via superiorpics.com

On Thursday, CGG attended the 3rd annual lunchbox auction, which called for all your favorite celebrities, fashion designers, chefs, artists, and musicians to design lunchboxes for an auction set to benefit Food Bank for New York City and the Lunchbox Fund of South Africa.

Food Bank for New York City serves more than 250,000 meals a day by over 1,000 community food programs throughout the five boroughs. And with the current economic times as tough as they are, those numbers in need are certainly only growing. The Lunchbox Fund, on the other hand, gives lunch to underprivileged school children throughout South Africa who otherwise would go hungry.

"Just with my involvement with the Food Bank, I can tell you that the number of people is increasing every week," R.E.M. lead singer and event host Michael Stipe tells CGG. "And we're talking about the working poor; we're not talking about only homeless people." His advice for ways to help? "Now is a time for anybody who is more fortunate to dig a little deeper."

Among the roll call of stars who participated in decorating these nostalgic tin boxes were Anna Sui, Beastie Boys, Burberry, Cameron Diaz, Cynthia Rowley, Diane von Furstenberg, Ellen Page, Emeril Legasse, Eva Mendes, the cast of Gossip Girl, Gwyneth Paltrow, John Mayer, Julia Stiles, Heatherette, Lanvin, Liv Tyler, Martha Stewart, Michael Stipe, Mike Myers, the New York Giants, Rachael Ray, Thriving Ivory, Tony Bennett, and Yoko Ono.

We caught up with Julia Stiles on the red carpet, who told us she used nailpolish she had lying around her home to paint colorful flowers on her lunchbox! Other fabulous designs included an ultra-lime green lunchbox by Cameron Diaz with the paper bag note "Waste Not" attached. Also Ellen Page stuffed in a plush toy lobster into her wooden cage of a lunchbox. And Gwyneth Paltrow let Apple run wild with personal drawings of her daughter's that were pasted onto her orange tins.

But the best part is you get to bid on these one-of-a-kind art pieces through Dec. 18!! Could you imagine going to school toting a celeb-designed lunchbox?! Hmmm... holiday shopping, anyone???