Red Nose Day 2024 fights child poverty with the 'whimsy' of a candy castle, monster truck and Legos

Red Nose Day 2024 fights child poverty with the 'whimsy' of a candy castle, monster truck and Legos

Red Nose Day 2024 fights child poverty with the 'whimsy' of a candy castle, monster truck and Legos

Red Nose Day has raised $370 million since 2015 to fund anti-poverty efforts

ByJAMES POLLARD Associated Press

May 23, 2024, 8:20 AM

    NEW YORK -- An edible, life-sized cookie of the contest winner and a car-crushing monster truck ride are two of the new prizes up for grabs in the Red Nose Day 2024 campaign, which starts on Thursday.

    As Comic Relief's fundraising initiative for underserved American children enters its 10th year, the charity is hoping to draw donations by encouraging the childlike wonder that millions of poverty-stricken kids might miss. First disseminated through clown-like schnozzes at Walgreens locations, the message is spreading this year through Instagram sing-alongs, a sweepstakes and new partners such as Lego.

    It’s all an effort to “evoke the childhood dream of whimsy,” Comic Relief U.S. CEO Alison Moore told The Associated Press.

    In 2022, child poverty doubled in the United States, as pandemic-era benefits expired, adding relevance to the mission. Since 2015, Red Nose Day has raised $370 million to stock community food centers and fund local health workers, among other anti-poverty measures worldwide.

    Through June 3, contributions on Red Nose Day’s website will unlock an entry into a “Childhood Dreamstakes” for one of six experiences that hope to stir the fanciful wishes of youth. In addition to the cookie and the truck, donors could win an edible cotton candy castle, a personalized hot air balloon ride, a giant model volcano eruption or “a trip to befriend a penguin.”

    Planned with help from creative agency Gus, the campaign expects that the “fun-filled moments” will highlight the importance of a “healthy, fruitful childhood” and “creating space to let kids be kids.”

    “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,” Gus co-founder Spencer LaVallee said in a statement.

    Comic Relief U.S. is once more relying on entertainers to generate awareness. Halftime skills challenges during the Harlem Globetrotters’ current tour feature a custom Red Nose Day basketball. Longtime partner NBC plans to celebrate the decade-long drive with a one-hour May 23 special including “The Voice” coaches John Legend, Chance the Rapper, Reba McEntire and Dan + Shay.

    As in recent years, Comic Relief is foregoing the physical red nose once available to Walgreens customers. What’s new are interactive filters that place digital ones on users’ faces across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat. Pets should even be able to don a virtual red nose on the latter two platforms.

    While the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is again backing the campaign, the push is also aided by first-time corporate collaborations with some kid-friendly brands. Aimed toward field trips, Lego's “The Biggest Build” challenge will invite students to design their dream communities at 14 museums around the country. Chuck E. Cheese locations are soliciting round-up contributions at checkout this month and donating 20% of participating sales on May 23.

    Others in the philanthropic sector credited Comic Relief U.S. for staying authentic to Red Nose Day over the past ten years. The tactics won't work for every fundraiser, said Elevate Prize Foundation CEO Carolina Garcia Jayaram, who founded the nonprofit supporting social entrepreneurs.

    But Jayaram said fundraising is about meeting people where they are — and comedy and popular culture have proven to be successful avenues for drawing attention toward childhood poverty.

    “There's not nearly enough money being pumped into these solutions,” Jayaram told the AP at the nonprofit's annual Make Good Famous Summit Wednesday. "I wish we didn't all have to get out there and do a big song and dance for all that money. But if it works, it works.”

    —-

    Associated Press writer Glenn Gamboa contributed reporting from Miami Beach, Fla.

