Good Shirts collection launched to help UNICEF aid children in the Horn of Africa
NEW YORK (October 25, 2011) – With the worst humanitarian crisis in the world currently unfolding in the Horn of Africa, Threadless, BBH New York and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF have partnered to launch GOOD SHIRTS: a unique clothing line benefitting the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support relief efforts in the famine and drought-affected region.
The Good Shirts collection, available on www.threadless.com/UNICEF, features an innovative donation structure: each t-shirt is available for a donation in the exact amount as the urgently needed aid item depicted on the shirt. A donor can choose from 12 different designs created by New York City art collective Christine & Justin Gignac.
100% of the donation will go to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support life-saving relief efforts for children.
For more information and your chance to wear something good, please visit www.threadless.com/UNICEF. The Good Shirts story can also be followed on Twitter with the hashtag: #GoodShirts.
"We believe people are generally altruistic, but giving people a badge for being altruistic certainly doesn't hurt," said Ari Weiss, Executive Creative Director at BBH NY. "We're literally letting people wear their donation as a source of pride and as a means to spread the word. If friends get a little competitive over who's being more altruistic, all the better."
Today the Horn of Africa countries of Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti are facing the worst drought in 60 years, and famine has been declared by the United Nations in six regions of southern Somalia. Some four million children are in urgent need across the Horn of Africa, including more than two million children who are at risk of death from acute malnourishment.
UNICEF’s relief efforts in the region include the provision of therapeutic food and milk for malnourished children, clean drinking water, vaccines to prevent against killer diseases like measles, Vitamin A supplements, cholera treatment kits, and much more. For more information on the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa and UNICEF’s programs, visit http://www.unicefusa.org.
"We are very grateful to Threadless and BBH New York for their dedicated efforts to help UNICEF reach more children in desperate need of assistance across the Horn of Africa," said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "UNICEF is using every means at its disposal to save and protect children, and every donation helps provide them with lifesaving support."
For additional information, please contact:
Andrea Sioris, The U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.880.9136, asioris@unicefusa.org
Hazel Cobb, The U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.880.9173, hcobb@unicefusa.org
About UNICEF
UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in more than 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 nearly 13 million in 1990 to 7.6 million in 2010. But still, 21,000 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.
About Threadless:
Threadless is an online community of artists and friends. As the company explores new opportunities and canvases for its artists, it keeps true to the core of its business; anyone from any corner of the Internet can make and pick what Threadless sells. Since 2000, thousands of artists have submitted their work. And every single week, Threadless transforms their weird, geeky, and beautiful ideas into tangible art. Join their community of 1.7 million - make, pick, play, and shop at Threadless.com.
About Justin & Christine Gignac:
Christine and Justin Gignac are New York City based artists. In July 2007, they started WantsForSale.com, a site where they sell paintings of things they want, at the cost of the actual item. When a painting is sold the couple takes the money and buys that item. So far they have fulfilled over 60 wants, from “A Slice of Pepperoni Pizza” for $3.00 to "A Gold Watch" for $287.19. They even painted and sold an entire Vegas Vacation, including flights, hotel room, gamblin' money and all-you-can-eat buffets. The project has developed such a following, the last series featuring items from infomercials sold out in under five minutes.
In November 2007, Christine and Justin took the concept one step further and launched NeedsForSale.com. The site follows the same structure as Wants but all the proceeds go to charity. Through the sale of paintings and limited edition prints, Needs For Sale has raised over $7000 for various causes.
About BBH New York:
BBH New York is an independent, full-service creative company with clients that include Axe, Bailey's, BBC, British Airways, Google, Johnnie Walker, NYC & Company, Sprite, Vaseline, Westin Hotels & Resorts and World Gold Council. BBH NY has been named 4A’s U.S. Mid-Sized Agency of the Year four years running. Further information is available at our website, www.bartleboglehegarty.com.