United Nations Foundation, Luol Deng, and Chicago Bulls call on Chicago to Lead Emergency Effort to

Today at the United Center, The United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation), Nothing But Nets spokesperson Luol Deng, and the Chicago Bulls will call on Chicago citizens to help lead Americans across the country in a response to an urgent, immediate need for insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria in temporary refugee camps on the Chad-Sudan and Chad-CAR border.

(PRWEB) July 16, 2007 -- What:    On July 16, 2007 at the United Center, The United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation), Nothing But Nets spokesperson Luol Deng, and the Chicago Bulls will call on Chicago citizens to help lead Americans across the country in a response to an urgent, immediate need for insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria in temporary refugee camps on the Chad-Sudan and Chad-CAR border. It is estimated that 25 percent of children under five in the camps will die from malaria if the nets are not delivered before the height of the rainy season.

Working together in Chad, UNICEF, the UN High Commission on Refugees and the MENTOR Initiative recognized this emergency need and immediately sought assistance from the UN Foundation to help provide the bed nets. The UN Foundation, through its Nothing But Nets campaign—a global, grassroots effort to deliver insecticide-treated nets to prevent malaria—pledges to raise the necessary funds to meet the need and send the life-saving nets. Nothing But Nets partner, the Chicago Bulls, will be on hand to announce their pledge to the fundraising effort.

This appeal comes during the middle of a series of events Nothing But Nets is hosting in Chicago, Ill., as part of its national effort to raise awareness about malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. During the month, the UN Foundation, The People of the United Methodist Church, Major League Soccer's M.L.S. Works, the Chicago Fire, the Chicago Bulls, the Chicago Sky, and the Luol Deng Foundation are co-hosting several events, including a Malaria Boot Camp for over 200 local middle and high school students and a faith leaders breakfast for area faith and lay leaders.