Clay Aiken: Charity Work & Causes

Aiken is a UNICEF Ambassador. He has travelled to Banda Aceh, Indonesia and Kabul and Bamyan in Afghanistan, raising awareness and funds in support of education. In northern Uganda he witnessed the plight of children called “night commuters”, who flee the villages each night to sleep in streets and shelters in hopes of avoiding being kidnapped by the Lord’s Resistance Army.

Clay helped create the National Inclusion Project after working with 13-year-old Mike Bubel while pursuing a career in special education.

He has performed in support of a number of causes at events such as the 2004 Rosalynn Carter Benefit, the America’s Promise Benefit, and Heather Headley’s Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS benefit, “Home,” where he sang a duet with Headley.

Aiken donated autographed merchandise, including a limited edition poster, an autographed book, a T-shirt, CDs and more, to be auctioned off as a package in support of the Griffith Park Recovery Fund.

Clay was a spokesperson for the 2004 Toys for Tots drive, and is an ambassador for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

He participated in the NBC4 telethon, which raised over $10 million for South Asian tsunami relief, and recorded public service announcements in support the victims. He later recorded a video, featuring the song “Give a Little Bit”, to be used as a public service announcement to raise money for tsunami victims.

Aiken served on the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities from 2006-2008.

Clay served as a spokesperson for the Arthur Celebrity Audiobook.