Join Concern Worldwide's Your Dollar Our Future Campaign to Build Schools, Train Teachers and Educate Out-of-School Children in Haiti

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, international humanitarian organization Concern Worldwide US launched the Your Dollar Our Future campaign to raise money to rebuild schools, hire teachers, and supply materials to repair the damaged education infrastructure in Haiti. The campaign coincides with American children starting a new school year after the summer holiday and is supported by celebrity "All Stars," including Gabriel Byrne, Usain Bolt, NFL quarterback Charles Tillman, Brendan Fraser, Damien McGinty, Jon Secada, Jeffrey Donovan, Giuliana Rancic, Renee Oldstead, Cassie Scerbo, and Gabrielle Beauvais, to name a few, who have joined Concern to help bring education to earthquake-affected children in Haiti. The campaign will be formally launched at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York City.

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"A shocking 87 percent of Haiti's schools were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake, and one in every two children are not enrolled in school. Haiti still faces real challenges," says Anne O'Mahony, Concern's Country Director in Haiti. "It's not an overstatement to say that Haiti's future depends on getting children into school. Our message to the public is that a donation of even just US$5 will make a huge difference."

"While no one can predict what the future might bring, we are confident this campaign will dramatically change the quality of life for thousands of children in Haiti, and we are thrilled and honored to have so much support from these high-profile celebrities," says Siobhan Walsh, Executive Director of Concern Worldwide US. "We understand the current economic environment is harsh right now, but we're counting on the generosity of people to give what they can and we'll spend it well. For US$5 we can provide a month's supply of learning materials for an entire class of children. For US$1,000, we can supply desks, chairs, pencils, chalk and a blackboard for a class of 50 students."

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.YourDollarOurFuture.org. Please also friend us on Facebook and follow our progress on Twitter.

About Concern Worldwide

Founded in 1968, Concern Worldwide is an international, non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world's poorest countries. Concern has 3,200 personnel working in 25 of the world's poorest countries, targeting the root causes of extreme poverty through programs in education, health, livelihoods, HIV and AIDS and emergency response. For more information, visit www.concernusa.org.

For more information, or for interview requests with Concern staff or celebrity spokespersons, please contact:

Elizabeth Wright
Communications Manager, Concern Worldwide US
[email protected]
T: (212) 557-8000: M: (718) 427-5480

SOURCE Concern Worldwide US