NEW YORK, NY (April 23, 2020) – Red Nose Day, the annual campaign that leverages the power of fun and entertainment to end child poverty, is thrilled to announce that the public can now, for the first time, donate online to unlock a digital version of its iconic Red Nose.
Supporters can go to NosesOn.com to unlock their own digital Red Nose in support of the 2020 campaign, and share their #NosesOn selfies on Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram to show their support for children in need, and encourage others to donate.
Taking place on Thursday, May 21, 2020 is the sixth annual Red Nose Day. In light of the COVID-19 global health crisis, and in an effort to help the public adhere to current health recommendations to stay home when possible and avoid face-touching, Red Nose Day’s iconic Red Noses will not be sold in Walgreens stores this year. Instead, this year’s new digital Red Nose, developed in partnership with Walgreens, offers an easy, fun way for the public to participate in the annual campaign, even while staying at home.
“For five years, Red Nose Day has tapped into the power of laughter, engagement and entertainment to bring Americans together to change the stories of millions of children in need,” said Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US, the nonprofit organization behind Red Nose Day. “We’re thrilled, in partnership with Walgreens, to have been able to launch the first digital Red Noses, continuing to give people an easy way to come together and show their support for vulnerable children. Millions of children in need here and around the world are suffering from the devastating impacts of COVID-19 – this may just be our most important Red Nose Day yet.”
"Red Nose Day has always been about celebrating kindness and caring, and our commitment to support children in need is more urgent than ever before," said Richard Ashworth, president of Walgreens. "The digital Red Nose is a simple and safe way for people to provide immediate support to the children and communities that are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 health pandemic, especially at a time when physical distance makes traditional ways of helping difficult.”
To date Red Nose Day has raised $200 million and positively impacted over 25 million children across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and some of the poorest communities around the world. Money raised supports programs that ensure children in need are safe, healthy, and educated, with grantee partners including: Amref, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Children’s Health Fund, City Year, Covenant House, Feeding America, The Global Fund, International Rescue Committee, Laureus Sport for Good, Ounce of Prevention, Save the Children, UnidosUS and others.
This year, Red Nose Day has committed to direct funds to address the impact of COVID-19 on children living in poverty and the organizations supporting them, both addressing immediate needs and fostering long term, systematic change. This includes accelerated funding to nonprofit grantee partners who are working on the frontlines of this crisis.
In addition to donating to unlock a digital Red Nose, supporters can start their own online fundraiser to rally their communities, and tune into Red Nose Day’s primetime night of programming, which airs on May 21st at 8:00 PM ET/PT only on NBC. ‘Celebrity Escape Room’ kicks off the night, bringing all the excitement and fun of escape rooms to television with the cast including Ben Stiller, who is also an executive producer, Jack Black, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Adam Scott. Following this, the sixth annual ‘Red Nose Day Special’ will bring together some of the biggest names in entertainment, featuring a great mix of music, comedy and short films shedding light on children in need and how Red Nose Day funds help. For more information on how to get involved in Red Nose Day, please visit RedNoseDay.org.
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About Red Nose Day
Red Nose Day USA is a fundraising campaign run by the non-profit organization Comic Relief US, also known as Comic Relief Inc., a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. Red Nose Day started in the U.K., built on the foundation that the power of entertainment can drive positive change, and has raised over $1 billion since the campaign’s founding in 1988.
Red Nose Day launched in the U.S. in 2015 with a mission to end child poverty, and has raised $200 million to date to positively impact nearly 25 million children. Money raised supports programs that ensure children in need are safe, healthy and educated, both in America and around the world. The sixth annual Red Nose Day takes place on Thursday, May 21, 2020. For more information about Red Nose Day USA and its impact, visit www.rednoseday.org. Follow RedNoseDay on Instagramand Facebook.