Welcome to simplystreep.com, an information source
on the American actress Meryl Streep, best known from her Oscar-winning performances in
"Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Sophie's Choice". Her work on
screen, stage and television, a career that includes some of the most acclaimed films of the
last 30 years, has achieved critical acclaim and earned her the business' most prestigious
awards. This unofficial website provides a base for fans which is regularly updated with all essential
news on Meryl's work, an active message board plus extensive archives, media and more.
Enjoy your stay!
CHARITY & SUPPORT
Learn more about Meryl Streep's off-screen work, the charity she supports and the programs
she founded. If you have any addition to this list, please
email me. Thanks
go to Myla and MSO's comprehensive
list of Meryl's causes.
Meryl has twiced performed her favorite poetry in front of the "Academy of American Poets"'s audience.
The Academy of American Poets is a nonprofit organization founded in 1934 to foster appreciation
for contemporary poetry and to support American poets at all stages of their careers.
Art for Amnesty brings together international artists of all disciplines their patrons,
management and friends in a collaborative effort to support Amnesty International’s work for
human rights. Known for being a passionate advocate, Streep narrated the 2003 documentary
Stolen Childhoods, which profiled labouring children and the pioneering efforts to get them
educated, break their family’s cycle of poverty, and lead them into a hopeful future. Amnesty
International selected Stolen Childhoods for its ‘On Campus’ travelling film festival.
ACT provides assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through shel-ter,
advocacy, counseling, support groups, one-on-one counseling and information and referrals.
Meryl was a chairwoman at their 2003 benefit auction.
Meryl Streep hosted a 12-minute video, "The Arts and Children" in 1996, created for the
Goals 2000 Arts Education Partnership. The Partnership is a national coalition of business,
education, arts and government groups committed to maintaining and enhancing arts
education in the nation's schools.
The Center for Health and the Global Environment was founded in 1996 at Harvard Medical School
to expand environmental education at medical schools and to further investigate and promote
awareness of the human health consequences of global environmental change. Actresses
Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver hosted a Health dinner to benefit the
organization in 2003.
For Meryl Streep, protecting children from the toxins on our food and in our homes is a far greater
reward. "I am really proud of the achievements of Children's Health Environmental Coalition
(CHEC)," says Streep. "And of Mothers and Others, which is the organization I formed, with my
friends in Connecticut 20 years ago, in response to the National Resources Defense Council report
on pesticides on fruits and vegetables and their effects on children."
Part of the American Paralysis Association, a non-profit organization
founded in 1982 to encourage and support research to find a cure for paralysis
caused by spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders.
Founded by actors Jane Kazmarek and Bradley Whitford, Clothes Off Our Back is an organization
that hosts charity auctions and private events
showcasing today’s hottest celebrity attire. Items are put up for bid to the public with
proceeds going to select children’s charities each year. Proceeds from auctions in 2004 will
benefit the Children’s Defense Fund, Smile Train and the Cure Autism Now Foundation.
In 2004, Meryl Streep's dress and shoes from her Golden Globe appearance were auctioned at Clothes
Off Our Back.
The Connecticut Farmland Trust was founded in 2002 to protect Connecticut's remaining farmland for
agricultural use by current and future farmers, enhance agricultural diversity, economic
development, environmental quality and rural character and assist landowners, land trusts, towns
and state agencies in protecting agricultural land. Plus, they have won Connecticut resident Meryl
Streep as honorary chairwoman.
Narrated by Meryl Streep, "Defending Our Daughters, the Rights of Women in the
World" aired on March 8, 1998 on Lifetime Television. This one-time
special was about the suffering of women throughout the world, and the actions of
the courageous and dedicated individuals who are working to help the world's women
grasp the ability to gain control of their bodies - and their lives.
Meryl Streep supports Elton John's AIDS foundation, which provides national leadership and
resources that will result in educational programs on the prevention of HIV / AIDS and the
improvement of care for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
Taking Action for the Human Rights of Women, Equality Now is an international human rights
organization dedicated to action for the civil, political, economic and social rights of
girls and women and are strongly supported by Meryl Streep. With Jane Fonda and Susan Sarandon,
among others, Meryl also joined the Appeal to George W. Bush.
Global ReLeaf is American Forests' education and action program that helps individuals,
organizations, agencies, and corporations improve the local and global environment by planting and
caring for trees.
In 1988, Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang in Connecticut, which every
year serves 800 seriously ill children. Therapeutic drama is featured in their Creative Expression programme, challenging
the children to move beyond their perceived limits and find creative new ways of
self-expression, they become involved in acting, clowning,
singing, dancing, and video, as well as make-up and costume or set
design. The Hole in the Wall Gang also premiered with the stage play "The World
of Nick Adams" in November 2001, featuring Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and others.
Meryl joined this campaign featuring celebrities talking about why newspaper
reading and literacy, particularly among children, are important to them personally.
Meryl is an Honorary Committee Member of The Kennedy Center Fund for New American
Plays, which supports the development and presentation of the most promising new
works by playwrights and regional nonprofit theaters nationwide.
First organized in 1989 by Meryl Streep and her Connecticut neighbors as a project
of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Mothers & Others was born out of the
concern that children were being exposed to unsafe pesticide levels in the food
supply and that individuals had a right and a role to play in securing safer,
ecologically sustainable food sources. Together, they brought essential public
attention to this important food safety issue, others leads the effort to open supermarket shelves to foods and other products that
are safe and sustainably produced, demonstrating the effective power of focused
consumer demand. Meryl was also involed in a 'Mothers & Others' concert that
included Bette Midler, Olivia Newton John, Goldie Hawn and Cher in 1990
NetAid.org uses the Internet to empower people to take action on extreme poverty
around the world. Meryl gives her speech on their website and also hosted the
Net Aid concert in New York in 1999.
Learn more about the national, non-profit organization devoted to children's
literacy. Meryl was featured in their Celebrity Storyteller Series advertisments,
People Magazine, December 1997.
The "Save the Music" concert was sponsored by the VH1 cable music channel and the
National Endowment for the Arts to spark interest in raising money to buy
instruments and sponsor music education in public schools. This concert brought
stars of rock, soul, blues and country music to a giant tent on the White House
lawn to support the cause of bringing music back to cash-starved chools around the
country. Celebrities like Meryl Streep, Kevin Spacey, Robert De Niro, Angela Bassett and
Calista Flockhart introduced musical guests like Eric
Clapton, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, B.B. King, Garth Brooks and Gloria Estefan
Scenic Hudson's mission is to ensure that tomorrow's Hudson River Valley - from Manhattan to the
foothills of the Adirondacks - is environmentally and economically sustainable and that its
capacity to awe and inspire residents and visitors is preserved forever. Actress Meryl Streep
helped raise funds for the Hudson Valley Preservation Coalition and kick off the new "Stop the
Plant" poster campaign.
The Grace Children's Foundation concentrates on providing in-kind assistance for China's
orphans in three areas of need: education, medical and surgical care and humanitarian aid. To
this end the Foundation solicits funding, donated goods and services, both domestically and
internationally, from corporations, foundations and individuals. In 2004, Meryl Streep hosted
a 6 minute public service announcement video for the organization that can be watched on their
Official Website.
Hosted by Meryl Streep, this video offers viewers advice both about good parenting
and how to discuss alcohol. Developed by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug
Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), Meryl Streep won the Humanitarian Award for her hosting.
