WASHINGTON, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Mrs. Laura Bush today called on Americans to donate $10 for life-saving bed nets and join the fight against malaria by April 25th, the first Malaria Awareness Day in the U.S. "President Bush and I urge all Americans to do their part to help defeat this disease," said Mrs. Bush in a video statement. "To learn how, please go to MalariaNoMore.org."
Mrs. Bush's call was echoed by other prominent Americans and organizations who announced new initiatives today in the run-up to Malaria Awareness Day. ExxonMobil and American Idol's "Idol Gives Back," actress Ashley Judd, Major League Soccer, pastor and bestselling author Rick Warren, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Nothing But Nets, the Initiative for Global Development, America's Promise Alliance, and AngelPoints all unveiled new grassroots initiatives to save lives from malaria.
"Malaria No More is asking every American to donate $10 for a bed net that could save a child's life," said Ray Chambers, co-Chairman of Malaria No More, an organization working to galvanize all sectors of American society to combat malaria. "Whether at their workplace, through their favorite television program, at sporting events, or in their churches and schools, Americans can do their part to make Malaria Awareness Day the first major milestone in the campaign to end malaria-related deaths."
Malaria is the number one killer of children under five in Africa. "Every year, malaria claims 1.2 million lives; it kills 3,000 children in Africa every day," Mrs. Bush said. "Adding to the tragedy is the fact that malaria is treatable and preventable. With simple technologies like bed nets and insecticide sprays families can protect themselves from the mosquitoes that carry the disease."
The President has announced April 25, 2007 as "Malaria Awareness Day" for the first time in the United States. New initiatives announced today include:
* ExxonMobil announced a $3-million "challenge grant" today to match donations dollar-for-dollar to Malaria No More. The grant will be a part of the "Idol Gives Back" episodes of the hit FOX TV show"American Idol" which air on April 24 and Malaria Awareness Day April 25 and benefits a variety of charities. "'Idol Gives Back' is a great opportunity to raise awareness and money to fight malaria," said Richard Curtis, film writer/director and one of the driving forces behind Idol Gives Back, Live 8 and the British Red Nose Day charity which has raised over $1 billion to date. "With ExxonMobil generously matching donations for Malaria No More, Idol viewers can now have twice the impact." * Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Don Garber announced today that the league will run malaria awareness and bed net fundraising promotions at MLS games beginning in the month of April in conjunction with Nothing But Nets and Malaria No More. MLS Auctions will sell game- worn player jerseys to benefit the cause. "Malaria is a devastating disease throughout the world, particularly in Africa," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "Major League Soccer's players, coaches and administrators believe we can make a significant impact in combating malaria, and MLS will encourage all soccer fans in the United States to support this cause." * Actress Ashley Judd, global ambassador and board member for Population Services International, announced the April launch of a new initiative called "5 & Alive," which will bring attention to the devastating effects of malaria on children aged 5 and under in the developing world. "Every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria," she said."Americans can help stop it for as little as $10." * Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church announced today that they are reaching out to 300,000 congregations in the United States in April to encourage them to take on malaria as a cause. This domestic effort builds on the church's extensive work with faith-leaders on the ground in Rwanda. * Boys & Girls Clubs of America announced its own national campaign called "Malaria Prevention: Deadly Disease, Simple Solution." Run in partnership with Malaria No More, it aims to build awareness and encourage fundraising for $10 bed nets among all 4.6-million Club members nationwide. Boys & Girls Clubs President Roxanne Spillett highlighted the efforts of clubs in the Gulf Coast region that have already raised $1,500 for bed nets by doing Malaria No More walks and other fundraisers. "These communities were devastated by Katrina, yet here they are raising money for needy children around the world," she said. * Nothing But Nets announced today that it will kick-off a multi-city grassroots effort in Miami to send more nets and save more lives beginning April 25th. A program of the United Nations Foundation with founding partners, the United Methodist Church and the National Basketball Association's NBA Cares, Nothing But Nets has already raised more than $4 million for bed nets. Over the next 12 months, Nothing But Nets will host events in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver and a half-dozen other cities with day-long programs to raise awareness about malaria. * In addition, America's Promise Alliance announced that it will reach 11.7 million middle school students with a call for volunteers to organize bed net campaigns as part of their service-learning projects. The Initiative for Global Development and AngelPoints each announced new efforts to promote employee giving campaigns with partner corporations in advance of April 25th.
John Bridgeland, CEO of Malaria No More, said, "In the past few years, Americans have demonstrated their generosity in Katrina and Tsunami relief efforts. Now they are coming together for another great cause: to end the more than one million deaths a year caused by malaria. April 25th is just the beginning for this emerging movement."
NOTE: Footage of Mrs. Bush's video statement will be available on 3/29/07 at 9:00am EST and 1:00pm EST. For coordinates, please call at 212-584-5000 x 227.
Founded in 2006 by leading non-governmental institutions, Malaria No More galvanizes individuals, organizations, and corporations in the private sector to provide life-saving bed nets and other critical interventions to families in need. Together these investments will significantly reduce malaria infections and make malaria-related deaths a thing of the past. Malaria No More works in partnership with the American Red Cross, the Global Business Coalition, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Millennium Promise, Population Services International, the President's Malaria Initiative, UNICEF, United Nations Foundation, United Way of America, Against Malaria, Nothing But Nets, Hedge Funds Against Malaria and others. For more information, please visit MalariaNOMORE.org
Malaria No More
CONTACT: Peter Nasaw, +1-212-584-5000 x 227 for Malaria No More
