Forty-five million people – or 1 in 7 Americans – are living in poverty in the United States today. It often takes just one misfortune or one missed paycheck to change an individual or family’s life causing them to fall below the poverty line. Today, Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) launches #End45 – Raise a Hand to End Poverty in America, a national initiative to help shine a spotlight on the issue and the millions of others in need or struggling to make ends meet.
Timed to coincide with Pope Francis’s visit to the United States in late September and to align with his commitment to helping the poor, #End45 – Raise a Hand to End Poverty in America encourages individuals to show support for the cause by taking a picture of their hand with “#End45” written on the palm and posting it to their social media channels using the hashtag #End45.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7599151-catholic-charities-end-poverty-in-america/
Toys“R”Us® today announced the launch of its annual nationwide fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Now through Sunday, December 6, customers can spread holiday joy to some of the 15.5 million U.S. children living in poverty by donating new, unwrapped toys at any Toys“R”Us or Babies“R”Us® store across the country and online at http://www.Toysrus.com/ToysforTots. The company will also collect monetary donations in-store and online through Christmas Eve.
NBA Legend, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Shaquille O’Neal once again joins the company’s campaign as his alter ego Shaq-A-Claus, to encourage shoppers to donate to Toys for Tots. Throughout the campaign, Shaquille will also invite social media users to #PlayItForward, an initiative designed to further spread awareness of the millions of children living in poverty and to inspire families to donate to the cause.
“Making wishes come true around the holidays is especially important to me, as I know how much one toy and one act of kindness can matter. When I was a kid, I was given my very own Dr. J autographed basketball, inspiring me to believe I could grow up to be a basketball star,” said Shaquille O’Neal. “For years, I would shop for presents at Toys“R”Us and distribute them to underprivileged children on Christmas morning. Now, in partnership with Toys“R”Us and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, I’m making it my mission as Shaq-A-Claus to give back and spread holiday cheer to the millions of needy kids in the U.S. I encourage everyone to join me this year and remember – every toy counts!”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7476351-toys-r-us-toys-for-tots-playitforward/
As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council announced today their first national public service campaign designed to prevent underage drinking and driving. Following the success of iconic campaigns including “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” and “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,” the new public service ads (PSAs) were unveiled this morning by Mark Rosekind, Administrator for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) Teen Safe Driving Summit in Washington, DC.
“One teenage death from drinking and driving is too many,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. “Our goal with this campaign is to raise awareness among teenagers that drinking and driving is one of the worst mistakes they can ever make, with deadly consequences that can’t be undone.”
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in America, and almost half of teens killed in crashes are the drivers themselves. Despite a minimum legal drinking age of 21 in all 50 states, almost one-quarter of young drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes had alcohol in their systems according to data from NHTSA.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7662551-ad-council-ultimate-party-foul/
Blood is an essential component for life, but many people do not think about it until the need is critical. Each year 234 million major operations are performed worldwide, many involving blood transfusions or treatments resulting in a continuous need for donations.
That’s why Abbott (NYSE: ABT) and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo are partnering to bring even more attention to this important cause. Regarded as one of the top soccer players in the world, Ronaldo will serve as the first global ambassador for the BE THE 1™ movement – developed to inspire young people around the world to regularly donate blood.
“We can all make a difference by donating blood. Each donation can benefit up to three people in emergency situations and for long-term medical treatments,” said Cristiano Ronaldo, forward for Real Madrid and Captain for Portugal National Football. “That’s why I am enthusiastic to be partnering with Abbott to bring awareness to the importance of blood donation and to encourage people around the world to become lifelong blood donors and help save lives.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7668251-abbott-cristiano-ronaldo-donate-blood/
Extremely painful and destructive, gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis with elevated serum uric acid (sUA) a root cause of the disease. Even with the growing incidence of gout, recent research from the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society (GUAES) found that just 16 percent of Americans overall know the target sUA number for gout (6 mg/dL or below) – and just 38 percent of people with gout had their sUA levels checked within the past six months, the timeframe recommended by the American College of Rheumatology. Additionally, the majority of gout sufferers don’t understand the importance of taking daily uric acid-lowering medications, with four in 10 incorrectly believing that they can stop taking medications when they aren’t experiencing flares.
