Comic Relief, Inc.
Comic Relief US is a 501(c)(3) American charity with the vision of a just world free from poverty. Comic Relief, Inc. specializes in using the power of entertainment to drive positive change.
It is an independent sister organization to the UK charity Comic Relief and is not connected to the former American charity Comic Relief USA. Comic Relief, Inc. is notable for the 2015 US launch of Red Nose Day, with a telethon hosted by NBC based closely on the UK event of the same name.
History of Comic Relief and Red Nose Day
In 1985, as a response to famine in Ethiopia and other poverty stricken areas of the world, British comedy scriptwriter, Richard Curtis and British comedian, Lenny Henry co-founded and co-created the British charity, Comic Relief. On February 8, 1988, Lenny Henry went to Ethiopia and celebrated the first Red Nose Day telethon. Over 150 celebrities and comedians participated. The event raised £15 million and attracted 30 million viewers on BBC television. The highlight of Comic Relief is Red Nose Day which raises funds for children in need, poverty alleviation and worldwide charities.Red Nose Day USA
Since 2015, Red Nose Day in America is celebrated on the last Thursday of every May. Red Nose Day USA, run by Comic Relief Inc., has the stated objective of ending child poverty.Multi-year funding grants have been given to organizations that help end child poverty such as Feeding America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Save the Children and the GAVI vaccination alliance. In its first four years, the Red Nose Day USA has raised more than $145 million.
Red Nose Day 2017
Red Nose Day's 2017 campaign raised more than $35 million. Between 2015 and 2017, Comic Relief Inc raised more than $100 million through Red Nose Day.In 2017, Facebook used its new fundraising platform to help users raise money for Red Nose Day. Anyone who created a Red Nose Day event could add a donate button to any post. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matched up to $1 million of donations raised on Facebook. The NBC Telethon for Red Nose Day included special episodes for American Ninja Warrior, Celebrity Ninja Warrior: Red Nose Day; Running Wild with Bear Grylls with Julia Roberts; featuring celebrities and corporate sponsors for their activities, as well as standard telethon show hosted by Chris Hardwick.