Cura Foundation, Sanford Health honored for social good work

#UniteToPrevent COVID-19 ads win awards for health campaign, influencer endorsement

Cura Foundation, Sanford Health honored for social good work

The Cura Foundation announced that it has been named as Silver Winner for its #UniteToPrevent PSA Campaign in Best Nonprofit Campaign and Best Influencer Endorsement categories (Health) in the Inaugural Anthem Awards.

The PSA Campaign has been executive produced by Cura Foundation’s president and founder Robin Smith, MD, MBA; Marcie Mule and Roni Selig, co-presidents of RonMar Studios; and Ashleigh Walton, executive director, marketing at Sanford Health.

#UniteToPrevent is a U.S.-based multimedia campaign raising awareness of the continuing need to act safely, together, to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The PSA clips distributed on TV, radio and online feature 19 celebrities and athletes including Josh Groban, Steve Harvey, Amanda Kloots and Jerry Rice, among others. It is supported by the Cura Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to improve human health globally, and Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the U.S.

COVID prevention campaign continues

To reduce social disparities in the fight against COVID-19, Cura is expanding the #UniteToPrevent campaign into Spanish and will feature Grammy Award-winning recording artist Jon Secada and actors and celebrities Olga Merediz (“In the Heights,” “Encanto”), Alfonso Herrera (“Ozark”), Judy Reyes (“Scrubs,” “Devious Maids”), Cristián de La Fuente and Daphne Rubin-Vega.

The campaign continues to be circulated in the U.S. with over 530 million people seeing it to date in 25,057 radio and 118,701 TV airings. It has aired nationally on local affiliate television stations as well as national networks such as CBS, ION, The CW, MyTV Network, Bounce, Univision and Telemundo.

“It is our distinct honor to recognize the work that brands, organizations, and individuals are all making to create an impact in their community,” said Jessica Lauretti, managing director, The Anthem Awards. “We launched this platform to show the world that all corners of our culture, from sports and entertainment to business leaders and celebrities, are all standing up to say, it is time for systemic change and that social good is what we value as a society.”

“COVID-19 knows no boundaries,” said Robin Smith, MD, MBA, founder and president of the Cura Foundation. “The pandemic won’t end for anyone until it ends for all. We all have to stay vigilant to protect ourselves and others. Get vaccinated! #UniteToPrevent.”

“I cannot thank enough the incredible caregivers who have been fighting COVID-19 and all that comes with it for more than two years. We must continue to do all we can to stop the spread of the virus so their sacrifices do not go in vain,” said Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health. “I applaud the Cura Foundation and all partners in the #UniteToPrevent campaign for raising awareness of this crucial message on the steps needed to keep our communities safe and reduce the strain on health care workers.”

Anthem Awards recognize ‘social good’

Winners for the inaugural Anthem Awards were celebrated at the first annual Anthem Voices conference followed by a star-studded virtual awards show on Feb. 28.

The Anthem Awards, the Webby Awards’ newest initiative, was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The inaugural competition received nearly 2,500 entries from 36 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities.

A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized in the inaugural Anthem Awards.

The awards recognize the breadth of social good work (online and offline) around the globe by honoring the organizations, brands, and people creating long-lasting impact in the following categories: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Education, Art and Culture; Health; Human and Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action and Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment and Climate.

The Anthem Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, GLAAD, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF and XQ.

The Cura Foundation is a nonsectarian, nonpartisan, public 501(c)(3) organization with a mission is to improve human health globally. Cura’s objective is to streamline health care delivery and optimize access to care to prevent and vanquish disease, reduce human suffering and increase the quality of life around the world. We aim to advance the development of breakthrough medical technologies, promote preventative measures, encourage interdisciplinary approaches to medicine, improve access to innovation and eliminate social disparities in health care.

Information in this story was accurate when it was posted. As the COVID-19 pandemic changes, scientific understanding and guidelines may have changed since the original publication date.

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Posted In Awards & Recognition, Company News, COVID-19, Immunizations, Inclusion at Sanford, Leadership in Health Care