The U.S. Fund for UNICEF Offers Thousands of Unique Holiday Gifts that Save Lives, Including the World’s First Wearable-for-Good™, The UNICEF Kid Power Band

New York (November 3, 2015) – The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is encouraging holiday shoppers to put children first by giving gifts that save lives this holiday season. The newest offering is the UNICEF Kid Power Band, which gives kids the power to get active and save lives. By getting active with the world’s first wearable-for-good™, kids go on missions to learn about new cultures and earn points. Points unlock funding from partners, parents and fans, and funds are used by UNICEF to deliver lifesaving packets of therapeutic food to severely malnourished children around the world. UNICEF Kid Power is a program of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and is made possible through the generous support of presenting sponsors Disney, Star Wars: Force for Change and Target.* UNICEF Kid Power Bands are available at Target this holiday season in blue, orange, and two special Star Wars: Force for Change editions in black and white.

“We’re asking consumers to put children first when they give thoughtful gifts for loved ones this holiday season,” said Caryl M. Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “From nutrition initiatives, to health care, clean water assistance and ongoing recovery from devastating humanitarian emergencies, children around the world need our support now more than ever.”

Handcrafted gifts are available from UNICEF Market, market.unicefusa.org, an online marketplace and partnership between the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and NOVICA, now in its second year. The market features a variety of jewelry, home accents and accessories, and each gift purchased helps to support artisans in countries where UNICEF works, and helps UNICEF provide children with lifesaving nutrition, medicine, education, clean water, emergency relief and more.

Among the UNICEF Market offerings this year are “Snow Babies”, a set of six 100% wool ornaments from India ($22.99); “Rustic Computer Tech”, a recycled metal electronics technician sculpture from Mexico ($26.54); “Simply Love”, a blue topaz and sterling silver bar necklace from Thailand ($44.99); and “Sapphire Traditions”, a Bamboo chenille scarf from Guatemala ($49.99).

Also available are UNICEF Inspired Gifts inspiredgifts.org, lifesaving items that can be purchased in honor of a loved one and go directly to help children in need in developing countries around the world. UNICEF Inspired Gifts include:

• Blankets: provides warmth to four children caught in emergencies or facing bitter cold ($30.56)
• Therapeutic Food: a “miracle food”, this peanut-based paste can mean the difference between life and death. Provides quick, lifesaving nourishment to 10 children suffering from acute malnutrition ($70.20)
• Super Hero Pack: provides 100 measles, tetanus, and polio vaccines to protect children from these deadly diseases, one vaccine carrier to deliver the vaccines safely, plus 10 mosquito nets to protect mothers and their babies from malaria ($80.78)

Additional Holiday Gifts that Give Back Available through UNICEF Partners:

IKEA “Soft Toys for Education”

IKEA has supported UNICEF and Save the Children through its global Soft Toys for Education campaign since 2003, by helping provide quality education to vulnerable children. From November 1, 2015 – December 26, 2015, for every soft toy and children’s book sold in all IKEA stores, the IKEA Foundation will donate 1 euro (approximately $1.12) to UNICEF and Save the Children education programs. This year’s collection features one-of-a-kind soft toys designed by children from around the world. Also, children around the country will have an opportunity to design their dream soft toy by participating in the IKEA drawing competition at any IKEA store. Over the last 12 years, the IKEA Soft Toy for Education campaign has raised more than $102 million, impacting 11 million children in 46 countries. Funds raised through the campaign support UNICEF’s “Schools for Africa” initiative which focuses on providing a quality education to the most disadvantaged children by increasing enrollment and retention, teacher training, improving education for children by training teachers, providing educational learning materials, and increasing school attendance. For more information, visit www.ikeafoundation.org.

Pier 1 Imports^®

For more than 20 years, Pier 1 Imports^® and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF have held a greeting card contest with the winning design being reproduced as an official UNICEF greeting card. The winning card will be sold exclusively at Pier 1 Imports^® stores nationwide and on pier1.com during the 2015 holiday season. The Grand Prize Winner of this year’s contest for the theme “Spreading Holiday Cheer” is Sriya, age 7, from California. One hundred percent of the sales price of all UNICEF cards sold at U.S. Pier 1 Imports^® stores will go to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support UNICEF’s work to put children first.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is also offering a selection of boxed holiday cards ($10 to $20) that can be purchased online at market.unicefusa.org and through UNICEF partners Pier 1 Imports^®,  IKEA, Barnes and Noble, and select Hallmark Gold Crown stores. One hundred percent of the purchase price of each pack of holiday cards purchased at Pier 1 Imports^® and IKEA stores will go directly to support UNICEF programs around the world.

H&M: ‘The Gift That Gives Back’

H&M customers can support UNICEF in providing quality education to children living in Myanmar by picking up a gift card at any H&M store from November 5 to December 31. The H&M Conscious Foundation will donate 5% of the total amount uploaded to each gift card.

Since 2004, H&M has contributed more than $19 million to UNICEF’s work to uphold the rights of the world’s most vulnerable children. In 2014, the H&M Conscious Foundation committed to donate approximately $9.3 million to UNICEF’s early childhood education initiatives, supplementary to $ 5.3 million committed to programs in Bangladesh. For more information visit: www.hm.com/consciousfoundation

K.I.N.D. (Kids in Need of Desks)

Three out of five students in Malawi struggle to learn while sitting on the floor or on the ground outdoors. K.I.N.D: Kids in Need of Desks offers desks for children in schools within the sub-Saharan country. With a $65 contribution, UNICEF can provide a desk and a bench for two students, ensuring they have a proper place to learn and concentrate. The K.I.N.D. fund also provides scholarships for girls in Malawi. A donation of $177 delivers one year of education, including tuition, room and board, text books, transportation, a school uniform and learning supplies. These gifts are available for purchase at www.unicefusa.org/donate/be-kind-student-malawi-donate-desk. 

American Airlines (Change for Good)

Travelers can make a difference this holiday season for children in need around the globe. Through UNICEF’s Change for Good program on American Airlines, passengers can use their spare change on select American Airlines international flights to help support UNICEF’s work. To date, more than $140 million has been raised through the global Change for Good program, helping to save and improve millions of children’s lives.

Delta Air Lines

For 16 years, Delta and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF have had a partnership where Delta SkyMiles® members can donate their unused frequent flyers miles to the organization for travel in support of UNICEF’s lifesaving work for children. To donate miles, visit delta.com/skywish.

About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, 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. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact:

Lauren Weybrew, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, (212) 922-2503, lweybrew@unicefusa.org

Andrea Sioris, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, (212) 880-9136, asioris@unicefusa.org

* For each UNICEF Kid Power Band purchased in US Target stores and target.com between 10.13.2015 and 12.31.2016, Target will donate $10 to United States Fund for UNICEF. The more kids move, the more Kid Power points they earn. Kid Power points are converted to funding by partners, parents and fans. UNICEF uses funding to deliver lifesaving packets of therapeutic food to severely malnourished children. The Kid Power donation/program is not being administered by Target. For more information on the UNICEF Kid Power program, visit www.unicefkidpower.org. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF does not endorse any brand or product. Donation is not tax deductible for guests.