UNICEF Partners Step Up To Protect Children From COVID-19

Three New Silver Members Deliver Technology Expertise to Foundation’s Growing Community

A global pandemic won't just go away on its own. It will take cooperation and determination from every corner of the world. UNICEF is on the ground in more than 190 countries and territories, doing whatever it takes to protect children and families from COVID-19, working with partners to deliver the supplies and support needed to keep children healthy and learning. Below, a look at how some companies are leveraging their resources and expertise to join the fight.

UNICEF partners are leveraging their resources and expertise to combat COVID-19

To help those most threatened by the novel coronavirus, Kimberly-Clark has donated $2.5 million to UNICEF and its programs focused on preventing the spread of the virus, including providing hygiene and medical kits to schools and health facilities, as well as efforts to increase children's access to health, education and social services during the pandemic.

"Through these donations, we can help support those working on the front lines of this global health crisis," said Kimberly-Clark Foundation Vice President Jenny Lewis. "As the virus spreads to nearly every country on Earth, we must accelerate the delivery of care to those who are most vulnerable."

Kimberly-Clark has committed to donations totaling more than $8 million to assist COVID-19 response and recovery efforts around the world.

Building on their previous commitment to UNICEF's emergency response programming via UNICEF USA's Mercury Fund, longtime partner S&P Global Foundation will support UNICEF's COVID-19 Fund, providing prevention, education and handwashing materials, medical supplies and support for children and families globally.

"As the impact of COVID-19 is felt across the world, S&P Global is committed to supporting relief efforts to aid our global community," said Annette O'Hanlon, Chief Corporate Responsibility & Diversity Officer and President of the S&P Global Foundation. "We are hopeful that these funds can make an immediate and meaningful impact for those on the front lines saving lives, caring for the sick and vulnerable, and working to bring an end to this pandemic."

In total, the S&P Global Foundation has allocated $4 million in grants to assist COVID-19 response and recovery efforts around the world. In addition, the Foundation will amplify S&P Global employees support of global COVID-19 response by doubling contributions made through the company's Disaster Relief Matching Gift Program.

Recognizing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prudential Financial moved quickly to aid response efforts, both locally and internationally. A premier emergency partner of UNICEF's since 2006, Prudential supports both the UNICEF USA Bridge Fund, an innovative finance tool that expedites the transfer of funds during an emergency, and the Mercury Fund, another tool providing rapid, flexible funding to countries that need it most. Both funds have been utilized to advance funds at the outset of the pandemic.

In addition to this longstanding support, Prudential's $75,000 grant has helped UNICEF's COVID-19 response, supporting the delivery of PPE to frontline health workers, distance learning to millions of children and prevention messaging to communities around the world.

The Visa Foundation is supporting nonprofit organizations best suited to address the urgent need of immediate COVID-19 emergency relief. The Foundation has committed a total of $1 million to UNICEF's response in Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Medtronic Foundation has partnered with UNICEF's COVID-19 fund to support health workers and ensure health service continuity for impacted communities. Funding will support both frontline health workers through training and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) and preparedness efforts for the health system and workforce to improve surge capacity and continued care for chronic and at-risk patients. This is part of the Medtronic Foundation's commitment to provide $11 million in support of global and local organizations responding to COVID-19.

"With roots in the world's largest medical technology company, the Medtronic Foundation has a responsibility to be a leader on global issues impacting access to health care," said Paurvi Bhatt, president of the Medtronic Foundation. "During this unprecedented global health crisis, we are committed to supporting and equipping the courageous frontline health workers who are delivering critical care to those in need."

YouTube committed a $250,000 grant to support UNICEF's global response to COVID-19. This commitment was announced during a campaign hosted by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lilly Singh on her YouTube channel in an effort to raise funds to reduce the impact of the pandemic on children, youth and their care providers. YouTube also pledged a $10,000 match to the fundraising campaign. 

Lilly Singh's COVID-19 Q&A with Dr. Anthony Fauci has been viewed well over 6 million times on YouTube

In the March 27 video, which has reached well over 6 million viewers, Singh spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to share factual, authoritative information about how to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, and how to separate truth from rumor. The program was aimed at a younger audience that might not receive public health messages from more traditional sources.

The travel sector, one of the hardest hit economically during this crisis, is also finding ways to support relief delivery. Building on UNICEF's 20-plus year partnership with Marriott International, Marriott Bonvoy members can donate their loyalty points, which are then converted to cash contributions. Members have already donated nearly 5 million points to support UNICEF's work.

American Airlines partners with UNICEF through its participation in the Global Change for Good program. Travelers on selected international American Airlines flights can donate unused U.S. and foreign currencies on board the aircraft to support UNICEF's programs. In 2019, American Airlines flight attendant volunteers, called Champions for Children, collected more than $1.2 million from passengers to support UNICEF's mission to meet the basic rights of every child.

