17 large businesses that have supported Save the Children’s child refugee crisis appeal
Howard Lake | 17 September 2015 | News
Save the Children reports a “phenomenal level of support” from large businesses and brands for its Child Refugee Crisis Appeal. Corporates and the public have donated more than £3 million in just under two weeks.
The response has ranged from major financial donations such as £1 million from Visa Europe to companies involving their employees or contractors like IKEA letting staff ‘work a day for free’ and donate one day’s wages to the appeal.
Here are 15 well-known businesses and organisations that have supported the appeal.
1. Visa Europe
Visa Europe has donated £1 million and is encouraging employees to back Save the Children’s appeal and raise further funds through its annual bike ride next week.
2. Uber
Through its UberGiving campaign, Uber invited drivers to collect donated items from homes and businesses across the UK to give to Save the Children’s shops nationwide to sell to raise money for the appeal. It generated “more than five and a half tube carriages of donated items”.
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3. Crowded House and Apple
A new iTunes single version of ‘Help is Coming’, the 1999 song by Crowded House, has been released with full profits and Apple’s proceeds going to the appeal.
4. Google
Google.com has launched a global promotion on their landing page to support the Child Refugee Crisis Appeal and are match-funding any donations made up to $5 million.
5. GSK
Pharmaceutical company GSK has donated £150,000 and launched a staff fundraising appeal which will be match-funded by the organisation. This has raised more than £20,000 has been raised in total so far.
Save the Children is GSK’s global charity partner.
6. Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic has launched an on-board appeal on all flights that will run until 20th September, and a fundraising appeal for their employees globally.
7. RB
RB are the biggest corporate supporter of Save the Children’s Child Emergency Fund. They have donated £600,000 this year, a proportion of which has been used for the Child Refugee Crisis Appeal.
8. IKEA
IKEA co-workers in the UK and Ireland have been given the opportunity to ‘work a day for free’ and donate up to a day’s wages to the appeal.
9. Swarovski
The Swarovski Foundation has made a donation and the Swarovski company has launched a global staff fundraising initiative.
10. Starbucks
Starbucks has donated £48,500 via the Starbucks Foundation in the US and is encouraging customers to donate in stores across the UK.
11. Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson have launched fundraising appeals to their employees.
12. Ernst & Young
Accountants Ernst & Young have also launched a fundraising appeal to its employees.
13. Pearson
Pearson is also inviting its staff to donate to the appeal.
Sporting support
14. Arsenal FC
Arsenal’s Giroud and Debuchy with Save the Children’s text to donate message on their shirts.
£1 from each ticket at Arsenal’s home game against Stoke on Saturday 12 September was donated. Players promoted a bespoke text to donate code on their training tops, and details of how to support the appeal appeared throughout the official match day programme
15. Premier League
Premier League football clubs promoted the appeal at every game on Saturday 12 September and Sunday 13 September. They will repeat this support this weekend.
16. Norwich City FC
On Saturday 3 October Norwich City Football Club will donate £1 from every ticket bought for the Leicester City match. In addition it will host bucket collections and donate an additional £1 for every sale of selected items of Canaries Official merchandise bought up until the day of the match.
17. Heart of Midlothian FC
Heart of Midlothian Football Club, who already feature Save the Children’s name on their shirts, will hold bucket collections and a text-to-donate action at the match against Aberdeen on Saturday 20 September.
Save the Children’s CEO Justin Forsyth said:
“These are tragic and desperate times for child refugees and their families, children are fleeing bombs, bullets and torture in warzones like Syria, only to drown in European waters. But it’s incredibly humbling to see people come together at a time of crisis and thanks to the generous support of our partners and the public we can do even more to stop children dying on our doorstep.”
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.