Red Nose Day Raises $31 Million for Charity

2016 Red Nose Day Celebrities
Sterling K. Brown, Ravi Patel, Yvette Nicole Brown, Lauren Ash, Craig Ferguson, Mandy Moore, Retta, Malin Akerman, Grace Helbig, Lamorne Morris, Scott Foley, Jay Pharoah, and Sal Masekela (Photo by Trae Patton / NBC)

NBC’s 2nd annual Red Nose Day raised an astounding $31.5 million in donations from individuals and corporations. The donated money will go to assist kids in need in the United States as well as some of the poorest communities around the world. The funds were raised during the two-hour special and in advance of Red Nose Day through fundraising campaigns including the sale of Red Noses at Walgreens stores.

Craig Ferguson hosted the U.S. Red Nose Day broadcast with celebrities including Elton John, Julia Roberts, Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Ellen DeGeneres, Tracy Morgan, Blake Shelton, Will Ferrell, and Zac Efron taking part in helping to entertain the audience as well as encourage people to donate.

Other celebrities who donated their time to help raise money for kids in need included Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Jay Leno, Celine Dion, Kobe Bryant, Anna Kendrick, Seth Rogen, Bono, Ellie Kemper, Blake Griffin, Connie Britton, Mel B, Bill Gates, Tyler Perry, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Vince Vaughn, Sarah Silverman, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Kristen Bell, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Rose Byrne, Chloë Grace Moretz, Steve Buscemi, Danny Trejo, Adam Devine, Jane Lynch, and Minnie Driver.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Goldblum, Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Scott Foley, Dax Shepard, Johnny Galecki, Mayim Bialik, Jay Pharaoh, Ben Feldman, Trevor Noah, Iwan Rheon, Chris Hardwick, Yvette Nicole Brown, Lauren Ash, Retta, David Morrissey, Jon Daly, Margot Robbie, Kate Micucci, Malin Akerman, Adam Pally, Tony Hale, Sal Masekela, Lamorne Morris and Grace Helbig were also among the celebrities who lined up to support Red Nose Day, as well as The Walking Dead cast members Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Ross Marquand, Josh McDermitt, Steven Yeun, Christian Serratos, Melissa McBride and Sonequa Martin-Green.

Red Nose Day was created by writer/director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral) who served as an executive producer of the US special. John Irwin of Irwin Entertainment and Lily Sobhani also executive produced NBC’s Red Nose Day.

More on Red Nose Day, Courtesy of NBC:

Red Nose Day is on a mission to lift kids out of poverty. It has raised more than $1 billion globally in the last 25 years, and in the UK become a cultural phenomenon. Red Nose Day launched in the U.S. in 2015 as a special day to come together, have fun and make a difference for kids who are most in need.

In its inaugural year in America, more than $23 million was raised for the Red Nose Day Fund, with the money now at work in all 50 states across America and 15 countries internationally through programs to keep them healthy, safe, and educated. Funds raised have provided children with everything from clean water and their next meal to life-saving malaria nets in Africa, to vaccines to protect against preventable diseases.

All money raised for Red Nose Day goes to the Red Nose Day Fund, which then distributes grants to charities that benefit children and young people living in poverty. Half of the money will be spent right here in America on projects close to home. The other half will be spent in some of the poorest communities internationally. In 2016, partner charities include Boys & Girls Clubs of America; charity:water; Children’s Health Fund; Covenant House; Feeding America; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; National Council of La Raza; National Urban League; Oxfam America; Save the Children and The Global Fund.