NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 An edible, life-sized cookie of the contest winner and a car-crushing monster truck ride are two of the new prizes up for grabs in the Red Nose Day 2024 campaign, which ramps up Thursday.
As Comic Relief US's fundraising initiative for underserved American children enters its 10th year, the charity is hoping to draw donations by encouraging the childlike wonder that millions of poverty-stricken kids might miss. First disseminated through clown-like schnozzes at Walgreens locations, the message is spreading this year through Instagram sing-alongs, a sweepstakes and new partners such as Lego.
It鈥檚 all an effort to 鈥渆voke the childhood dream of whimsy,鈥 Comic Relief US CEO Alison Moore told The Associated Press.
In 2022, child poverty , as pandemic-era benefits expired, adding relevance to the mission. Since 2015, Red Nose Day has raised $370 million to stock community food centers and fund local health workers, among other anti-poverty measures worldwide.
Through June 3, contributions on will unlock an entry into a 鈥淐hildhood Dreamstakes鈥 for one of six experiences that hope to stir the fanciful wishes of youth. In addition to the cookie and the truck, donors could win an edible cotton candy castle, a personalized hot air balloon ride, a giant model volcano eruption or 鈥渁 trip to befriend a penguin.鈥
Planned with help from creative agency Gus, the campaign expects that the 鈥渇un-filled moments鈥 will highlight the importance of a 鈥渉ealthy, fruitful childhood鈥 and 鈥渃reating space to let kids be kids.鈥
鈥淭o us, it鈥檚 a reminder of the carefree happiness every child deserves, and the childhood sense of fun and wonder that鈥檚 inside us all,鈥 Gus co-founder Spencer LaVallee said in a statement.
Comic Relief US is once more relying on entertainers to generate awareness. Halftime skills challenges during the Harlem Globetrotters鈥 domestic tour featured a custom Red Nose Day basketball. Longtime partner NBC plans to celebrate the decadelong drive with a one-hour special Thursday including 鈥淭he Voice鈥 coaches John Legend, Chance the Rapper, Reba McEntire and Dan + Shay.
As in recent years, Comic Relief US is foregoing the physical red nose once available to Walgreens customers. What鈥檚 new are interactive filters that place digital ones on users鈥 faces across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat. Pets should even be able to don a virtual red nose on the latter two platforms.
While the is again backing the campaign, the push is also aided by first-time corporate collaborations with some kid-friendly brands. Aimed toward field trips, Lego's 鈥淭he Biggest Build鈥 challenge will invite students to design their dream communities at 14 museums around the country. Chuck E. Cheese locations are this month and donating 20% of participating sales on Thursday.
Others in the philanthropic sector credited Comic Relief US for staying authentic to Red Nose Day over the past 10 years. The tactics won't work for every fundraiser, said Elevate Prize Foundation CEO Carolina Garcia Jayaram, who founded the nonprofit supporting social entrepreneurs.
But Jayaram said fundraising is about meeting people where they are 鈥 and comedy and popular culture have proven to be successful avenues for drawing attention toward childhood poverty.
鈥淭here's not nearly enough money being pumped into these solutions,鈥 Jayaram told the AP at the nonprofit's annual Make Good Famous Summit on Wednesday. "I wish we didn't all have to get out there and do a big song and dance for all that money. But if it works, it works.鈥
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Associated Press writer Glenn Gamboa in Miami Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.
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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP鈥檚 collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP鈥檚 philanthropy coverage, visit .
