On Sunday, March 16, at 4:00 p.m. at the Hancock Building, 95th Floor Signature Room in Chicago, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn together with Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith and representatives from UNICEF will call on the people of Illinois to help bring clean water to the one billion people worldwide who do not have access to safe drinking water. During World Water Week (March 16 to March 22) Illinois citizens can participate in the UNICEF Tap Project by visiting any of the more than 170 participating restaurants and donating a dollar for a glass of tap water. While a dollar may not seem like much, the UNICEF Tap Project raised approximately $100,000 in New York alone when the program was launched for the first time last year. As a result, four million children were provided with clean water. Due to its first year success, the UNICEF Tap Project is expanding to 13 major cities across the country, including Chicago. Funds raised will help bring water to more than 90 countries around the world in which UNICEF manages water and sanitation projects. "Water is not just an environmental issue - it is an economic and health issue as well," Quinn said. "We in the Land of Lincoln are blessed to have clean water each time we sit down at a restaurant. Let's help give that blessing to children across the world." UNICEF was created in December 1946 by the United Nations to provide food, clothing and health care to children facing post-World War II famine and disease. To date, UNICEF helps children in need overcome the obstacles of poverty, violence, disease and discrimination in more than 190 countries. More than one billion people lack access to safe drinking water and more than 5,000 children die each day due to dehydration and other water-related illnesses. "Simply contributing one dollar while you're out enjoying a meal is enough to provide one child with 40 days of clean drinking water," said Midwest director of U.S. Fund for UNICEF Casey Marsh. For more information or how to help those in need visit www.cleanwater.org |