Why we love 🧡 our champions

Nothing But Nets is made up of hundreds of grassroots champions from all over the country, individuals who are dedicated to the fight to end malaria. These folks come from a multitude of backgrounds, professions, and life experiences, but what connects them all is the passion they feel for combatting this preventable disease.

Our champions make us who we are – the largest global grassroots campaign fighting malaria.

We have champions like Kevin Strickland from Virginia, who at the age of 13 started baking cupcakes to raise funds for insecticide treated bed-nets and to date has raised over $55,000 for the cause.

We have champions like Chip Huber, the Athletic Director at Cornerstone University who inspires student athletes to use their talents and platforms to raise funds and awareness to ensure that no child dies from a mosquito bite.

We have champions like Relindis Mbah, who was able to convince her member of Congress, Rep. Glenn Thompson (PA-05) to make a statement on the floor of Congress about his support for Congressionally funded malaria prevention and elimination programs.

These are the folks who make up our “global grassroots campaign” and have been crucial to our efforts that have successfully continued strong U.S. funding for the Presidents Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the Global Fund to Fight Tuberculosis, HIV and Malaria. Further, they’ve contributed to the tremendous progress of the last decade and will continue to be critically important as we strive for malaria elimination!

During the past year, Nothing But Nets Champions met with their members of Congress more than 230 times, both in-district and on Capitol Hill.

These meetings contributed to 67 occasions of vocal support from members of Congress, through social media, floor statements, resolution sponsorships and speaking opportunities, and helped ensure that full funding for both PMI and the Global Fund was included in the appropriations bills passed by the House and Senate appropriations committees.

In that same timeframe, our champions hosted almost 40 engagement, awareness and fundraising events, spreading the message of Nothing But Nets to thousands of people throughout the country and building people power in significant Congressional districts.

Since October of last year, our grassroots champions have raised almost $20,000 through individual fundraising campaigns, an amount of money that is equivalent to the purchase and distribution of about 2,000 life-saving insecticide treated bed nets.

When we describe Nothing But Nets as the largest global grassroots campaign working to combat malaria, that is inclusive of the invaluable work of hundreds of grassroots champions who consistently volunteer their time, money and expertise to assisting in this crucial fight.

Without these individuals, we would not be able to do this important work. Our champions are the foundation of our campaign, and with their unwavering passion and strength at our back, we know that we can be the generation to end malaria for good.

If you're ready to become a champion or you want to learn more, fill out the form here or email Max Antman at mantman@unfoundation.org!