Calling All Shot@Life Champions

It’s time to use your voice! From October 1 through November 12, Shot@Life champions across the country will be taking advocacy and fundraising actions to virtually race alongside their fellow Shot@Life advocates to raise awareness for World Polio Day, World Pneumonia Day, and tell their Congressional offices that funding for global vaccines is a priority.

There are plenty of ways for you to get involved! All necessary information and toolkits can be found at shotatlife.org/racetoerase. For assistance with getting yourself or your club set up, please email champions@shotatlife.org. Shot@Life Staff can also connect you with other champions in your area if you’re interested in joining their existing activities. If you want to apply for one of GWFC’s spots to our annual Champion Summit in D.C. next year, now is the time to get involved and strengthen your application!

From International Outreach Chairman Karen Manneback

Did you know this year 1.7 million children will die from diseases that have all but disappeared in the U.S. Why? Because one in five children around the world does not have access to the life-saving immunizations needed to survive.

What’s the solution? It’s simple: vaccines save lives. Millions of children could be spared from measles, pneumonia, diarrhea, polio and other preventable diseases if they could simply get the vaccines they need. When a child begins life with the protection of vaccines, the door is opened to more developmental firsts — first steps, first words, a first day of school. Immunized children are more likely to celebrate their fifth birthday, do well in school and go on to be productive, healthy adults. Expanding access to vaccines strengthens their ability to fight disease globally and keep families healthy here at home, while improving economic stability around the world.

The UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign educates, connects and empowers Americans to champion vaccines as one of the most cost-effective ways to save the lives of children in developing countries. Shot@Life works to support the UN and vaccine partners around the globe in combating four of the world’s most deadly and disabling diseases: measles, polio, pneumonia and diarrhea.

The vaccines for these diseases are inexpensive and have proven to be effective in reducing the number of childhood deaths. They just need to get the vaccines to those who need them most. Immunizations are one of the world’s biggest public health success stories. But not all communities have the same access to vaccines. Walgreens “Get a Shot. Give a Shot” helps provide lifesaving vaccines to children in developing countries through the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign.

We all can help by getting any vaccine at Walgreens, including flu, shingles, pneumonia and whooping cough, and help provide a lifesaving vaccine to a child in a developing country. For more information see: Shot@Life.org.

NOTE: When attending Fall Conference, Walgreens will be there giving out flu shots. What a wonderful and easy way to take part in this program!

About Shot@Life

Shot@Life is a grassroots advocacy campaign of the United Nations Foundation that champions global childhood immunization. They rally members of the public, members of Congress, businesses, and civil society partners —through public education, grassroots advocacy, and fundraising —to support and invest in the global childhood immunization programs of UNICEF, World Health Organization, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Shot@Life’s over 350,000 supporters and 2,000 core grassroots advocates in all 50 states strive to decrease vaccine-preventable childhood deaths and give every child a shot at life no matter where they live.

The organization believes that by encouraging people to learn about, advocate for, and donate to vaccines, we can decrease the 1.5 million annual vaccine-preventable childhood deaths and give every child a shot at a healthy life.

Click here for the newsletter “ShotAtLife and GFWC”