NEW YORK, NY (May 8, 2024) – Red Nose Day, the beloved fundraising campaign by Comic Relief US to help end child poverty, today announced Childhood Dreamstakes, a larger-than-life campaign that gives entrants the chance to relive the joy, wonder, and adventure of being a kid. Starting today through June 3, everyone who donates to enter at rednoseday.org has the chance to win one of six dream prizes all to support one very serious mission – ending childhood poverty.
With prizes inspired by things found only in childhood dreams, people who donate to Red Nose Day have the chance to crush a car in a monster truck, own a beautifully designed and endlessly edible cotton candy castle; eat their face off (literally) with a life-size cookie of themselves; ride in a personalized hot air balloon; erupt a giant model volcano or take a trip to befriend a penguin.
Winners will be announced in June with prizes awarded through July. All proceeds will help ensure more kids will have access to healthcare, nutritious food, quality education, and safe housing.
“Childhood Dreamstakes is a way for us all to come together around the joy, whimsy, and excitement of childhood, remembering how we can all play a part in protecting the childhood experiences of all children,” said Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US. “Growing up should be a time for kids to have fun, explore, learn, and grow. But right now, millions of children and families in the U.S. are burdened by rising poverty. We believe less childhood poverty means more childhood. And more childhood means more opportunity for kids to chase their dreams.”
Comic Relief US worked with the creative agency Gus to bring the Childhood Dreamstakes to life as part of a new campaign themed “Less Childhood Poverty. More Childhood,” marking Red Nose Day’s 10th anniversary. Through six wacky prizes, the campaign taps into the whimsy, excitement and nostalgia of being a kid.
Today, millions of children and families in the U.S. are burdened by the impacts of rising poverty, and many young people lack a safe home, nutritious food, and adequate healthcare. By tapping into fun-filled moments, the campaign highlights Red Nose Day’s mission to make sure all kids have the healthy, fruitful childhood they deserve, ultimately creating space to let kids be kids.
Graham Douglas, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Gus said: "Our goal was simple: create an outsized impact for kids with a fun experience that brings back the joy of childhood. These days, we’re surrounded by negativity. So, we partnered with Red Nose Day to do the exact opposite – to inspire joy and make a positive impact, even in challenging times."
Spencer LaVallee, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Gus added: "The Childhood Dreamstakes is the world’s first fundraising campaign where adults can win a little bit of childhood back. From driving around in a monster truck to eating a life-sized cookie replica of yourself, every donation to help end childhood poverty is a chance to win a real-life childhood dream. To us, it's a reminder of the carefree happiness every child deserves, and the childhood sense of fun and wonder that’s inside us all."
Childhood Dreamstakes is one of many ways to engage in the Red Nose Day campaign this year. NBC will celebrate Red Nose Day’s first decade in the U.S. with “Red Nose Day: Cheers to Ten Years,” a one-hour special airing May 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The fun, star-studded special will look back at the hilarious, inspirational, and unforgettable TV moments of NBC’s Red Nose Day programming and the life-changing impact of the campaign’s first ten years.
The special will also include stories that show the impact of donations to Red Nose Day and how they help children and families across the U.S. and around the world. A rebroadcast of the Red Nose Day episode of “The Wall” will follow the special at 9 p.m.
Comic Relief US is also building a brand new experience on Instagram, tapping into the power of music to build a groundswell of action and awareness. Artists from across the musical spectrum will join a month-long fundraiser called the Red Nose Day Childhood Sing-a-long. Musicians including Jauz, Britnee Kellogg, Dot Cromwell, Kate Yeager, The National Parks, Ana Bárbara, and Maía, to name a few, will be sharing songs from their childhood – whether it’s something they played on repeat, funny tunes that simply make them laugh, or evoke a heartfelt memory. They will be asking everyone to join in by sharing their songs and donating to Red Nose Day.
This year, it’s easier than ever to step into the spirit of Red Nose Day with a fun, free, and all-new digital Red Nose Day USA filter. With five backgrounds to choose from, including rainbows, balloons, glitter and confetti, users can easily donate and support the campaign in style across Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook.
“Our memories of the past are part of our hopes for the future,” said Moore. “Childhood Dreamstakes – and Red Nose Day 2024 – are all about creating that hope and remembering what’s so special about childhood. One thing we can all agree on today is the importance of protecting our children – and protecting the concept of childhood.”
Red Nose Day has raised $370 million since it began in the U.S. in 2015. The funds directly support programs that empower children and provide food, shelter, health services, education, and more, positively impacting more than 35 million children and young people to date across the U.S. and around the world.
NBC and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation continue their long-time support this year. Comic Relief US also welcomes three new partners to this year’s campaign: The LEGO Group's ‘Build the Change’ social impact program is partnering with Red Nose Day in School; Snapple is partnering on the Red Nose Day campaign through its Snapple Rewards Program, where participants will have the opportunity to donate to the cause by uploading their Snapple beverage receipts to the program website; and Chuck E. Cheese fun centers nationwide are turning FUN into FUNDS™ by donating 20% of participating sales on Thursday, May 23, and Rounding Up at the registers all month long benefitting Comic Relief US. Plus, families can enjoy unique Red Nose Day entertainment activations inside fun centers and on the official Chuck E. Cheese YouTube channel. They are joined by returning partners The Harlem Globetrotters, eBay for Charity, Hikma, and Popeye the Sailorman, owned by King Features, a unit of Hearst.
Red Nose Day funds support more than 50 trailblazing organizations across the U.S. and around the world that provide essential services, address the immediate needs of children facing poverty, and strive to ensure and/or sustain long-term solutions that set children up for a lifetime of success.
For more information on how to enter Childhood Dreamstakes, visit https://dreamstakes.rednoseday.org. To learn more about Red Nose Day, visit www.rednoseday.org.
About Comic Relief US
Comic Relief US is a nonprofit committed to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. It harnesses the power of entertainment to drive positive social change. To date, the nonprofit has raised over $436 million by mobilizing donors of all ages to engage with causes through powerful content-driven campaigns and new digital platforms. Since 2015, Red Nose Day, Comic Relief US' signature campaign to end poverty, has raised over $370 million and positively impacted more than 35 million children and young people in the US and around the world. Donations are invested in grantee partners and social impact programs that ensure children are safe, healthy, educated, and empowered and that address the root causes of poverty in the most impacted communities. Comic Relief US, also known as Comic Relief US, Inc., is a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. For more information about Comic Relief US and its impact, visit www.comicrelief.org. Follow @ComicReliefUS on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Gus
Gus is a creative strategy company that works with impact-driven brands to disrupt tired categories, if not create entirely new ones. They've helped reposition and relaunch brands like Spotify, Harry's, Back Market, Lemonade, Vimeo, Blackstone, Meati, Timex, and more.
Media Contacts
For Red Nose Day/Comic Relief US
- Jill Carmen, jillcarmenpr@gmail.com
- Keita Jones, k.jones@comicrelief.org
- Tiffanie Thomas, tiffanie.thomas@porternovelli.com