KINGSTON, JAMAICA - Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE), the charity organization sponsored by Ziggy Marley, recently donated musical instruments to two schools attended by the members of the Grammy winning band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.

Students at the Bull Bay All Age School were delighted with their gifts as was evident when they joined former Tuff Gong International staff member Brother Herald Hart for a rendition of ‘None A Jah Jah Children Nuh Cry.’ Three classrooms at the school were...(read full press release)

Big thanks to Great Shape! Inc. and Event Networks for their generous gifts of time and materials to the Chepstowe Basic School, Port Antonio, Jamaica.

In a recent visit, SuperKids volunteers from Great Shape! Inc. delivered bags to children in need, along with reading books and a curriculum and resources to teach reading, computer literacy, sports, art and music.

Event Networks donated 270 computer bags to U.R.G.E. for this program.

Chepstowe is one of many schools assisted by Great Shape! Inc.. Here's some more information about this group:

"Great Shape! Inc. has been serving and partnering with the people of Jamaica since 1988 – we blossomed from the passion of three women in Oregon into an international organization that aids 25,000+ Jamaicans each year. We facilitate three humanitarian projects in Jamaica: 1000 Smiles (world’s largest, international humanitarian dental program), SuperKids (literacy empowerment project) and iCare (vision project). We send 300 volunteers to Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay each fall to provide better vision, improve literacy, and offer life-changing dental procedures."

Please click here for a blog entry about the visit from one of the volunteers.

To see a gallery of images from the visit, Please click here

Ziggy's Family Time album has been nominated for a Grammy award in the Children's Music category!

Family Time was nominated under the category "Best Musical Album For Children".

Ziggy's brothers Stephen and Julian were nominated as well under the category of best reggae album!

For full listing, Please click here.

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!

I am happy to share with you some pictures from Jamaica.

Remember a few months ago......or maybe it was a year.

Aahhhh it doesn't matter, we mentioned proceeds from the sale of Family Time were going to benefit a school in Jamaica.

Well, here is your money at work. This is Chepstowe Basic School, Port Antonio, Jamaica.

It's a small start, but it's just the beginning. There is my big sister Sharon, (she's in the yellow shirt and the red, gold and green cap) she's organizing the installation of the play sets you have helped us to donate to the kids at Chepstowe.

Doesn't it feel wonderful to help.

Look how green and luscious Port Antonio is. Jamaica is beautiful. Take me, take me to Jamaica now : )

The next thing we are working on is a new classroom which we will start early next year. I'll send you pics when we are done. Until then my friends, love.

oh! The ladies you see in the pictures are the teachers. The lady in pink is the principal. They are great people.

All right, just take good care of yourself. We'll talk later. Cool."

Ziggy's charity, U.R.G.E., sponsored on Friday, October 23, 2009 a health fair at the Cedella Booker Basic School, in Nine Mile, St. Ann.

Dr. Mayssa Sultan, acupuncturist and Advocacy Program Manager for the American Pain Foundation and Dr. Walter Coppernath from the Kaiser Sunset Family Practice Residency Programme in California headed a team of dentist, nurses and doctors, who, along with Jamaican Dr. Carlton Fraser, administered free medical care to members of the community. The medical team was assisted by Tuff Gong International employees.

Additionally, the mobile mammogram unit of the Jamaica Cancer Society provided its service, as did a team of optometrists who screened and distributed adult reading glasses.

Other sponsors included the BM Nine Mile Tours Limited, as well as the Nine Mile Charitable Foundation.

Please click here to see a gallery of images from the clinic

The Playing for Change Band will be playing with Toots Hibbert of Toots & the Maytals and Friends (including Ziggy!).

Club Nokia, Los Angeles
Friday, November 13, 2009

Please click here to check out their cover of Bob Marley's "One Love" and learn more about Playing for Change.

The Playing for Change Foundation plans to use a portion of proceeds from this benefit towards the development of a learning center in Jamaica, in conjunction with the Toots Foundation.

To purchase tickets for the event, go to Ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000 or 866-448-7849.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA - Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE) recently donated funds to the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) for its Schools' Environment Programme. On September 25, 2009, a cheque was presented to the chief executive officer of JET, Diana McCaulay.

The presentation took place at the Legend Café on the grounds of the Bob Marley Museum. Ziggy Marley's daughter, Zuri, handed over the cheque, signaling an investment in the future of her own generation.

The Schools' Environment Programme, now in its 13th year, is working to implement garbage management and greening activities in approximately 100...(read full press release)

(click image to see larger version)

Event Networks has donated several hundred lap top bags to Ziggy's charity, U.R.G.E.

These bags will be among other items U.R.G.E. will distribute this Christmas to those in need.

Many thanks to Event Networks for their donation!

Please click image above for more

KPFK Peace Awards & 50th Anniversary & Concert Celebration!