To support UNICEF's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, American is allocating a portion of what was collected last year to assist UNICEF's response in key markets to serve the needs of those who are most at risk.

Along with supporting its partners and employees in communities globally, Xylem Watermark, Xylem's corporate social responsibility program, is supporting best-in-class international partners working on the response to COVID-19. Xylem Watermark's COVID-19 contribution will be directed to the most at-risk communities, providing critical supplies and supporting infection prevention and control activities through UNICEF's community health programs and youth engagement initiatives.

"We're inspired by the action and altruism we're seeing in so many places," said Joseph Vesey, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Chair of Xylem Watermark. "I have been moved by the philanthropic actions of our people and our partners, as well as countless actions of others supporting communities most in need."

On April 20, UNICEF and Microsoft announced the expansion of a global online learning platform to help children and youth affected by COVID-19 continue their education at home. The Learning Passport began as a partnership between UNICEF, Microsoft and the University of Cambridge designed to provide education for displaced and refugee children through a digital remote learning platform.

UNICEF and Microsoft's online learning platform helps out-of-school children and youth continue their education during the pandemic

The project was rapidly expanded to facilitate country-level curriculum for students whose schools have been closed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. More than 190 countries have closed their schools since the outbreak began. The new platform, already in use in Kosovo, Timor-Leste and Ukraine, also provides key resources for teachers and educators. 

"From school closures, to isolation, to a persistent sense of fear and anxiety, the effects of this pandemic are impacting childhoods worldwide," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. "We need to come together and explore every avenue to keep children learning and help them through this difficult time. And with partners like Microsoft, we are able to swiftly deploy innovative, scalable solutions for children and youth. The adaptations made to the Learning Passport are a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together with our partners for children as the crisis deepens globally."

The Clarios Foundation has pledged $100,000 to UNICEF's COVID-19 global relief efforts and is using a GoFundMe campaign to channel the collective momentum of concerned employees, customers and stakeholders to ensure that children and families receive supplies and information to reduce the impact of the global pandemic. "These funds will have immediate and meaningful impact for children and those on the front lines saving lives, caring for the sick and vulnerable, and working to bring an end to this pandemic," said John Barkhouse, Clarios interim CEO and chairman. "UNICEF's vision aligns closely with Clarios, as we seek better solutions that advance the profound impact we can have on those who call our planet home." 

EPAM Systems Inc., a leading global provider of digital platform engineering and software development services, contributed $400,000 to support UNICEF's COVID-19 response. UNICEF Ukraine received $200,000 in direct support and $200,000 went to support the global COVID-19 response fund.

"We've seen tremendous disruption brought forth by the COVID-19 crisis," said Arkadiy Dobkin, CEO & President, EPAM Systems, Inc. "Our focus has been directed first and foremost on ensuring the safety and security of our people around the world, as well as the communities in which we all live and work. Our partnership with UNICEF has been an important part of our collective global response, which has included more than $1.5 million in resource contributions, as well as a significant number of open source and community relief efforts across more than 15 countries."

UNICEF is working to ensure that the global COVID-19 response doesn't endanger decades of progress against vaccine-preventable diseases

With school closures, job disruptions and food insecurity affecting children and families worldwide, Roblox is supporting UNICEF and other organizations to help COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts through the offering of a series of limited-edition virtual items which members of their community can purchase. For each item purchased by June 30, Roblox will donate a matching amount (based on a value of $0.01 per Robux) to the organization the item is associated with, up to a combined total of $1 million. Furthermore, Roblox will donate an additional $1 million among the organizations. With this support UNICEF can distribute essential supplies such as safe water, soap, medical supplies and PPE to where they're needed most around the world.

Bethesda Softworks, a worldwide video game publisher, has pledged $250,000 to help scale up and deliver COVID-19 messaging, deliver critical WASH supplies, reach millions of children with distance learning, and provide children and parents and caregivers with community-based mental health and psychosocial support. 

Target has been focused on supporting their team members and serving their guests in their communities, and has committed $10 million to coronavirus relief and response efforts. As part of that donation, it has committed $1 million to those providing critical support globally, including UNICEF.

WarnerMedia, Cox Communications, AT&T Sports and JCDecaux have all donated advertising space to promote key public health messaging and highlight resources for families coping with the effects of the novel coronavirus.

The challenges are great, but no matter what, UNICEF won't stop protecting children. "COVID-19 know no borders," said Fore. "Now is the time to step up together, to prevent needless suffering, and to fulfill the promise of a better future."

Sarah Ferguson

Sarah Ferguson is the Senior Editor for Content and Social Media at UNICEF USA. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Guardian, Elle, New York Magazine and Vogue, among other publications.

The original article can be found here.