NEW YORK, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Just in time for the holiday season, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF today announced its participation in a unique holiday giving initiative launched by Facebook, the hugely popular social networking website.
For a limited time, UNICEF will offer members of the website community the opportunity to "Immunize a child against disease" through a feature called, "Charity Gift." The initiative is an offshoot of Causes, the rapidly growing social activism application on Facebook that allows members to create a cause, recruit their friends and raise money directly through the application for their favorite, registered charity.
"We are thrilled to be working with UNICEF this holiday season," said Sean Parker, co-founder of Causes on Facebook. "The UNICEF charity gift icons empower Facebook users nationwide to give a gift that will not only brighten their Facebook profile page, but -- more importantly -- will help immunize children in need throughout the world against preventable diseases."
"Too often the true spirit of this season gets lost in commercial noise and hype instead of selfless giving and meaningful reflection," said Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO, U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "Our friends at Causes on Facebook understand this and we are thrilled to partner with them on their first major holiday giving initiative."
The special "Charity Gift" feature will allow Causes on Facebook users to buy a UNICEF gift icon for $17. This purchase, which can in turn be given as a gift to family or friend, will help UNICEF save a child's life by immunizing a child against the six major childhood killer diseases: pertussis, childhood tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles and diphtheria.
While childhood immunization is routine for some, families in many parts of the world are unable to provide this protection to their children. Vaccines protect nearly three-quarters of the world's children against major childhood illnesses; yet, every year, more than 2 million children die from diseases that could have been prevented by inexpensive vaccines. UNICEF, the world's leading agency for vaccine procurement, is working to make lifesaving immunizations available to children everywhere.
About UNICEF
For more than 60 years, UNICEF has been the world's leading international children's organization, working in over 150 countries to address the ongoing issues that affect why kids are dying. UNICEF provides lifesaving nutrition, clean water, education, protection and emergency response saving more young lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. While millions of children die every year of preventable causes like dehydration, upper respiratory infections and measles, UNICEF, with the support of partnering organizations and donors alike, has the global experience, resources and reach to give children the best hope of survival. For more information about UNICEF, please visit http://www.unicefusa.org/.
About Causes
Causes on Facebook was built by Project Agape. With Causes on Facebook, any Facebook user with a little passion and initiative can create a cause, recruit their friends and, most importantly, raise money directly through the application for any registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization or political campaign.
Causes on Facebook, Causes and the Charity Gift icons are registered trademarks of Project Agape.
All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
U.S. Fund for UNICEF
