American Express and (RED) Partner to Call a CODE (RED) on COVID-19

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Express and (RED) are partnering to call a CODE (RED) on the COVID-19 pandemic supporting equitable access to testing, treatment and vaccines in response to the ongoing and devastating impact of the virus in the world's poorest countries. Starting today, American Express® Card Members can use Membership Rewards points towards a donation with PayPal's Pay with Rewards feature to help provide COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines for people most in need. In addition, American Express will donate $250,000 to COVID-19 relief efforts championed by (RED) and its partners, the Fund for the Global Fund and COVAX, and will match employee contributions to the campaign.

One hundred percent of all funds raised will support the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response Mechanism and the COVAX  Advance Market Commitment (AMC).

To celebrate the launch of CODE (RED) and the reopening of Broadway, Lin-Manuel Miranda will join American Express for a special evening at Hamilton on Broadway.

"Communities around the world need our support more than ever, and we are committed to mobilizing our resources to accelerate the delivery of life-saving vaccines and other pandemic relief worldwide," said Stephen J. Squeri, American Express Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "As the leading global organization fighting the world's most pressing health emergencies, (RED) is the perfect partner to facilitate our efforts to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines to billions of people still waiting for availability."

"Broadway is back, and people can see live theater and extraordinary performances again – safely – because they're vaccinated," said Lin-Manuel Miranda. "Today we launch a new initiative to help provide vaccines wherever they're needed around the world."

"Global public health – from New York to Nairobi - will continue to be under threat until everyone in the world has access to COVID-19 relief" said Jennifer Lotito, (RED)'s President & Chief Operating Officer. "(RED) has a legacy of 15 years fighting the AIDS pandemic, and today, we're launching a new initiative to help fight COVID-19.  We are so grateful to American Express for leading the charge in launching CODE (RED), its Card Members , and Lin-Manuel Miranda for supporting this fight."

"Throughout the global pandemic, we have worked to help our customers and their communities navigate the impacts of COVID-19 — and to provide easy ways for them to give to those in dire need around the world," said Dan Schulman, president and CEO, PayPal. "We are proud to extend our partnership with American Express to support CODE (RED) and its vital mission of global pandemic relief by making it easier than ever for customers to give in any way they can through the PayPal platform."

The program, which kicks-off 15 years to the day that (RED) was launched in the US, comes at a time when COVID-19, and lack of an equitable access to vaccines, testing and treatment, remains a crisis in many parts of the world.

Since its founding in 2006, (RED) has generated nearly $700 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS. This financial support has helped more than 220 million people and contributed to building strong and sustainable health systems in the poorest parts of the world. Today, as the impact of COVID-19 on life-saving AIDS programs continues to take its toll, (RED) is stepping-up to deliver private sector money to support the fight against AIDS and COVID-19. Through CODE (RED), contributions generated for the Global Fund will support the COVID-19 Response Mechanism, providing access to COVID-19 diagnostics, treatment, personal protective equipment (PPE), and critical support for healthcare workers on the front lines in the world's most fragile health systems. Contributions channeled through Gavi will fund the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) enabling access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to protect the most vulnerable populations.

"COVID-19 is having a devastating impact on the fight against HIV, TB and malaria, hitting particularly the most vulnerable communities around the world," said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. "We must unite to beat COVID-19 and ensure everyone has access to life saving tools and services. We are immensely grateful to (RED) and American Express for calling a CODE (RED) on COVID-19. It is time for another push to save lives."

"In the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, vaccine inequity combined with the rising threat of variants means it is more important than ever for the private and public health sectors to act together". said Dr Seth Berkley, Gavi CEO. "We are thankful to (RED) and American Express for calling a CODE (RED) on COVID-19 and for supporting COVAX as we strive to bring COVID-19 under control."

To learn more please visit Codered.org.

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.  Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products, services and corporate responsibility information: personal cards, business cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, Accertify, Kabbage, Resy, corporate card, business travel, diversity and inclusion, corporate responsibility and Environmental, Social, and Governance reports.

ABOUT (RED)
(RED), named for the color of emergency, was founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 to turn companies into a cavalry to fight the AIDS pandemic. Today, that cavalry is also fighting the urgent threat of COVID and its devastating impact on the world's most vulnerable communities, answering the need for a truly global response.

(RED) partners with the most iconic brands and people to create (RED) products and experiences — all of which raise money for the Global Fund, one of the world's largest funders of global health. (RED) partners include Amazon, Anova Culinary, Apple, Balmain, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Buffalo Games, Claro, eos, Girl Skateboards, The Honey Pot Co., Louis Vuitton, Mavin Records, Montblanc, Primark, Salesforce, Starbucks, Stellantis, Telcel, Therabody, TRUFF, U-Mask and Vespa. (RED) supporters include Merck and Roche.

To date, (RED) has generated nearly $700 million for the Global Fund, helping more than 220 million people. The money raised by (RED)'s partners and campaigns goes directly to strengthen health systems and support life-saving programs in the communities where pandemics hit hardest.

ABOUT THE GLOBAL FUND
The Global Fund is a worldwide movement to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all. We raise and invest US$4 billion a year to fight the deadliest infectious diseases, challenge the injustice which fuels them and strengthen health systems in more than 100 of the hardest hit countries. We unite world leaders, communities, civil society, health workers and the private sector to find solutions that have the most impact, and we take them to scale worldwide. Since 2002, the Global Fund has saved 44 million lives. 

Information on the work of the Global Fund is available at: www.theglobalfund.org
Follow the Global Fund on Twitter: twitter.com/globalfund
Join the Global Fund on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theglobalfund 

ABOUT GAVI, THE VACCINE ALLIANCE
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world's children against some of the world's deadliest diseases. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 822 million children – and prevented more than 14 million deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 73 lower-income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines. 

Gavi is a co-convener of COVAX, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, together with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization (WHO). In its role Gavi is focused on procurement and delivery for COVAX: coordinating the design, implementation and administration of the COVAX Facility and the Gavi COVAX AMC and working with its Alliance partners UNICEF and WHO, along with governments, on country readiness and delivery. Learn more at www.gavi.org/gavi-covax-amc.

After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation and reaching the unvaccinated children still being left behind, employing innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save millions more lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Vaccine Alliance brings together lower-income country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organizations that fund Gavi's work here.

SOURCE (RED)