Nothing But Nets, Gavin DeGraw and Tom Cavanagh Help Save Lives in Uganda

The United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, a global, grassroots initiative to prevent malaria, is teaming up with Platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw and television star Tom Cavanagh for an upcoming goodwill mission to provide long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets to the Nakivale refugee camp in Uganda, where more than 40,000 refugees are currently settled.  DeGraw and Cavanagh will visit the camp and distribute nets along with the representatives from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) from March 8-13.

“I am really looking forward to this trip,” said DeGraw.  “After being driven from their homes due to violent conflict, millions of refugees in Africa now face another harrowing threat, malaria.  These bed nets can help stop the suffering faced by so many.”

Over 630,000 African refugees have been displaced due to the spreading crisis in Darfur and other regional crises. As the next rainy season approaches, those living in refugee camps – the majority of whom are women and children – are now threatened by malaria.

“Malaria is the number one killer of refugees in Africa,” said Cavanagh.  “I am proud that Gavin and I are able to bring attention to a simple remedy – a $10 bed net – to this devastating problem.”

UNHCR has recognized an immediate and urgent need for 275,000 long-lasting, insecticide-treated bed nets for refugees living in 27 refugee camps in Uganda, Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania, where the malaria burden is highest among African camps.

“Refugees in these camps have survived losing their homes, violence and genocide – they should not then die of a mosquito bite,” said Nothing But Nets Executive Director Elizabeth Gore. “We are excited about the commitments by our Champions – Gavin and Tom – to bring attention to the very real threat of malaria in refugee camps. We know Gavin and Tom’s supporters will provide funds to provide life-saving bed nets.”

The UN Foundation, through Nothing But Nets, has organized a coordinated response to the situation, and is engaging everyone from the UN to the NBA and the Union for Reform Judaism to people in towns across America to raise the funds necessary to provide these life-saving bed nets. A life-saving bed net costs $10 to purchase, distribute and educate families on its use. One bed net can protect a family of four. To send a net and save a life, visit www.NothingButNets.net.

About Nothing But Nets
Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. Inspired by former Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly, tens of thousands of people have joined the campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006.  Founding campaign partners include the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, the people of The United Methodist Church, and Sports Illustrated. It only costs $10 to provide an insecticide-treated bed net that can prevent this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to send a net and save a life.

Visit www.NothingButNets.net for additional information, stories, and photos from the trip. High quality video footage and photographs are available upon request.

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About Gavin DeGraw’s new album
On March 31st, 2009, J Records’ platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw will release a new collection of songs, entitled FREE – a raw, organic-sounding recording that showcases DeGraw’s earthy charm and ever-evolving songwriting talent. In keeping with the stripped-down feel of FREE, DeGraw will hit the road on March 27th for an extensive spring tour he has dubbed his “Where It Began” tour, in which audiences will be taken on a musical journey back to DeGraw’s roots for a series of intimate full band and solo performances.

FREE is the follow-up to DeGraw’s self-titled 2008 album GAVIN DEGRAW, which debuted at No. 1 on the digital sales chart and No. 7 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart last May, earning DeGraw his first Top 10 album. GAVIN DEGRAW spawned the hit singles “In Love With A Girl,” which Billboard dubbed “a rocking homerun” and the gold-certified “We Belong Together.”

Eric McCormack (“Will & Grace”) and Tom Cavanagh (“Ed”) team up in “Trust Me,” a sharp, witty drama series that centers on two best friends working as creative partners at a top-ranked Chicago ad agency.  The series, from the producing and writing team of “The Closer,”also stars Monica Potter (“Boston Legal”), Sarah Clarke (“24”), Mike Damus (“Lost in Yonkers”), Geoffrey Arend (“Garden State”) and Griffin Dunne (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”). From The Shephard/Robin Company in association with Warner Horizon Television, the series airs Tuesdays (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on TNT.