This year we are raising money for the Nothing But Nets campaign. $10 supplies a mosquito bed net for someone in Africa, helping to prevent malaria. Nothing But Nets is a joint effort of the United Methodist Church, NBA Cares, the United Nations Foundation, and Sports Illustrated — and Wesley wants to get in on the action!
We’ve got the donation can out on Thursday nights and you can find out more at the website: www.nothingbutnets.net Check it out and join us!
Here’s a little more info, straight from the Nets website:
Nothing But Nets is a grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. While the UN Foundation has been working with the UN to fight malaria for years, it was a column that Rick Reilly wrote about malaria in Sports Illustrated, challenging each of his readers to donate at least $10 for the purchase of an anti-malaria bed nets — and the incredible response from thousands of Americans across the country — that led to the creation the Nothing But Nets campaign.
The reaction to Reilly’s 815 words made clear that thousands of people were ready to help the million children dying unnecessarily each year of malaria. Within a few short months, Nothing But Nets raised over 1 million dollars. And so Nothing But Nets was born.
Buzzkill Facts
Each year, malaria afflicts approximately a half-billion people (roughly the population of the United States, Canada, and Mexico combined).
* Malaria kills more than a million people per year; 90 percent of those who die are African children.
* Every 30 seconds an Africa a child dies of malaria.
* Malaria incapacitates people, keeping countries poor. In addition to the health burden, malaria illness and death cost Africa about $12 billion per year.
Life-Saving Facts
* For just $10 we can buy a bed net, distribute it to a family, and explain its use.
* Insecticide-treated bed nets can keep a family safe for up to four years.
* Nothing But Nets has partnered with the Measles Initiative to deliver the nets to even the most hard-to-reach areas of Africa.