DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walgreens and the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign announced today that the Walgreens Get a Shot. Give a Shot. program has helped provide 50 million lifesaving vaccines to children around the world since its inception in 2013. Also today, Walgreens said it hopes to provide 50 million additional vaccines by 2023.
Through the Get a Shot. Give a Shot. program, which is currently in its seventh year, for every immunization administered at Walgreens, the company donates the value of a vaccine to the UN Foundation. During the 2019-2020 period, Walgreens will donate up to a maximum of $2.6 million.
“At Walgreens we are immensely proud of our long-standing collaboration with the UN Foundation, providing vaccines to remote areas of the world where vulnerable populations have limited access to health care,” said Alex Gourlay, president of Walgreens and co-chief operating officer of parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA). “By being a part of this coordinated worldwide vaccination effort we have helped make significant progress in reducing cases of measles and polio. This is one of the many ways that we are meeting our commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
Unfortunately, one in five children around the world still lacks access to the lifesaving vaccines that help keep children in the U.S. healthy. In fact, one child dies every 20 seconds from a disease that could be prevented with a vaccine.
“The Get a Shot. Give a Shot. partnership saves children’s lives,” said Kathy Calvin, president and CEO of the UN Foundation. “This is worth celebrating, especially as we reach the incredible milestone of donating 50 million vaccines. When businesses like Walgreens mobilize to support United Nations causes, change happens. The UN Foundation is committed to continuing our work together to protect children everywhere.”
Funds from Get a Shot. Give a Shot. are donated to Shot@Life to help support measles and polio vaccination efforts. Through the partnership, Shot@Life has provided vaccines to children in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Timor and Tanzania. Learn more about the impact of the program at Walgreens.com/GetaShot.
The current Get a Shot. Give a Shot. program lasts through Jan. 31, 2020 and all immunizations administered at Walgreens during this time period are eligible for the program*.
The UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign educates, connects, and empowers individuals to champion global vaccines as one of the most effective ways to save the lives of children around the world. The campaign rallies members of the public, members of Congress, businesses, and civil society partners to support and invest in the global childhood immunization programs of UNICEF, World Health Organization, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Through public education, grassroots advocacy, and fundraising, Shot@Life strives to avert the 1.5 million annual vaccine-preventable child deaths. To learn more about the campaign, visit shotatlife.org.
Walgreens also announced today a commitment to provide $5 million in free flu vaccinations by 2023 to help protect uninsured and underinsured people in the U.S. and Puerto Rico from influenza. This is a continuation of an existing nine-year program to partner with communities to provide free flu vaccinations. As of August 31, 2019, Walgreens customers have redeemed more than 1.6 million flu vouchers over nine years.
Walgreens and WBA are committed to improving societal health and wellbeing around the world. Read more about CSR at WBA here.
* From 9/1/19 until 1/31/20, for every immunization administered, Walgreens will donate $0.23 to the United Nations Foundation, up to a maximum donation of $2,600,000.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail and wholesale pharmacy. Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health, beauty and retail destination supporting communities across the country, and was named to FORTUNE* magazine’s 2019 Companies that Change the World list. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day. As of August 31, 2019, Walgreens operates 9,277 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Walgreens also provides specialty pharmacy and mail services and offers in-store clinics and other health care services throughout the United States, most of which are operated by our health care strategic partners.
*© 2019, Fortune Media IP Limited. Used under license.
About United Nations Foundation
The United Nations Foundation acts as a strategic partner to help the United Nations mobilize ideas, people, and resources to drive global progress and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Founded in 1998 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner, the Foundation works with philanthropic, corporate, and government partners to create communities and incubate initiatives that support UN priorities. Learn more at www.unfoundation.org.
