis for Sharing & Caring Hands, a charity that benefits families in need. Mariah spends Thanksgiving with 15 children from Seibi Home, a foster care house which hosts 160 children ages 2 to 18 mostly from broken families. Mariah performs during a telethon concert in Mexico City, which helps to build children rehabilitation centers and to promote the annual charity appeal.

// 2001 //

Mariah donates $100,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, making the donation the first of its kind from an individual celebrity. Mariah joins India Arie and Bill Clinton at an elementary school in Newark, New Jersey to promote the Save The Music Foundation and to donate about 750 musical instruments to the school system. Mariah brings two children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Erika Swiggum, 18, of El Segundo, California, and Vanessa Primrose, 11, of Sacramento, California, to the premiere of Glitter at the Mann's Village Theatre in Westwood. Mariah performs "Hero" during the America: A Tribute To Heroes telethon. The royalties equal to the distributor's net proceeds from the sale of the album and video releases of the event befit the September 11 Telethon Fund. "Hero" is featured on the God Bless America compilation album. A significant portion of the sales are donated to the Twin Towers Fund. Mariah records vocals for the Michael Jackson charity single "What More Can I Give?" in both English and Spanish. Mariah helps raise 2 million dollars by performing during the United We Stand benefit concert at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, which benefits the American Red Cross Liberty Relief Fund, the Salvation Army Relief Fund, the Pentagon Relief Fund and the Rewards for Justice Fund. For each sale of Mariah's "Never Too Far/Hero Medley" single, a donation is made to the New York City Police Foundation, Inc., Heroes Fund. Mariah attends the first annual SHiNE Benefit Party. SHiNE (Seeking Harmony in Neighborhoods Everyday) was founded in 1998 as a non-profit organization that promotes youth respect for diversity and an end to violence through art, music, technology and sports. Mariah hosts and performs on CBS-TV's Home For The Holidays to raise awareness about adoption in America.

// 2000 //

Mariah gives up her seats at the 2000 American Music Awards to Titiana Charles and Colleen Wright of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and later takes them with her for a Rolling Stone magazine photo shoot. Mariah meets with the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Anna Chan, 15, who has fought Hodgkins Lymphoma, backstage after a performance at Wembley Arena. Mariah films a public service announcement for the National Adoption Center in New York City and donates retail sales of the "Thank God I Found You" single to the Center, as well as to the National Administration for Children's Services. She holds a charity luncheon at a New York restaurant, where kids from the local chapter of the National Adoption Center are brought in. The children are given gifts and play with Mariah's dogs. Mariah licenses her song "My All" to be used for the compilation album Loaded With Hits, whose proceeds support the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research. Mariah performs at the third annual Divas Live concert event, which benefits VH1's Save The Music Foundation. Mariah donates a package of items including autographed merchandise, concert tickets, and the jeans she wore in the "Heartbreaker" video to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation's annual Mardis Gras auction. A portion of the ticket sales of Mariah's Madison Square Garden concert are donated to Jenna's Rainbow Foundation. Mariah visits the Today Show to promote the Save The Music Foundation and to collect instruments to be donated to local school systems. Mariah invites 100 orphans from the National Adoption Center to spend Christmas with her in Aspen, Colorado. Mariah wins the Make-A-Wish Foundation's 2000 Chris Greicius Award for Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year.

// 1999 //

Mariah becomes a spokesperson for Nickelodeon's The Big Help volunteer program and films commercials to raise awareness for the cause. Mariah performs at the 1999 Pavarotti & Friends event in Modena, Italy. All concert profits and a significant contribution from the proceeds of the album and video releases are donated to War Child, for the construction of three cultural centers in Guatemala and for the relief of refugee children from Kosovo. Mariah is presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor Horizon Award which is handed out in Washington, D.C. and recognizes Mariah's contributions to youth charities and nonprofit organizations.

// 1998 //

Mariah performs at VH1's Divas Live benefit concert, which supports the Save The Music Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from the subsequent album and video releases are also donated to the foundation. Mariah films a public service announcement for an English-language Learning Center in Tokyo, Japan. She attends the Adoption Fair at New York's City Hall Park with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to discuss foster care and adoption. Mariah visits the USDAN center for the creative and performing arts in Wheatly Hights to donate scholarships to six students. The $2,000 they each receive pays for their tuition and transportation at the camp.

// 1997 //

Mariah begins her partnership with the Dream Come True Foundation, meeting with disabled teen Janel Spiegel, 16, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, backstage at NBC's Saturday Night Live. The following year, Mariah invites Spiegel to attend the taping of her MTV special and continues to keep in touch. Mariah's rendition of "O Holy Night" is used in the seasonal compilation Superstar Christmas. A portion of the retail sales of the album is made to the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research. A special live recording of Mariah's hit single "Hero" is used on the tribute album Diana: Princess of Wales, which benefits the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

// 1995 //

Proceeds from Christmas of Hope, which features Mariah's recording of "Silent Night," are donated to City Of Hope, which provides treatment, education and research into cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, genetic/hereditary disorders and other diseases.

// 1994 //

After filming a public service announcement for the Fresh Air Fund, Camp Mariah is founded as the centerpiece for the Fund's Career Awareness Program. Mariah raises $750,000 for the Fresh Air Fund during a Christmas benefit concert at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. A live recording of "Vision Of Love" is featured on the charity album Grammy's Greatest Moments. Net NARAS Foundation profits from the sale of the collection benefit MusiCares, a charitable organization that provides assistance to people in the music community through its financial aid program, national health plan, drug abuse awareness program and emergency relief fund.

// 1993 //

Mariah donates the sales of her "Hero" single to the families of the victims of the Long Island railway shooting. She makes several trips to local New York-based chapters of the Police Athletic League to speak with children in the afterschool programs. Mariah, who confessed her dislike for playing sports, even takes time to play basketball with the kids. Mariah invites Albany Police Athletic League band members onstage in Schnectady, New York for the taping of her NBC-TV special, singing "I'll Be There."

// 1992 //

Mariah donates a portion of retail sales from the "I'll Be There" single and "Unplugged" album to amFAR, the Hale House Center, the TJ Martell Foundation and the United Negro College Fund. Mariah sings carols at a children's Christmas party sponsored by New York's Police Athletic League.