UNICEF Ambassador Selena Gomez, along with Adrian Grenier, Dwight Howard, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Robin Williams help spotlight devastating impact of world water crisis on children

NEW YORK, March 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Celebrities from the worlds of music, film, television and sport have joined with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to engage consumers in a conversation about the lack of access to safe, clean water for nearly 900 million children and adults across the globe. The UNICEF Tap Project is a public service campaign that aims to draw attention to this serious issue and encourage the public to take action to reduce the numbers of children dying daily from waterborne illnesses, the second-highest cause of preventable childhood deaths in the world.

Celebrity supporters – UNICEF Ambassador Selena Gomez, along with Adrian Grenier, Dwight Howard, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Robin Williams – will bottle their own tap water from their homes for a sweepstakes benefiting the UNICEF Tap Project. Supporters of the UNICEF Tap Project can enter to win a limited-edition "Celebrity Tap Pack," a one-of-a-kind case of custom-made water bottles featuring tap water from the homes of each celebrity advocate, all the while raising vital funds for UNICEF's clean water and sanitation programs.

"Celebrity involvement can highlight the value of safe, clean water, which most of us consume every day without thinking twice," said President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Caryl Stern. "It can galvanize the support needed to help children who are forced to gamble with their lives every time they take a drink of water. Every day more than 4,000 children die from water-related diseases.  Just one dollar provides 40 days of clean drinking water to a child in need."

Since its inception in 2007, the UNICEF Tap Project has raised nearly $2.5 million in the United States and has helped provide clean water for millions of children globally.  UNICEF works in more than 90 countries to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities, and to promote safe hygiene practices. Over the past 16 years more than a billion people have gained access to improved drinking water and sanitation facilities thanks to the efforts of UNICEF and its partners.

Supporters can enter to win the Celebrity Tap Pack with every $5 donation made through April 30, 2011 at 11:59:59 ET. All funds raised will support UNICEF's clean water and sanitation programs in Togo, the Central African Republic and Vietnam. Supporters can learn more about the celebrities' involvement with the campaign at www.uniceftapproject.org. Content featuring Robin Williams and Dwight Howard will be added to the website in the weeks ahead.

About UNICEF

UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in more than 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.

UNICEF is at the forefront of efforts to reduce child mortality worldwide. There has been substantial progress: the annual number of under-five deaths dropped from 13 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008. But still, 22,000 children die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

* Celebrity Tap Presented by UNICEF Tap Project Sweepstakes. NO DONATION OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A donation will not increase your chances of winning. Sweepstakes begins at 12:00:01 am ET on 3/11/11 and ends at 11:59:59 pm ET on 4/30/11. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States (and D.C.) who are 13 years of age and older. Void where prohibited. For complete Official Rules visit celebritytap.org/rules

SOURCE U.S. Fund for UNICEF