Thirty years ago, only one out of five children were immunized against killer diseases like measles and polio. Throughout the developing world, millions of children were dying of illnesses that had all but disappeared in the world’s wealthier countries. Since then, a near miracle has taken place. Now, four out of five children are protected by vaccines. Polio is on the verge of elimination. Measles and tetanus deaths have been reduced dramatically. This miracle did not happen by itself.

As a Global Citizenship Fellow, I am always looking for ways to connect the community with UNICEF. I’ve also learned that there’s nothing quite like art to get people’s attention. And since San Francisco is surrounded by water—and full of artists—I decided to hold a city-wide call for submissions for a water-inspired art show.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, by now you know that NBA All-Star Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks is a huge UNICEF supporter. We’ve worked closely with Tyson and the NBA this year on a number of initiatives that support UNICEF’s mission of creating a world where ZERO children are [...]

Many of us think that the crisis in Syria is a political one. But it is not — it is a children’s crisis, and it is among the biggest in the world. Over 2 million children are affected by the violence in Syria, and over half a million children are refugees. While UNICEF and its partners are doing everything they can to help affected children and families, UNICEF’s efforts are severely underfunded. If funding is not received in the next weeks, millions of children will suffer. We are urgently calling on the entire donor community to support UNICEF’s emergency relief efforts in and around Syria.

Too many children—one every 60 seconds—are still dying from malaria. Insecticide-treated bed nets, along with anti-malarial drugs, are among the most effective, simple and low-cost tools to keep children from getting this deadly, yet preventable, disease. As the world’s largest provider of mosquito nets, UNICEF is doing everything it can to have every child sleep under a lifesaving bed net. This World Malaria Day—and any day—you can help save lives by purchasing bed nets or anti-malarial drugs for children in need.

The Volunteer and Community Partnerships Department is honored to wish you and our over 45,000 UNICEF Volunteers a happy Volunteer Week, April 21-27. Each year during this week, we select a handful of volunteers to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. These volunteers represent the tens of thousands of people across the country who help us extend the UNICEF mission to others. Join us and visit the UNICEF Action Center to learn more about our volunteers and activities!