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Justin Bieber isn’t the only musician behind Pencils of Promise.  British singer Natalia Kills, signed by Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am, and whose album, Perfectionist, comes out August 16, is already supporting the New York-based charity which builds schools in the developing world.

“I recently opened an online eBay store where some of the proceeds go to Pencils of Promise to build schools,  so if it’s something I’ve worn before for a particular appearance, sometimes it ends up on my eBay store,” Kills tells Samaritanmag, during a recent stop in Toronto when she was on tour with Robyn.

Kills, whose real surname is Cappuccini, says she chose Pencils of Promise for a couple of reasons.

“A lot of my friends like to work two or three days a week for a few hours at least in an office for a non-profit organization,” she says. “It’s always to do with humans. I know it’s important to save animals and save the planet, but we have to start by saving human beings first and making their lives better, in my opinion, before we start on the rest of it. Basically, I have a few friends who like to do that and that’s how I found out about it.

“I think it’s actually the fastest rising non-profit that exists at the moment. They’ve built over 35 schools in less than 5 years, so they’re doing really well right now.  I don’t know anyone else [musician-wise] who supports it, but I know me and Justin Bieber do. “

Bieber started Schools 4 All with Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun, a campaign that challenges students, parents, entire schools and communities to launch a personal fundraising page to help PoP build more schools. According to the site (www.schools4all.org), it has raised more than $143,000 to date, which equals seven new schools. The campaign ends June 30 and the person who raises the most money will receive a visit at the school of their choice from Bieber and Braun.

Mars Canada Inc., a division of Mars Incorporated, is launching its second annual kindness campaign on March 1, asking Canadian to become “kindness ambassadors,” through its “Random Acts of Chocolate” initiative.

Last year, a survey of Canadians conducted by Leger Marketing and commissioned by Mars Canada Inc.’s chocolate division, revealed that only 41 percent of respondents felt they had received an act of kindness in the past week.  However, 90 percent of Canadians believe that their country is a compassionate nation.

Who knows what Mars would’ve done if the results had been different — and perhaps it was skewed to serve its purpose — but the company set out with spokesperson Michael “Pinball” Clemons, co-chair of the Toronto Argonauts football team and a noted philanthropist himself, to impress on Canadians the importance of kindness and to practice it every day.

Three Canadian communities benefitted from three $10,000 kindness donations from Mars.  Now, the goal is 50,000 acts of kindness.

To help get things started,  Clemons will be taking to Dundas Square in Toronto (opposite the Eaton Centre) to hand out Mars chocolate bars from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.