Today is April 1. Here at UNICEF, that means preparations for our annual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program are kicking into high gear
While we’re busy working with donors to find ways to send millions of dollars to children in need around the world, The New Yorker decided to make a joke of our Trick-or-Treat program. I’m sure some of you have read the piece by Simon Rich, a former president of the Harvard Lampoon. His Shouts & Murmurs satire is a play about his third grade perception of UNICEF. To be honest, it’s really not a flattering image of UNICEF.
Rich’s satire portrays UNICEF as a ‘greedy’ ‘evil king of Halloween.’ And there’s more… he suggests that kids are better off keeping the money they collect trick-or-treating for UNICEF… and claims UNICEF funds “the Russians so they could build a bomb.” Oh, come on!
Don’t get me wrong. My UNICEF colleagues around the world and I have a sense of humor, especially on April Fool’s Day. Calling UNICEF the ‘evil king of Halloween’ made a few of us smirk, just a little. But, when a writer in such a well-respected publication implies that UNICEF doesn’t use its donor’s money efficiently, I need to take a stand.
The U.S. Fund for UNICEF has received the highest rating from charity navigator and BBB wise giving; two of the toughest charity watchdogs around.
Now, speaking of third graders, I bet Mr. Rich doesn’t know that last week, UNICEF announced that six million kids are going back to school in Afghanistan! This is possible because of UNICEF and our friends and donors and Trick-or-Treaters. UNICEF sent funds and supplies to build schools, train teachers, and provide school supplies to eager kids who dream about gong to school and getting an education.
I’d like to introduce the New Yorker to a third grader in Afghanistan – in school for the first time because of UNICEF’s work. I’m confident that if we ask for her image of UNICEF, we’d hear a very different answer.
- Christine Squires