Barrymore donates $1 million to UN body

In this photo released by Harpo Productions Inc., talk-show host Oprah Winfrey, right, stands with actress Drew Barrymore during the 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' which aired Monday, March 3, 2008, in Chicago. Barrymore announced she was making a personal donation of $1 million to the World Food Programme.

(AP Photo/Harpo Productions Inc., George Burns)

Actress Drew Barrymore listens during a news conference where she was named Ambassador against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), on Captiol Hill in Washington May 10, 2007.

(Molly Riley/Reuters)

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Drew Barrymore in Columbia's 50 First Dates - 2004

CHICAGO - Drew Barrymore said Monday she is donating $1 million to help fight hunger.

She made the announcement on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," saying she would give the money to the World Food Program, a U.N. body that delivers millions of tons of food aid to more than 70 million people in about 80 countries.

"I'm able to make this incredible donation — this has changed my life," she said on the program. "But I encourage everyone to give."

Barrymore, who serves as a World Food Program ambassador, later told The Associated Press that the $1 million is the largest donation she's made.

"By far," the 33-year-old actress said. "But nothing has ever felt so good."

Barrymore, whose screen credits include the "Charlie's Angels" movies and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," visited the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade Monday afternoon, saying she discussed the impact of rising food prices on the poor.

"I wanted to bring awareness to it because it's not something we think about," she said.

There has been a 40 percent rise in commodity prices since the middle of last year, caused in part by skyrocketing energy costs and rising consumer demand in developing countries like India and China, a World Food Program statement said.

The Rome-based agency has an annual budget of about $3 billion, but it said it needs $500 million more this year than it anticipated to help feed the world's poor because of the rising food and energy prices.

Oprah's book pick sells at record pace

Thu Feb 28, 11:50 AM ET

This photo released by Harpo Productions shows Oprah Winfrey introducing Eckhart Tolle's 'A New Earth' during her show in this Jan. 30, 2008, file photo in Chicago. About 3.5 million copies of Eckhart Tolle's spiritual self-help guide have been shipped since Winfrey announced her selection four weeks ago. The book has topped the best seller list on Amazon.com virtually from the moment Winfrey's choice was revealed and is the fastest-selling pick ever at Barnes & Noble, Inc., according to a statement issued Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, by Winfrey.

(AP Photo/Harpo Productions, George Burns)

NEW YORK - Even for an Oprah Winfrey book pick, "A New Earth" has been a sensation. About 3.5 million copies of Eckhart Tolle's spiritual self-help guide have been shipped since Winfrey, host of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," announced her selection four weeks ago.

The book has topped the best-seller list on Amazon.com virtually from the moment Winfrey's choice was revealed, and it is the fastest-selling pick ever at Barnes & Noble Inc., according to a statement issued Thursday by Winfrey.

It's also a record shipment in a four-week span for any book by Penguin Group (USA), which has published such million sellers as Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" and Ken Follett's Winfrey-endorsed "The Pillars of the Earth."

Brian Tart, president and publisher of the Penguin imprint Dutton, told The Associated Press that a key factor was the upcoming Web seminars featuring Winfrey and Tolle, to be held for 10 consecutive Mondays starting March 3.

"Oprah herself has committed 10 weeks to talking to the author, and people from all over the world will be able to participate," said Tart, who added that more than 500,000 people, from more than 100 countries, have registered for the seminar.