Online challenge launched by basketball’s best shooter, Stephen Curry, gains momentum as elite athletes, celebrities and everyday champions call their shots
Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg joined the Call Your Shot campaign to beat malaria yesterday, posting a 360-degree video of her making a basketball shot. Sandberg called out tennis star Serena Williams, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman.
Sandberg, who founded LeanIn.org, joins elite athletes, celebrities and everyday champions who are calling their shots online and making donations to end malaria. Basketball superstar Stephen Curry llaunched the Call Your Shot challenge on Saturday, April 23, posting a video on his social channels of him calling and making a trick shot. Curry called out Warriors fans (Dub Nation), his brother Seth Curry, and hip hop artist Lecrae to call their shots. He also tweeted the challenge to TNT’s Inside the NBA stars Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith who called their shots during their live broadcast the next day.
Athletes joining the challenge include Brek Shea, (Orlando City and US National Team), Mix Diskerud, (New York City FC), Nat Borchers (Portland Timbers), Seth Curry (Sacramento Kings), Anthony Tolliver (Detroit Pistons), Ruth Riley (WNBA legend and San Antonio Stars General Manager) and Swin Cash (WNBA and Olympic Gold). Kathy Behrens, President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs for the National Basketball Association, called her shot. Rick Reilly, sports personalities Tim and Sid and the Pistons mascot Hooper also posted videos. Lecrae and the bands Death Cab for Cutie and Dawes were among the musicians joining the challenge.
The Call Your Shot challenge is backed by the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, Malaria No More and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is supported by champions and partners across the public and private sectors. Samsung called their shot in 360-degree video at their annual developer conference today, calling out Lyft, Upload VR and PEAR Sports. Athletes for Hope provided their own team video and inspired several professional athletes to support the cause. CallYourShot.org is powered by Classy, an online platform specializing in nonprofit fundraising.
The goal of Call Your Shot is to raise awareness and funds to send nets and save lives from malaria. The challenge is simple, too. Participants film themselves making a fun or creative shot – in any sport. They challenge their friends, upload their videos using the hashtag #CallYourShot and donate to support nets and other anti-malaria efforts at CallYourShot.org.
The challenge comes at a pivotal moment in the malaria fight. Tremendous progress has been made in fighting the disease. Thanks to strong leaders and everyday champions, the world has cut malaria deaths in half since 2000. In that time, investments in malaria have saved 6.2 million lives, increased attendance at school, improved worker productivity, and boosted local economies.
The United States has been a global leader in the fight. In 2005, President George W. Bush created the President’s Malaria Initiative. President Barack Obama has embraced and expanded the effort. The U.S. has also been the largest contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Bipartisan leadership from the House and Senate has been critical to the success.
Despite the outstanding progress, a child still dies every two minutes from malaria – an entirely preventable and treatable disease. In his final State of the Union speech, President Obama called on the world to end malaria.
For more information on the campaign visit CallYourShot.org or email to info@CallYourShot.org.
Media contacts:
Rachel Henderson
Mobile: 570.259.2205
Email: rhenderson@unfoundation.org
Media@MalariaNoMore.org
