Sandra Bullock Gives $1 Million to Red Cross for Quake Relief

Let’s hear it for celebrities stepping up to the plate!  Sandra Bullock has just given $1 million to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts in Japan.

That makes it the largest celebrity donation to the Red Cross since the massive earthquake and tsunami rocked the region last week, although there may have been larger anonymous donations, the organization said.

“This contribution is vitally important as the Red Cross works to provide critical assistance and essential relief items in this time of urgent need for so many people in Japan,” the Red Cross said in a prepared statement.

Scores of other celebrities have also been urging people to help by tweeting or posting on Facebook about the disaster.  The Red Cross has gotten $2.6 million in $10 donations via text messaging since last Friday.

In total, the American Red Cross has raised around $48 million in the U.S. since the disaster occurred, with about $10 million of that being passed long to the Japanese Red Cross.

Want to pitch in yourself?  Here’s how.

Keep up with the latest on our Japan Earthquake 2011 page

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• Donors use texts, social media for Japan relief (msnbc.msn.com)