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All of the charities we're involved with have touched me in one way or another on a personal level. There are about eight or nine charities that I support.

I'm supporting the charities that I supported during my lifetime, and I want to continue to do that.

As you might imagine, I'm approached by lots of organizations and lots of people who want me to support their various charitable efforts in some way. And I look at those requests, and I basically try to do what I can.

The U.N.'s humanitarian agencies rely on charitable donations from the public as well as the generosity of governments to continue their lifesaving work in response to natural disasters, armed conflicts and other emergencies.

Support for charities takes many forms. Some people give their money, some their spare time. I give my name and my voice. We give what we can to make a difference to the people and issues that matter to us. But what's most important, especially for celebrities, is giving our genuine commitment.

But there are many, and I'm a supporter of a great deal of charities.

Actually I do support a charity, DefendersofWildLife.org. They help protect endangered species.

One of the most crucial kinds of intervention is in advocacy. We can think about charities in the context of delivering services, and indeed that is part of their job, but advocacy is also getting governments to step up to the plate. They can also give more voice to those who don't have one.

My charity is in the business of helping firefighters in any way that we can. For instance, after 9/11 we were the second-fastest charity to raise and distribute money to the widows and surviving family members of the 343 firefighters who died that day.

When it comes to helping out, I don't believe in doing it for the media attention. My goal is to support the organizations that need help.