Thank you to all the fans who participated in the Star Wars: Force for Change 40th anniversary fundraising campaign. Over the course of four weeks between April 11 and May 11, 2017, over 66,435 people from over 160 countries entered for their chance to win three once-in-a-lifetime Star Wars experiences. In total, Star Wars: Force for Change was able to raise a gross total of over $3,400,000, with net proceeds benefiting UNICEF and Starlight Children's Foundation.
Each week Star Wars: Force for Change offered one prize to a randomly selected winner and at the end of the campaign, one lucky fan won the Grand Prize -- all three experiences:
- A VIP stay at Skywalker Ranch including a tour of the archives and a screening of Star Wars: A New Hope
- Attend the Star Wars: The Last Jedi premiere and exclusive after party
- Visit the set, meet the directors, and have the chance to appear in the untitled Han Solo movie
Learn more about the winners here.
With the funds raised, UNICEF and Starlight Children’s Foundation are able to provide much-needed support for children around the world.
More than 2.5 million children are affected as famines loom across Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. Thanks to Star Wars fans, funds raised through this campaign are able to help UNICEF save the lives of over 20,500 children suffering from malnutrition by providing over 3,080,000 Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food Packets (RUTF). Often called “Miracle Food,” this therapeutic Food can mean the difference between life and death, providing quick, lifesaving nourishment to a child suffering from malnutrition. Since April 2017, more than 4 million packets of RUTF have been distributed to over 30,000 children suffering from malnutrition around the world, and the amount raised through this campaign will significantly add to that impact.
Every 30 seconds, a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition. These children are often scared, confused, lonely and facing serious medical treatments. Starlight Children’s Foundation improves those experiences by providing joy and comfort to hospitalized children. Through the funds raised in this campaign, Starlight Children's Foundation is able to provide over 15,000 Star Wars-themed Starlight Brave Gowns that are soft, brightly colored, and meets hospital protocols. They are also able to more broadly launch Starlight VR, of which Star Wars: Force for Change is a Founding Sponsor. Starlight VR will transport children from the hospital to anyplace in the world – or beyond -- through the magic of virtual reality by providing over 340 Starlight VR kits hospitalized children around the U.S. Starlight will now be able to provide these Starlight Brave Gowns and Starlight VR kits to partners in its network of more than 700 children’s hospitals and healthcare facilities across the U.S.
Thank you to the over 66,435 Star Wars fans who supported this campaign and made these amazing results possible in just 30 days! Even though the campaign is over, you can still donate to UNCIEF and Starlight Children’s Foundation on behalf of Force for Change and help children around the world.
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