Red Nose Day: How to Get Involved

Anna Kendrick, Julia Roberts, Coldplay, Jennifer Aniston, Neil Patrick Harris and the stars of NBC are getting together to laugh it up for a good cause on May 21. And you can join in, too.

A popular annual event in the U.K., Red Nose Day has raised more than $1 billion over the last 30 years. Now it comes to the United States for the first time with a fund-raising broadcast special on Thursday, May 21 (8-11 p.m. ET) on NBC. The star-studded event will feature sketch comedy, parodies, videos produced by Funny Or Die, live musical performances and short appeals films that shed light on those in need.

Nearly 20% of American children live in poverty according to the US Census Bureau, November 2012, and many children in countries outside of the USA live on less than $1.50 a day. Monies raised for Red Nose Day will benefit 12 charity organizations whose aim is to lift children and young people out of poverty, in the U.S. and throughout the world.

People from all walks of life are encouraged to have fun and raise money through buying red noses, organizing fundraising events and watching and donating during the television special.

The aim of Red Nose Day is to bring about real and lasting change by tackling the root causes of poverty and social injustice. Grants are awarded to projects on the ground that work to give people a leg up, not a hand out.

The money raised will go directly to The Red Nose Day Fund, which will allocate grants to the twelve charity partners which were chosen based on their fit with a number of key criteria, including their ability to demonstrate excellent governance, financial management, reach, impact reporting and transparency. For more information, please go to www.rednosedayusa.com.

Charity partners include Boys & Girls Clubs of America; charity: water; Children’s Health Fund; Feeding America; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund; LIFT; National Council of La Raza; National Urban League; Oxfam America; Save the Children and United Way.

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

Buy and wear a Red Nose You can get yours at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores for $1, and 50¢ will go to The Red Nose Day Fund. Noses are available until August 31 or as supplies last.

Raise money with friends, family or colleagues Hold a bake sale, play your favorite sport in costume or style your hair funny: all ideas welcome as long as they make people laugh and you bring in the cash.

Post a selfie of you and your friends wearing a nose and doing your bit for Red Nose Day to our Facebook and Twitter accounts and pledge 50¢ for every like or retweet you get. You can download the official Red Nose Day NBC app here.

Tune into the star-studded Red Nose Day show on NBC It’s coming to a screen near you on Thursday, May 21, so book your seat on the couch and invite friends and family over to watch. Other entertainers scheduled to appear include Sienna Miller, Paul Rudd, Jodie Foster, Olivia Wilde, Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Leslie Mann, January Jones, Simon Cowell, Naomi Campbell, Anna Camp, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Yvette Nicole Brown, Retta, Natalie Morales and Danny Pudi. Plus, Cast Members from HBO’s "Game of Thrones" and the Netflix Original Series "Orange is the New Black."

The Red Nose Day Special airs Thursday, May 21 from 8-11 p.m. ET/PT 7C on NBC.

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