Stephen Amell, actor

When he’s not wielding his bow and arrow as a vigilante on the streets of Starling City, Stephen Amell is a superhero in his own philanthropic way.

Though mostly known for his role of Oliver Queen on the popular action show Arrow, Amell also spends much of his time giving back to others. 

This summer, he took his high-profile showdown with WWE star Stardust and turned it into a charitable endeavour. Amell encouraged fans to design T-shirt logos ahead of his battle with Stardust. After designs were submitted, he chose a winner, announcing that all T-shirt proceeds would be given to Emily’s House, a T.O.-based hospice specializing in end-of-life care for kids and families. Over $300,000 ended up being raised.

This isn’t the first time Amell has put his hometown at the forefront of his efforts. He also campaigned to get Toronto Blue Jays player Josh Donaldson into the MLB All-Star Game as a starter. Although Amell, who used to live in the Yonge–Eg area, wasn’t the only one campaigning on behalf of Donaldson, the efforts succeeded, and Donaldson collected the most votes of any player in history and clinched a spot in the lineup. 

Early this year, Amell also created the Sinceriously campaign to support Stand for the Silent (an anti-bullying organization) and Paws & Stripes (a non-profit rescuing shelter dogs and training them to be service dogs for disabled veterans). He unveiled a shirt featuring his new made-up word, “sinceriously,” and proceeds of the shirt sales all went to the two charities. 

As his career continues to take off, he’s landed a role in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 movie, set for release in 2016. It’s his work off-screen that is making a lasting impact.