    ___

    Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

    OTHER NEWS

    23 minutes ago

    Jos Buttler praises England trio after win over USA to reach T20 World Cup semi-finals

    23 minutes ago

    ‘He made his bed and must lay in it’: Nota reacts to Sir Trill’s woes

    23 minutes ago

    V&A set to hire more men to be more inclusive

    23 minutes ago

    Zizi Kodwa - facing corruption charges - a “spit” on taxpayers faces as he returns to Parliament

    23 minutes ago

    Tartan Army supporters descend on Stuttgart ahead of Euro 2024 clash

    23 minutes ago

    Stardew Valley Players Reveal the Mistakes They Can't Stop Making

    23 minutes ago

    MoD issue ‘myth-busting’ Nato video after Farage comments on Ukraine invasion

    23 minutes ago

    Tunisia’s soccer Cup 2023-2024 (Quarter final): S.Tunisien through to semin-finals

    23 minutes ago

    Spalletti set to shake things up for Italy's clash with Croatia

    26 minutes ago

    Sarah Becker Dies: MTV’s ‘The Real World: Miami’ Alum Was 52

    27 minutes ago

    Game Of Thrones' Total Death Count Is A Lot Higher Than You Likely Think

    27 minutes ago

    England hat-trick hero Chris Jordan cherishes ‘special’ day in front of family

    27 minutes ago

    Colin Montgomerie explains why Rory McIlroy will be doubly hurt by US Open failure

    27 minutes ago

    'This is a disaster for Macron': Will the French president's gamble on elections pay off?

    27 minutes ago

    Croatia vs. Italy expected lineups, starting 11, team news: Modric and Barella to start Euro 2024 match

    27 minutes ago

    Kevin McGarry Reflects On ‘When Calls The Heart’ Season 11’s Big Moments And Just What Makes This Show So Special

    27 minutes ago

    Blue Jays claim RHP Jose Cuas off waivers from Cubs

    27 minutes ago

    Death toll at Hajj pilgrimage rises to 1,300 amid scorching temperatures

    27 minutes ago

    ‘Gone nuclear’: The energy debate’s ‘fallout’ between Coalition and Labor

    27 minutes ago

    Only 20 percent of top 50 making way to 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic

    27 minutes ago

    Maro Itoje has finally grown into a leader for England – and Steve Borthwick is delighted

    27 minutes ago

    Blue Jays call up Steward Berroa, place Orelvis Martinez on restricted list

    27 minutes ago

    The Sharks acquire Egor Afanasyev from the Predators for Ozzy Wiesblatt

    27 minutes ago

    Veteran Republican strategist tells Fox News that Trump is falling in polls since his conviction

    27 minutes ago

    USA vs ENG Live Score, T20 World Cup 2024: Tricky USA stand in way of England's semi-final berth at Barbados

    27 minutes ago

    Chilling new video captures suspected Saudi spy filming US Capitol, National Monument before 9/11

    27 minutes ago

    Watch as Ryan Garcia tries his hand at STAND-UP COMEDY with excruciating routine following his doping ban

    27 minutes ago

    Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark arrive for hotly-anticipated WNBA showdown with Sky rookie rocking eye-catching ensemble

    31 minutes ago

    Biden campaign lays out debate week strategy in new memo

    34 minutes ago

    Video: Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo says Trump's hush money case should have 'never been brought'

    34 minutes ago

    Toronto Blue Jays infielder gets 80-game drug suspension 2 days after major league debut

    34 minutes ago

    Illinois may soon return land the U.S. stole from a Prairie Band Potawatomi chief 175 years ago

    34 minutes ago

    'We are dreaming' - brave Albania not just playing for pride against Spain

    34 minutes ago

    Basketball ties aside, Macklin Celebrini focused on hockey as NHL draft's presumptive No. 1 pick

    34 minutes ago

    Taylor Swift's surprise songs from Night 2 of the Eras Tour in London, including a Hayley Williams appearance

    34 minutes ago

    England: Scholes selects new position to start ‘wasted’ Alexander-Arnold in three changes for Slovenia

    34 minutes ago

    Angela Rayner comments on election date gambling allegations

    34 minutes ago

    Ukraine vs Belgium: Euro 2024 prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

    34 minutes ago

    Barcelona fear Arsenal as race hots up to sign sensational Spain midfielder

    34 minutes ago

    Matvei Michkov Signing Changes Trajectory Of Flyers Rebuild Timeline