New York, NY, May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yesterday, Americans celebrated the sixth annual Red Nose Day in the U.S. with millions tuning into NBC’s special night of Red Nose Day programming and “putting on” their digital Red Noses to raise money and awareness to help children in need stay safe, healthy and educated. Over the last six years, the Red Nose Day campaign has raised more than $230 million, including nearly $32 million so far in the 2020 campaign, with money still coming in from donors and fundraisers across the country.
In response to COVID-19, this year’s Red Nose Day campaign pivoted to its first-ever fully digital Red Nose and committed to direct funds to address the impact of the pandemic on children living in poverty and the organizations supporting them, which includes accelerated funding to nonprofit grantee partners who are working on the frontlines of the crisis. In partnership with Walgreens, the public can still donate to unlock a digital version of the iconic Red Nose at NosesOn.com, and share across Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram to show their support for children in need.
“Even during such a difficult time for so many families, the American public stepped up for millions of vulnerable children who need our help now more than ever,” said Alison Moore, CEO, Comic Relief US, the nonprofit organization behind the Red Nose Day campaign. “The team at Comic Relief US and our partners are overwhelmed by the level of support and generosity. But our work is far from over, and we are committed to continuing to raise more funds, standing with our grantee partners on the frontlines to ensure the most vulnerable children receive the support they need. For us, while there are children in need, every day is Red Nose Day.”
NBC’s three-hour block of Red Nose Day programming kicked off with a special edition of “Celebrity Escape Room,” executive produced by Ben Stiller and Jack Black, with both also starring in the high-energy show alongside Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Adam Scott. The sixth annual “Red Nose Day Special” followed, featuring unforgettable music performances, original sketches, and compelling films that show how donations to Red Nose Day are used to change and save the lives of children living in poverty across America and around the world.
Co-hosted by “This Is Us” stars Mandy Moore and Justin Hartley, the night’s musical performances included Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, OneRepublic, 5 Seconds of Summer, Ellie Goulding, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, Sam Smith, James Taylor, Meghan Trainor, and Adrienne Warren (the star of "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical"). They were joined by film, TV and comedy favorites including Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Paul Rudd and Milo Ventimiglia, as well as Elizabeth Banks, Bryan Cranston, Jim Gaffigan, Ricky Gervais, Tony Hale, Noah Jupe, Mario Lopez, Joel McHale, Susan Kelechi-Watson, Stephen Merchant, Ray Romano, Sarah Silverman and Lilly Singh. The “Red Nose Day Special” is available to stream on NBC.com, the NBC App, Hulu, and various other platforms for the next seven days.
“This year’s Red Nose Day programming was especially inspiring, as so many incredibly talented performers came together to help drive these critical fundraising efforts,” said Paul Telegdy, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We take great pride in our responsibility to shine a light on this amazing cause, as we work with our friends at Comic Relief US on behalf of children in need around the world.”
“Red Nose Day has always supported the most vulnerable children in America and around the world, and this year, the health crisis made it clear there was a greater urgency to help than ever before,” said Pat McLean, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Walgreens. “Walgreens was honored to work with Comic Relief US on the first digital Red Nose, which allowed us all to continue to come together, even while we remained apart, in support of such an important cause.”
“We are thrilled to continue our work with Red Nose Day for the sixth year in a row,” said Lee Andrews, VP Corporate Affairs at Mars Wrigley, a national partner of Red Nose Day. “This partnership has allowed us the opportunity to truly impact communities through leveraging our M&M’S® brand, using humor and entertainment to bring people together for a great cause. At such an important time for children all over the world, we are proud to have contributed over $1 million to Red Nose Day this year.”
Red Nose Day was created by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning writer-director Richard Curtis (“Yesterday,” “Love Actually,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill”).
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 over $230 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. For more information about Red Nose Day USA and its impact, visit www.rednoseday.org. Follow @RedNoseDayUSA on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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