Seeking to increase recognition of the severity of gout and need for routine sUA testing and management, GUAES hosted a professional roundtable discussion on October 3, 2015. The roundtable brought together several experts – rheumatologists, a family care physician, and representatives from the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the National Kidney Foundation and CreakyJoints – to explore how to more effectively educate about gout and improve access to public education and treatment.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7715851-guaes-gout-roundtable-discussion/
Nationally-recognized and long-standing sports announcer Jerry Punch, M.D., is teaming up with Men’s Health Network and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Endo International plc (NASDAQ: ENDP) (TSX: ENL), to launch “Ask About the Curve,” a new educational campaign designed to raise awareness of Peyronie’s disease. Peyronie’s disease is a little-known men’s health condition that can occur during midlife or later. And, while the disease is physical in nature, the impact may also be psychological and could possibly hold men back from talking about it.
Peyronie’s disease, or “PD,” is a condition that can cause curvature of the penis that could be painful during arousal and intimacy. It can affect as many as one in 10 men worldwide, but diagnosis rates remain low because men with PD may be too uncomfortable to speak up and get help. Together with Endo and Men’s Health Network, Dr. Punch is encouraging men who think they might have PD to face their challenge head on by starting the conversation with their doctor.
“As a sports commentator, I’ve witnessed thousands of men on the court, on the field and on the racetrack in their physical prime – cool, confident and thriving in the face of challenge. But, as a licensed physician, I’ve seen how this bravado can turn to embarrassment – even isolation – when that challenge becomes personal or intimate,” said Dr. Punch. “Often, men feel too awkward to talk about issues like Peyronie’s disease, even with a doctor. And while it may seem tough, it’s important that any man with PD see a doctor, and ask about the curve. Starting the conversation is the first step to getting help.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7752151-ask-about-the-curve-psa/
CVS Health (NYSE:CVS), the nation’s largest pharmacy innovation company, today announced Be The First, a five-year $50 million initiative to help deliver the nation’s first tobacco-free generation. Through this initiative, which is funded through CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation, the company is extending its commitment to help people lead tobacco-free lives. Recognizing that tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States and that youth use of some tobacco products is on the rise, Be The First comprises comprehensive education, advocacy, tobacco control and healthy behavior programming in partnership with organizations uniquely positioned to tackle this public health challenge.
“We are at a critical moment in our nation’s efforts to end the epidemic of tobacco use that continues to kill more people than any other preventable cause of death, and threatens the health and well-being of our next generation,” said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., and Chief Medical Officer for CVS Health. “Ensuring our youth stay tobacco-free requires increased education and awareness of healthy behaviors. We’re partnering with experts across the public health community who have established best practices to help prevent tobacco use. And, by establishing more public-private partnerships to implement these strategies more aggressively, we can help increase the number of people leading tobacco-free lives and move us one step closer to delivering the first tobacco-free generation.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7775151-cvs-health-be-the-first/
Rowenta, maker of the revolutionary new air purifier the Intense Pure Air, is collaborating with renowned Environmental Toxicologist Dr. Noreen Khan-Mayberry (aka “The Tox Doc”), to help allergy sufferers better manage their symptoms. An estimated 50 million Americans are allergic to dust, dander, mold and mites, which can cause trouble breathing, excessive sneezing, eye irritation and coughing, amongst other ailments.
