Learn how you can help Hollywood’s humanitarians.

Many celebrities do more than just act and look great on a television or movie screen; they are also involved in some pretty amazing charity work. From Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to George Clooney, Bill Cosby and many others, dozens of famous people regularly contribute time and money to a wide variety of charitable organizations. If you would like to start being involved in one of the organizations that your favorite celebrity contributes to. click ahead for more info and tips!

Spend some time researching your favorite celeb

One of the easiest ways to find out which charities and other non-profit organizations a star supports is to Google his or her name along with the word “charity”. If you’ve always loved Betty White, Googling her name in this way brings up a variety of sites that list which groups she works with; for example, the Look to the Stars website includes an extensive list. According to the site, White has contributed to a variety of causes over the years, including the American Humane Association, the Morris Animal Foundation, and St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters.

If George Clooney makes you swoon and you want to be part of a charity he supports, this George Clooney website has a lot of details about his humanitarian efforts and the various charities he has been involved with and supports. These have included Not On Our Watch, Running Heart Foundation and Realizing the Dream — an organization that supports the vision of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King in fighting poverty.

Another terrific resource is Charity Navigator; this site is chock full of charity names and the famous people who have been supporters. According to the site, Arnold Schwarzenegger works with After-School All-Stars and a variety of stars, including Jordin Sparks from “American Idol” and Cindy Crawford, support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Research the charity itself

Once you determine which charities your favorite celebrity is involved with, it’s time to spend some time to read up on the actual organizations. While your favorite celeb might endorse a charity, this does not mean the organization is one you actually want to support. The actor or actress may not have taken the time to be sure his or her chosen charity is truly transparent in its financing, or is using donations in the best way possible. Although it’s wonderful to want to emulate someone you admire and support what they do, take the time to do some extra research on the charity. To start, try Googling the charity’s name to find out more about it, how donations are distributed, and what exactly the organization supports.

Be on the lookout for charity scams

Although you would hate to think your favorite star is supporting a charity that is less-than-upstanding, it’s possible he or she donated years ago when the organization was under different management. Or perhaps the celebrity allowed his or her name to be used without enough due diligence. Take the time to research the legitimacy of the alleged charity and, if you plan to make a donation to it, consider using the services of a company like LifeLock to keep your identity safeguarded along the way.

Some red flags that should alert you to possible trouble include: a charity that will not reveal detailed info about its mission and how donations are used, if they ask for cash-only donations, or if they pressure you in any way to give money. Visit a website like the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance to see if your selected celebrity charity is trustworthy before handing over any of your hard-earned money.