When you hear the name Ashton Kutcher you automatically think, actor, That 70’s Show, Mila Kunis, and probably a ton of other things pertaining to his life in Hollywood. However, over the last couple of years, he has begun to make a name for himself with his charity work and it is quite impressive.
Most recently, the father of two made headlines when he helped secure a donation from the tech company Ripple, which he is an investor, for Ellen DeGeneres Wild Life Fund for $4 million. That donation is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Kutcher has done for charity, as he uses his tech investments to not only give back but also to help better the world.
Kutcher is the Chairman and Co-Founder of THORN, an organization that uses software to help identify and locate human trafficking victims. It was his first tech investment and he chose it solely because he refuses to live in a world where the technology to help kids exists but is not being used. The organization was originally founded by him and his ex-wife Demi Moore and was called DNA Organization for Demi and Ashton Foundation. It was renamed to THORN after the couple divorced.
RELATED: ASHTON KUTCHER TELLS ALL ABOUT DEMI MOORE
In February 2017, The Ranch star made headlines for a speech he gave when testifying at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on ending modern slavery and human trafficking. The actor was visibly upset as he detailed raids he had been on with the FBI and recalled, “seeing things no person should see.” It was the first time he explained how the software created by THORN is making a difference. Since various law enforcement agencies began using the new technology, over 6,000 trafficking victims have been saved. One of the most popular tools is Spotlight, which has helped law officials prioritize their cases in a more effective and results-driven manner.
“It’s a neural network. It gets smarter, better over time and more efficient as people use it," Kutcher explained at the hearing.
While his fight against trafficking and child crimes has become his main focus, he has always had a passion for people others. Early on in his career, Kutcher donated $1to Habitat For Humanity, for the first 50,000 people that added him as a friend on MySpace back in the day. Oh, yes he was giving back even before social media really started. He has also spent time in Central America building houses for those in need.
Ashton Kutcher is passing on his passion for charity to his young kids with wife Mila Kunis. Wyatt, age three and Dimitri, age one, are already being taught about giving back. The couple shared that at Christmas time they make their kids pick one present they really love and give the rest to a local charity. Both have discussed how much stuff their kids get each year, thanks to the grandparents, so they want their little ones to understand how fortunate they both are.
There can never be too many people giving to charity, and thankfully, celebrity Ashton Kutcher is now one of many famous faces supporting great causes. His latest investment is called Ripple, which is a cryptocurrency startup. Now the reason he got involved is because the company gives a portion of their annual earnings to charity. The company itself is all about XRP coin and helping people transfer that money easily. In March, Ripple donated $29million to develop the United State public schools.
Whether he is fighting against trafficking, trying to protect children or investing in a company that will donate to worthwhile causes, Kutcher is proving he is a lot more than just a Hollywood heartthrob.
NEXT: ASHTON KUTCHER DROPS BIG MONEY ON ELLEN'S WILDLIFE FUND
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmqaegYrC2uNOuqZ5nkai1tbvNZqKurJOdsrN5wqGYq6Gkrnq4u9GkZg%3D%3D