Go Give One global campaign debuts in US; gives individual Americans the opportunity to drive COVID-19 recovery throughout the world - PRNewswire

ultrasimi.blogspot.com

SEATTLE, May 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Go Give One campaign is launching in America, giving everyone everywhere a chance to play their part in helping to vaccinate the world. Created by the WHO Foundation, the campaign asks individuals to donate $7 for a COVID-19 vaccine dose, with the aim of getting 50 million people to take part in the campaign. The campaign launched in the US at Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, with the support of the City of Seattle and Mayor Jenny Durkan. Over the next weeks and months, the Go Give One Campaign will roll out at vaccine supersites, pharmacies and other vaccination locations; will be promoted and supported by major players in the travel and hospitality industries and by faith-based partners; and will have a significant presence on digital platforms including eBay, and others. The campaign was also recently amplified by Facebook during World Immunization Week.

On Saturday 8,000 people received their vaccine at Lumen Field, the largest vaccine supersite in the country; and these Seattleites were also the first to experience the Go Give One campaign in real life. The campaign touchpoints (flyers, banners, pop-up stand) gave people the opportunity to channel all the emotions of the moment - relief, hope, joy - into a simple act of generosity. In the same time it took for each person to receive their vaccine, they could scan a QR code or go to their phone browser to give a vaccine to someone else in the world who otherwise would be going without.

"I'm so proud to have Seattle leading the way for Americans to engage in the Go Give One campaign and support our global recovery from COVID-19," said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. "Only a year ago, Seattle was among the first places to feel the devastation of the pandemic. Throughout this year, the people of Seattle have brought our determination, creativity, and generosity to make sure our city and our communities come back thriving. While we continue our work to support our families, schools, and businesses, we're excited to extend that same commitment to people around the world. Everyone, everywhere should have access to the vaccine, and Seattle's stepping up to help make that happen."

"First & Goal Inc. and Lumen Field stand beside the Go Give One campaign in its mission to provide vaccine equity worldwide," said Chuck Arnold, President, Seattle Seahawks and First & Goal Inc. "We believe in supporting our community through teamwork and collaboration, both in our Seattle region and across the globe. The Go Give One campaign does exactly that, extending a helping hand to those who need it most."

Americans consistently rank as the most charitable people in the world. US charitable giving grew 2% during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a massive 21% increase in digital giving. 30% of those donations were made from a mobile device. The Go Give One campaign is a simple way for Americans to donate to end the pandemic, all on a dedicated online platform: www.gogiveone.org.

People of all faiths are engaging with the campaign, including support from members of the Catholic church. Sr Carol Keehan, Vatican COVID-19 Commission Health Taskforce Coordinator and former president of the Catholic Health Association of the US said, "The Covid-19 pandemic reveals the truth of our common humanity. It impacts everyone in significant ways and on different timelines but has been especially hard on our brothers and sisters living in poverty. It has become clear that vaccines are the path to conquering this deadly disease but also painfully clear that the vaccine distribution has not been equitable. Reports from so many countries of the intense suffering and deaths are devastating. So many have felt powerless to help. Now the Go Give One campaign offers a way to be neighbor to so many. We can help deliver on a solution to this global problem as a global family through small acts of giving and show our faith and love of one another and in doing so forge a new path out of this pandemic and into a better future."

The money raised goes to the COVAX Advanced Market Commitment (AMC), an innovative financing mechanism administered by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which procures vaccines for lower-income countries under the umbrella of One World Protected. Some 72 of the 92 lower income economies eligible for free doses from the AMC have now received their first deliveries, but low-income countries still currently account for just 1 in 500 doses administered.

Marie-Ange Saraka-Yao, Managing Director, Resource Mobilisation and Private Sector Partnerships, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance said, "The Gavi COVAX AMC is a global
solution ensuring lower income economies get the doses they need to bring the pandemic under control. We have already secured access to 1.3 billion doses of life-saving vaccines, but with more funding we can protect so many more lives. Equitable access to vaccines is in everyone's interest: with Go Give One, now everybody has the chance to make a difference."

In addition to the US, Go Give One will launch country by country over the next twelve months, continuing with the UK, Israel and Kenya. It will be led by local businesses, charities and governments and includes a matching feature for companies around the world to contribute through a simple fundraising mechanism that puts the campaign in front of their employees or customers. Facebook has provided campaign donations for people who set up a Go Give One fundraiser on their platform, giving up to $5 million in contributions.

"The goal of Go Give One is to recruit tens of millions of people across the world to act together, paving the way for everyone, everywhere to access vaccines," said Anil Soni, Chief Executive Officer of the WHO Foundation. "Now is the time for people to power vaccine supply, and businesses can help by giving the opportunity to their employees and customers."

More information at www.gogiveone.org

Note to Editors:
About the Go Give One campaign
This is a white label campaign that can be used by anyone who wants to help fund global vaccine equity. It was created by the WHO Foundation, in partnership with global and national partners. Reid Strategies is managing the campaign at www.gogiveone.org.

The campaign's vision reflects the personal, human desire to be free again from a virus that has affected individuals in deeply personal ways; and responds to people's compassion to help one another, to do something to end the pandemic. Go Give One offers a global solution to a problem we all share, a virus that knows no boundaries, and a virus that we can only be free from, when all of us are protected.

The WHO Foundation

The WHO Foundation is a non-profit grant-making foundation that works together with donors, world health professionals and the WHO network to create partnerships that drive innovative actions to address the most pressing health challenges of today and tomorrow. www.who.foundation/en

COVAX and the COVAX AMC

COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a ground- breaking global collaboration to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. It is co-led by GAVI (the Vaccine Alliance), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), alongside key delivery partner UNICEF. Through Gavi's innovative financing instrument, the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), 92 lower-income economies will receive access to donor-funded COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX at the same time as 98 higher- income, self-financing countries receive their doses. For more information on One World Protected, the fundraising campaign of the Gavi COVAX AMC, click here. More information at COVAX and COVAX AMC.

SOURCE Go Give One