Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg joined the Call Your Shot campaign to beat malaria yesterday, posting a 360-degree video of her making a basketball shot. Sandberg called out tennis star Serena Williams, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman.
Sandberg, who founded LeanIn.org, joins elite athletes, celebrities and everyday champions who are calling their shots online and making donations to end malaria. Basketball superstar Stephen Curry launched the Call Your Shot challenge on Saturday, April 23, posting a video on his social channels of him calling and making a trick shot. Curry called out Warriors fans (Dub Nation), his brother Seth Curry, and hip hop artist Lecrae to call their shots. He also tweeted the challenge to TNT’s Inside the NBA stars Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith who called their shots during their live broadcast the next day.
Athletes joining the challenge include Brek Shea, (Orlando City and US National Team), Mix Diskerud, (New York City FC and US National Team), Nat Borchers (Portland Timbers), Seth Curry (Sacramento Kings), Anthony Tolliver (Detroit Pistons), Ruth Riley (WNBA legend and San Antonio Stars General Manager) and WNBA star Swin Cash (New York Liberty and Olympic Gold medalist). Kathy Behrens, President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs for the National Basketball Association, called her shot. Rick Reilly, sports personalities Tim and Sid and the Pistons mascot Hooper also posted videos. Lecrae and the bands Death Cab for Cutie and Dawes are among the musicians who have joined the challenge.
The Call Your Shot challenge is backed by the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, Malaria No More and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is supported by champions and partners across the public and private sectors. Samsung called their shot in 360-degree video at their annual developer conference today, calling out Lyft, Upload VR and PEAR Sports. Athletes for Hope provided their own team video and inspired several professional athletes to support the cause. CallYourShot.org is powered by Classy, an online platform specializing in nonprofit fundraising.
The goal of Call Your Shot is to raise awareness and funds to send nets and save lives from malaria. The challenge is simple, too. Participants film themselves making a fun or creative shot – in any sport. They challenge their friends, upload their videos using the hashtag #CallYourShot and donate to support nets and other anti-malaria efforts at CallYourShot.org.
The challenge comes at a pivotal moment in the malaria fight. Tremendous progress has been made in fighting the disease. Thanks to strong leaders and everyday champions, the world has cut malaria deaths in half since 2000. In that time, investments in malaria have saved 6.2 million lives, increased attendance at school, improved worker productivity, and boosted local economies.
The United States has been a global leader in the fight. In 2005, President George W. Bush created the President’s Malaria Initiative. President Barack Obama has embraced and expanded the effort. The U.S. has also been the largest contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Bipartisan leadership from the House and Senate has been critical to the success.
Despite the outstanding progress, a child still dies every two minutes from malaria – an entirely preventable and treatable disease. In his final State of the Union speech, President Obama called on the world to end malaria.
For more information on the campaign visit CallYourShot.org or email to [email protected].
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Contacts
Rachel Henderson
Communications Manager, Nothing But Nets
570.259.2205
About Nothing But Nets
Nothing But Nets is the world’s largest grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a disease which claims the life of a child every two minutes. Inspired by sports columnist Rick Reilly, hundreds of thousands of people have joined the campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006. Nothing But Nets has raised over $60 million to help deliver ten million bed nets to families in need, along with other crucial malaria interventions. In addition to raising funds for its UN partners, Nothing But Nets raises awareness and voices to advocate for critical malaria funding for the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It only costs $10 to help save lives from this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to defeat malaria.
About the United Nations Foundation
The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at: www.unfoundation.org.
© United to Beat Malaria. 2024 • Save Lives, Beat Malaria
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