About this benefit for KPFK radio in Los Angeles:

"KPFK is proud to honor community members and activists who are working and achieving for the cause of peace, in the areas of community activism, education, art and culture and justice work. Friday, October 9th is John Lennon's birthday, and we will imagine together the world that is possible through the peace actions of today. Invited to be honored are UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta, vocalist KB Solomon, KPFK's Blase Bonpane, Hunger Action L.A.'s Frank Tamborello, Jackson Browne presenting to John Trudell, IDEPSCA founder Raul Anorve, and the Arlington West Beach Project Volunteers with members from the Veterans for Peace Los Angeles."

For more details, please click here

Hi everyone its been a while.

I want to thank everyone for sending in their beautiful artwork for the coloring contest or should I say the "so called coloring contest".

After all, art cannot contest against art. The very meaning of art is you should not compare one person's art and deem it better or less than another person's art.

It's a personal expression that was not meant to be compared to or put up against anyone else's. Basically art was not meant to be a competitive sport. : )

We must learn to appreciate each piece of art on its own merits without putting our own likes and dislikes into it. We must learn to see certain things by becoming blind to certain things (does that make sense?).

Well here's an example. If people were blind to race, class etc. the world would be a better place. So who am I to judge someone's art.

This was my conclusion after looking at all the "entries" that were sent in for this "contest". Hey I just realized something it's a CON - TEST. hahaha a test of con. No conning here please. : )

Anyway, I have learned that all art has something that we can love whether it be the kid who totally just plastered the page with colors covering everything on the page, I laughed when I saw that. What an artist! Or the kid who took the time to color in the lines, you can see it took some concentration there.

Hey there are all kind of artists out there none is better than the other and so my final conclusion was everyone's a winner. I really loved each and every piece of art for its own individual style.

So thanks again, enjoy the gifts and we will talk soon.

It's family time.

love ziggy

To see the gallery of artwork, please click here

Ziggy received the award below from Tunecore to commemorate Certified Digital download sales of more than 250,000 songs from his album Love is My Religion.

click image to see bigger version

Ziggy was on the World Cafe with David Dye on Thursday, September 10th!

In case you missed it.....here are scheduled rebroadcasts!

Saturday, October 17th & Monday, October 19th

To check the schedule to hear live, please click here.

To listen online, please click here

We've got a brand new store fully loaded with all the new garb from Ziggy's latest tour!

For the opening, we're offering a 10% discount if you buy two items or more.

We hope you will browse and check it out. Please feel free to contact us with comments and suggestions.

Check it out... "Walk Tall", is in this video by ESPN for the Little League World Series!

*** Thanks to everyone who sent us pictures! ***

Submissions are now closed!!

Has your child completed the coloring page that came with the Family Time CD?

Would you like to share your child's coloring with us?

Prizes will be awarded

For more details, please click here.

p.s. if you bought the CD as a digital download, we'll provide a download coloring page for you, so you can print and then color!

Back in 2005, U.R.G.E. began financial aid to Robert Gordon, a straight "A" student at Richmond Preparatory School in Kingston, Jamaica.

Robert recently graduated with top marks, will be attending Campion College AND was granted a full government scholarship!

Well done Robert! Congratulations and all the best in your continued education!

Harambe is the quarterly newsletter of the Rita Marley Foundation. The latest newsletter is now available, and includes the following topics:

* Marley Family Gift to National Library of Jamaica
* Reggae by The Nile
* Famous Belgian Cook Legend's Meal
* Ziggy Captivates White House
* Konkonuru Healthcare Center (Photos)

Please click here to read the Newsletter

Recent results in Billboard Magazine show Family Time as #1 in Reggae.

In the Kids Audio section, it came in at #3.

Also noteworthy, under Top Independent Albums, it hit #20.

In support of his latest album, Family Time, Ziggy has been making many appearances.

We've compiled some images from recent appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tavis Smiley Show and an in store appearance at Barnes & Noble.

Please click here to see the photos!

Ziggy's documentation of his White House assignment.

Please click here to read!

* Miss our Mother's Day tribute? Click here to see it! *

FOUR-TIME GRAMMY WINNING SINGER/SONGWRITER/PRODUCER

WILL RELEASE FIRST CHILDREN'S REGGAE ALBUM MAY 5

Tuff Gong Worldwide will release Ziggy Marley's third solo album, Family Time, on May 5. Marley produced the album with legendary producer Don Was. The album will feature a variety of family and friends including Rita Marley (Ziggy's mother), Cedella Marley (sister), Judah Marley (daughter), Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Toots Hibberts, Elizabeth Mitchell, Laurie Berkner, Paula Fuga and two stories narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis.

"Growing up music was an important part of my childhood," Marley says. "I see it being just as important in my children and...(read full press release)

We've added a generous sample of Ziggy performing "Into the Groove" to the web.

The live video is from the his DVD of "Love is My Religion".

Please click here to SEE the video

Please click here to BUY the DVD

Tuff Gong was pleased to welcome Ziggy Marley and his family to Jamaica for the holidays. During their visit, Ziggy through his charitable foundation URGE (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment) sponsored a holiday treat, distributed shoes, clothing and much needed school items to the children in the community of Nine Mile, St. Ann. In 2008 a multi court facility was built at the Nine Mile community playfield that was co-sponsored by URGE, the Sports Development Foundation and Golden Sands Foundation.

Click image for more photos

Mary's...(read full press release)