Seasonal allergies affect approximately 30% of U.S. residents and are worsening due to climate change, which is not only causing an increase in pollen levels, but also extending the length of pollen season. As such, allergy sufferers and people with asthma and other respiratory issues are at an even greater risk for heightened symptoms both indoors and outdoors.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7779051-rowenta-intense-allergen-air-purifier/
The egg has been regarded as a symbol of new life and has been associated with springtime celebrations, such as Easter and Passover, for many centuries. But, even during festive occasions, eggs can cause food poisoning (also called foodborne illness). That’s why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds consumers to follow safe food handling practices when buying, storing, preparing, and serving eggs or foods that contain them during their springtime celebrations and throughout the year.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7790251-fda-egg-safety/
WTF or WHAT THE FLUSH! The makers of the Stealth® ultra-high efficiency toilet and Bravo’s “Flipping Out” Star Jenni Pulos want to see more people saving both water and precious dollars when they flush.
On average, 27 percent of water consumption in the home comes from flushing it right down the toilet, which is completely avoidable – that’s not even mentioning the water lost by old or deteriorated flappers that leak. Niagara Conservation Corp. created the Stealth Toilet which uses less than one gallon of water per flush (0.8 gallons per flush to be exact) relative to the average toilet that uses 3.5 to 5 gallons per flush.
“As a California resident, I feel the gravity and importance of water conservation. That’s why I’m asking America to stop this invisible drain on our planet,” said Pulos. “With the Stealth Toilet we can do our part to save water and money with every flush. So join the cause for water conservation and say it with me – #WhatTheFlush!"
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7789051-niagara-conservation-whattheflush/
The Makers of the SPAM® brand are taking their gratitude on the road with the return of the popular SPAMERICAN™ Tour, thanking all of the chefs, fanatic fans and military for 79 years of support. Back for another coast-to-coast culinary journey, this year the brand is partnering with Operation Gratitude to bring their letter writing campaign into 16 communities, and supporting its goal of sending the 2 Millionth Care Package in 2018- by pledging a $1 donation for every letter written in-market and online at SPAM.com. Each letter will be included in a care package, assembled by volunteers, and sent to troops deployed overseas, as well as to new recruits, veterans and first-responders here at home.
Food Network Host and US Air Force veteran Sunny Anderson is once again joining the tour, supporting the Operation Gratitude cause and showcasing her new recipe: Operation SPAM® Gravy with Biscuits. Following the launch in New York at the Tribeca Film Festival, the SPAMERICAN™ truck will stop at military bases and popular community events in San Francisco, Dallas, Nashville, Chicago and more.
“We’re honored to partner with Operation Gratitude for the return of the SPAMERICAN™ Tour,” said Jennifer L. Nolander, SPAM® Brand Manager. “The SPAM® brand has a long tradition of supporting our nation’s military at home and abroad beginning with World War II, and we are honored to bring aboard a veteran like Sunny Anderson to help Operation Gratitude achieve its mission by providing an easy way for communities to give back to those who proudly serve us every day.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7810051-spam-spamerican-food-truck-tour/
An international survey conducted by GSK and released for World Meningitis Day shows gaps in the knowledge parents feel they have about meningococcal disease and its potential consequences. Almost 7 in 10 parents said they don’t know enough about the different strains of meningococcal disease and the potential damage they can cause. On average, more than half of parents were either unsure or unaware that there are different types of bacteria that cause the disease.
The survey of 5,000 parents in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy and Portugal also shows that out of a list of 14 vaccine-preventable diseases, meningococcal disease is considered by many parents to pose a top three health risk to their children. Fifty-seven percent listed meningococcal disease among the top three health conditions they considered of greatest risk to children followed by Hepatitis B at 34 percent, pneumococcal disease at 27 percent, polio at 25 percent, tetanus at 20 percent and pertussis at 17 percent.
A sudden, potentially life-threatening illness, meningococcal disease kills on average one person every eight minutes worldwide. It typically manifests as bacterial meningitis – an infection of the membrane around the brain and spine; or bacteraemia – a bloodstream infection. The disease progresses rapidly and it can lead to death within 24-48 hours of the first symptoms; globally up to 1 in 10 of those infected may die and in the US about 10-15 percent of people will die.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7814851-gsk-survey-world-meningitis-day/
