Backing school charity a ‘no-brainer’ for Rocca

Q: What are you most proud of when it comes to your role in ICSF?

A: The students that I sponsor, I correspond with. And I believe them when they tell me in their letters that they and their families are overjoyed that they have a chance to go to school in a safe place where they are actually learning. It is so cut and dried to me. Sorry, I am sounding so kind of shrill about this, but to me it is one of those things that is black and white. I mean, I hope for the best for the public schools in New York and I am glad that they are getting better, but it just seems wrong to tell a parent who doesn’t want to send her kid to a public school that she just doesn’t have an option.

The other thing that is satisfying about this charity is not only that the benefits so concrete, but also that this is about bringing x number of students out of one system and into a system where they want to be and are going to do demonstrably better. In short there are finite goals here.  Right now there are 8,000 empty seats in the 108 ICSF schools.  So the goal is to fill the seats. To get enough sponsors, to get enough donors that all the kids who want to be attending these schools can be attending these schools and fill those 8,000 seats. This is not a pie in the sky ambition, which I think also makes it a good charity.  We have very specific goals.

Q: What other celebrities are involved in this cause?

A: None. And believe me, I am the only person named “Mo” on the board of trustees.  … Also I think I am the only one under the age of 50 on the board. It makes me feel special!

Q: If people want to find out more, or become involved in this cause, what should they do?

A: They should go to www.icsf-nyc.org. We are actually starting now to ask for $1,000 per child per year to start a pre-school program. If I had to suddenly stop sponsoring my kids they would fall back into the public school, which is why we have to keep up the scholarships.

Q: When people hear that comedian Mo Rocca is involved in such a serious cause, what is their reaction?

A: I flirted with a number of different causes.  For a while I was really into permanent recognition of Taiwan as an independent state, but they didn’t want me.  I didn’t pass for Taiwanese, I guess.  So I sort of settled for this. I also think we need safer pet food.  I have become very anti-wheat gluten. No, I needed a cause and I probably chose the least glamorous, but I’ll wager one of the most important charities. If you’ve got any new diseases, send them my way, because I need to balance this whole kids education thing with something a little sexier.

Interviewed by Eric Kuhn of NBC News.

READ PREVIOUS CAUSE CELEBS Fran Drescher turns cancer negative into a plus Ex-Monkee Davy Jones now a trilling 'Penguin' Ann Curry: Her assignment is to heighten awareness Stephen Baldwin: From bad boy to good works Carmen Mark Valvo: Designer helps cancer survivors Kevin Bacon: 'Six Degrees' of charity work Jerry Greenfield: The charitable power of ice cream Mariska Hargitay: Helping sexual-assault victims Gary Sinise: 9/11 and positive volunteerism David Hyde Pierce: Battling Alzheimer's disease

MORE FROM GIVING

Giving Section Front

More seniors showing up at soup kitchens   $1,000 gold coin dropped in donation bucket   Hunger, America’s ‘dirty little secret’ Salvation Army kettles now take plastic NBA star O’Neal pays for slain girl’s funeral In sagging economy, man donates bras Gabriel bears WITNESS to rights abuses Child entrepreneur gives back big Filmmaker Perry gives $1 million to NAACP Chef Paula Deen hit in face by charity ham Giving Section Front   Add Giving headlines to your news reader: