Margaret Reilly McDonnell Appointed Director of the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets Campaign

The United Nations Foundation announced today the appointment of Margaret Reilly McDonnell as Director of its Nothing But Nets campaign — a global campaign to save lives by preventing malaria. McDonnell has served as Deputy Director for four years, alongside former Director Chris Helfrich.

McDonnell came to the United Nations Foundation with a strong background in strategic partnerships, issue-based advocacy campaigns, and global health, having worked with UNICEF in Botswana, the U.S. Coalition for Child Survival, and the ONE Campaign.

“The Nothing But Nets campaign has seen great success over the last ten years, protecting those most vulnerable from malaria,” said United Nations Foundation President and CEO Kathy Calvin. “For many years, Margaret has served the campaign with incredible dedication and is uniquely poised to elevate this life-saving work to new heights.”

Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria. Nothing But Nets works closely with its UN partners across sub-Saharan Africa to ensure vulnerable populations including children, refugees, and families displaced by conflict are protected from this deadly disease.

Now in its tenth year, the Nothing But Nets campaign boasts hundreds of thousands of supporters – from students to athletes to entertainers – who all help to protect families on another continent from the threat of malaria.

Since it was founded in 2006, the campaign has raised more than $60 million and delivered nearly ten million life-saving bed nets and other malaria interventions to families in over 30 countries. Nothing But Nets also 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.

“As a mother of young kids, I am committed to working toward a day when no child dies from a mosquito bite,” said McDonnell. “The true power of Nothing But Nets is our base of passionate champions, partners, and supporters who’ve helped us protect millions from malaria. Together we can defeat this disease once and for all.”

Last year, the campaign launched The Million Nets Pledge to protect refugee families from malaria with one million nets by 2016. This ambitious two-year goal aims to raise $10 million to protect vulnerable people fleeing violence, particularly in Central Africa. The campaign is on track to achieve this goal.

Today, there are more than 50 million refugees and families displaced by violence around the world – and 60 percent of them live in areas where malaria is transmitted. Malaria is a major threat to refugees – it is a leading cause of illness and death in many African countries, including those where Nothing But Nets and its UN partners work.

Visit www.NothingButNets.net to send a net and help save a live.

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Contact

Rachel Henderson

Communications Manager, Nothing But Nets

[email protected]

M: 570.259.2205

About Nothing But Nets

Now in its tenth year, Nothing But Nets is a global 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 $60 million to help deliver nearly 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.