The Harlem Globetrotters join World Vision’s #GOATee for a Good Cause Campaign

SEATTLE (November 2, 2015) — This month, the Harlem Globetrotters are partnering with the Christian humanitarian agency World Vision to grow a #GOATee for a Good Cause, raising awareness about how goats and other livestock gifts are helping to break the cycle of poverty in developing countries.  Six iconic players and the Globetrotters’ CEO, Kurt Schneider, are dumping their razors throughout the month of November to grow goatees, which they will debut on Giving Tuesday (December 1^st) – a national day devoted to charitable giving.  The Globetrotters are encouraging fans to get involved with the #GOATee for a Good Cause campaign by giving a goat in World Vision’s 2015 Gift Catalog to a child in need.

Goats are a Game-Changer for Kids

“In basketball the word goat is an acronym for Greatest Of All Time,” says Globetrotters star Hawk Thomas. “But after over a dozen years of playing ball, I know no superstar is built without the hundreds of small, unselfish acts and sacrifices of their teammates.  I am growing a #GOATee for a good cause to encourage fans to do something selfless this Giving Tuesday by donating a goat and changing the life of a child or family struggling to get by.”

Recent scientific studies show livestock aid is successful in giving the extremely poor a large and lasting economic boost out of poverty. There are more than 20 animal gifts offered in World Vision’s Gift Catalog, but goats are the most popular item every year.  For a donation of $75 just one goat can:

• Nourish a hungry family with up to 16 cups of milk a day
• Provide a source of income for families to sell surplus milk, cheese and yogurt which can be used to buy needed medical or school supplies
• Supply valuable fertilizer to help crops and vegetable gardens thrive
• Produce up two offspring a year, which can be shared with neighbors to lift an entire community out of poverty

When You Have Plenty, Why Not Share?

Goats are just one way to share big dreams with a child this Giving Tuesday.  World Vision’s Gift Catalog features over 100 other life-saving gifts that can be donated in a loved one’s name this holiday season. Shoppers can also choose to send a personalized card describing the gift and its impact.  You don’t have to spend a fortune to bring about tremendous social change. Gifts in the catalog range from $16 (the price of an average t-shirt) to $39,000.  In fiscal year 2015 alone, more than 122,000 donors gave more than 297,000 items from the Gift Catalog helping more than 650,000 people around the world.

Fans can get involved with the #GOATee for a Good Cause campaign by following the player’s progress as they post weekly Twitter updates from November 1 – 30 to showcase their stylish stubble on @Globies and @WorldVisionUSA.  Watch Globetrotters star Zeus McClurkin kick off the campaign by trimming his whiskers here: https://youtu.be/9_PkpFhtlo8

To order from World Vision’s Gift Catalog, visit www.worldvisiongifts.org or call 1-855-WV-GIFTS.

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Today @Globies @WorldVisionUSA kick off #GOATee for a Good Cause campaign. Watch us grow stylish stubble for #goats! http://ow.ly/U8DZk

About The Harlem Globetrotters:

Celebrating 90 iconic years of providing smiles, sportsmanship and service to millions, The Harlem Globetrotters® are a worldwide icon, synonymous with one-of-a-kind family entertainment and great basketball skills. Throughout their history, the Original Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 122 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans – among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents – over nine thrilling decades. Sponsored by World Vision, Greyhound Lines and Baden Sports, Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned themed entertainment company in the U.S. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, and to purchase tickets and team merchandise, visit the Globetrotters’ official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media-center/ or on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA.

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