Disney Channel Star Laura Marano Named 2013 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Ambassador

Marano to help promote the first nationwide "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF School Challenge"

NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Laura Marano, actress and star of the Disney Channel series Austin and Ally, has been named the 2013 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Ambassador. In this role, Marano will advocate, educate and fundraise for the original Kids Helping Kids® campaign, which has already raised more than $170 million since 1950 to aid children around the world.

"I'm so excited to celebrate Halloween this year by encouraging kids to support UNICEF's lifesaving work. The Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign is a fun, easy way for kids to learn about world issues and to help other kids who are less fortunate," said Marano.

Marano has helped kick off this year's campaign and the inaugural nationwide "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF School Challenge" through two Public Service Announcements released today. The school challenge is part of an effort to support elementary school educators in teaching children about the needs of their peers in other countries and about the importance of giving.

From now until Oct. 31, teachers are asked to creatively document through video, photography or another visual format, how students are helping kids across the globe by participating in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF activities. Five Grand-Prize winners will have the opportunity to travel to Tanzania and see UNICEF programs in action. They also will receive $1,000 cash grants for their classroom.

Entries can be submitted on www.trickortreatforunicef.org/challenge beginning Oct. 1, 2013 through Jan. 31, 2014. Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges who will announce the winners in spring 2014.

"We're thrilled to have someone as bright and energetic as Laura to represent the campaign," said Caryl Stern, president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has helped provide medicine, nutrition, clean water, education and more to children around the world, and we know Laura's dedication will inspire other kids to participate in this great American tradition."

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF has also developed a series of lesson plans to aid teachers in promoting global citizenship among students. This year's themes are hunger and malnutrition, the cause of more than a third of all child deaths in developing countries. To sign up or to learn more about additional prizes visit www.trickortreatforunicef.org. Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #TOT4UNICEF.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is grateful for the support of National Sponsors HSN, Inc. and Key Club International, and Promotional Supporters American Airlines and Coinstar, Inc. 

National Sponsors

Interactive multichannel retailer, HSN, Inc. (HSNi), via lifestyle brands HSN, Grandin Road and Chasing Fireflies, will help save and improve children's lives this Halloween season through Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. As a proud national sponsor of this year's campaign, HSNi will launch online retail stores that will sell Halloween-themed items on HSN.com, GrandinRoad.com and Chasing-Fireflies.com, to help raise funds for lifesaving UNICEF programs. HSNi will donate a minimum of 10 percent of the purchase price for each item sold—including a UNICEF tote bag specially designed by renowned interior designer Vern Yip at HSN.com—from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31.

Key Club International continues its support for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, raising funds for The Eliminate Project, which seeks to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. To date, this longstanding partnership has raised more than $5 million for UNICEF. Key Club International, a student-led service leadership program of Kiwanis International, is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. For more information please visit www.theeliminateproject.org.  

Promotional Supporters

For a fifth consecutive year, American Airlines will support Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF through UNICEF's Change for Good program on American Airlines. Throughout October, American's customers can donate foreign and domestic currency in Halloween-themed collection boxes at Admirals Club® lounges and Flagship Lounges® worldwide. From Oct. 24-31, American's customers will have the opportunity to make donations in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes on selected international flights. In addition, American's people will engage in fundraising efforts during the last week of October.

For the 16^th year, Coinstar^® is making it easy for people to donate the money collected for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.  Participants simply bring their orange collection boxes to any of the over 11,000 Coinstar kiosks accepting UNICEF donations at participating supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchants, and financial institutions across the U.S. Consumers can find the closest Coinstar kiosk accepting UNICEF donations by using the Machine Locator tool at www.coinstar.com/CoinMachine.

About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to save and improve children's lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, 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. Together, we are working toward the day when ZERO children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood.

SOURCE U.S. Fund for UNICEF