Jessica Simpson gives van to orphanage

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico - Jessica Simpson has donated a new minivan to an orphanage in this border city.

Dozens of cheering children greeted the singer and actress Sunday as she arrived at the Elim orphanage in Nuevo Laredo, just across the border from Laredo, Texas, in a white 2007 Chrysler minivan that she had won at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Simpson, accompanied by her mother and father, who is also her manager, gave the keys to Guadalupe Carmona, the orphanage's founder and director. Shestayed for about 40 minutes, posing for photos with the children and signing autographs.

"We're really happy," said Carmona, known as Mama Lupita. "This is the second time she has visited us."

Last fall, Simpson won a Chrysler Crossfire sports car at the MTV awards, but exchanged the $50,000 luxury car for a minivan so she could help the orphanage, Carmona said.

Simpson first visited the orphanage in 1996 and last month announced she would donate a car, Carmona said. But few expected Simpson to deliver it in person.

Simpson, whose songs include "I Wanna Love You Forever" and "Irresistible," also has appeared in the MTV reality show "Newlyweds" with now-ex husband
Nick Lachey and in the movie "The Dukes of Hazzard."

Labels: Jessica Simpson