Rufus Wainwright and Sahr Ngaujah Join Hope North Celebration, 9/18

Honorary co-hosts Susan Sarandon and Forest Whitaker celebrate the contributions that actress advocate Mary-Louise Parker has given to Hope North at their inaugural gala to take place this September at City Winery, New York City. The first annual gala hopes to raise funds and awareness for the organization.

Today, organizers Cause Effect Agency are excited to announce that Rufus Wainwright and TONY Nominee, Sahr "Fela!" Ngaujah, are slated to attend with both artists performing an exclusive and intimate set for guests.

The host committee will also include Whoopi Goldberg, Mariska Hargitay, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Amy Birnbaum, ELEW, Tari and Eric Ervin, Adrian Grenier, Taraji P Henson, Eva Amurri Martino and Kyle Martino, Bette Midler, James McAvoy, Hunter Parrish, Di Quon, Franck Raharinosy, Dawn Reinholtz, Anjali Saigal, Ritu Sangwon, Justin Stiver, Trudie Styler, Chris Talbott, Jeffrey Wright, Sharon and Michael Zambrelli.

In effort to raise much needed funds for Hope North, in addition to the live event, an on-line auction will be conducted by Charity Buzz. The auction will run the week before and after the gala. Supporters can place bids for incredible donated experiential items like a private performance in your home by ELEW, lunch with Mary-Louise Parker and golfing with Richard Kind.

Founded in 1998 by artist and former child soldier Okello Sam, Hope North is an accredited secondary school located on a 40-acre campus with an international arts center, vocational training, and a working farm, staffed by 26 dedicated Ugandan educators. Over 1,500 vulnerable youth have lived at Hope North, and today 255 incredible youth are working towards their degrees and planning careers. These youth in turn are contributing to peace-building by organizing educational theater and soccer tournaments throughout the north, an area destroyed by years of war, reaching thousands more.

Hope North is educating and healing the young victims of Uganda's civil war, including orphans and former child soldiers, empowering them to become voices for peace and development.

For more information, visit www.hopenorth.org, and watch a PSA for the organization below: