U.S. Fund for UNICEF and ABC’S Good Morning America team up to help build a "HAITI FIT FOR CHILDREN"
GMA News Anchor Juju Chang to Spend Next 100 Days Training for a Sprint Triathlon While Raising Funds for UNICEF’s Relief Efforts in Haiti
New York, NY (June 30, 2010) – The U.S. Fund for UNICEF announced today a collaboration with ABC’s Good Morning America to help build a "Haiti fit for children." As part of GMA’s new series "America's Healthy Summer," news anchor Juju Chang has begun 100 days of training for the Housatonic Valley Sprint Triathlon while raising funds towards UNICEF’s relief efforts in Haiti.
"There were 1.5 million children directly impacted by the disaster in Haiti and while coverage in the news has dwindled, these children are still at risk and in need of continued assistance, support and protection," said Caryl Stern, president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "We are delighted to be working with ‘GMA’ and Juju Chang on an effort that will not only create a healthy America but will help rebuild a safer place for the children of Haiti to live."
Following the natural disaster that struck on January 12, Chang was sent to Haiti to cover the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Meeting with hundreds of children who’d suffered and lost everything, their faces and smiles became a permanent imprint in Chang’s mind. As the news cycle changed, so did Chang's assignments, as she was assigned to cover a story on "normal weight obesity." When she found out she had a dangerously high body fat percentage, Chang decided to train for a triathlon and set a goal to raise relief funds for the children of Haiti.
"Juju Gets Fit" will follow Chang as she trains and competes in a .25 mile swim, 10 mile bicycle ride and 5 kilometer run triathlon taking place on September 11. Joined by coach Tom Holland and training partner Lucy Danziger, the editor-in-chief of Self magazine, Chang will share with viewers her training and diet plans, daily diet suggestions, day-to-day fitness and nutrition plans, tips on fitness and motivation, personal experience as encouragement for others to get involved.
By joining Team Juju: Getting fit for a "Haiti Fit for Children," Americans can make personal improvements in their own health while having an impact on the lives of thousands of children in Haiti. Participants are encouraged to visit Team Juju to create personalized fundraising pages, set fitness goals and get family and friends to donate dollar amounts for every mile ran, every additional ten push-ups accomplished or additional hour of workouts completed.
A full generation of Haitian children face an uncertain future, one that depends on the continued support of donors and continued attention to Haiti's needs. Even before the earthquake, Haiti was one of the poorest countries - ranking 148 out of 179 countries on UNDP's Human Development Index and struggling to recover from years of violence, instability and a series of natural disasters. Poor infrastructure and a lack of disaster preparedness made the January earthquake catastrophic for the struggling country and its children.
UNICEF in Haiti is responding to a true children's emergency in which 40 percent of the population is under the age of 15. At work in over 150 countries, UNICEF has saved more children’s lives than any other humanitarian aid organization. Its long-term presence in Haiti and global experience in disaster relief and recovery ensures that UNICEF will be key player in the country’s transformation from a perilous place for kids into a "Haiti Fit for Children."
To join Team Juju, click here and for additional information on the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and its relief efforts in Haiti visit, www.unicefusa.org.
About UNICEF
UNICEF has saved more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in over 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.
UNICEF is at the forefront of efforts to reduce child mortality worldwide. There has been substantial progress—the annual number of under-five deaths dropped from 13 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008. But still, 24,000 children die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.
CONTACT
Richard Alleyne, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.880.9177, ralleyne@unicefusa.org
