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Pro Bono: Pro GOAL, Concern

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

Each will get half of the sum, which was presented to Bono last week as part of the Humanitarian Award in the annual Meteor Ireland Music Awards in Dublin.
Concern Worldwide chief executive Tom Arnold expressed his delight at Bono’s gift
“It is a testament to his generous spirit and his deep understanding of the work we do,” Arnold said in a statement.
“This money will be put to good use funding our work in Africa, where up to 40 million people face hunger in the coming months. It is no exaggeration to say that this generous donation will literally save lives in southern Africa and in Ethiopia and Eritrea.”
Concern has just launched an emergency appeal for Ethiopia, where 11 million people are facing food shortages.
The award organizers cited Bono for “his dedication and tireless work in focusing on the massive problems faced by the developing world.”
The euro 100,000 is a little over $100,000 based on current exchange rates. But the sum that could eventually be put to work will be far higher than even that which passed so quickly through Bono’s hands.
Kelly Fincham, GOAL’s New York-based representative, said that $50,000 can be turned into 10 times that amount when it is properly presented to the U.S. government’s development arm, U.S.-AID.
“The way it works is that if we come up with a plan for an aid operation and raise 10 percent of the cost, U.S.-Aid will meet that with 90 percent of the full cost if they agree to help us,” she said.
The U.S. agency has contributed roughly $12 million to GOAL’s global aid efforts in the last fiscal year.
Fincham said that the sum donated by Bono was also significant in terms of GOAL’s U.S. fundraising.
“We raised $130,000 last year after expenses from our GOAL ball in New York, so that gives an idea of how much this donation means to us. We are absolutely delighted that Bono has recognized GOAL’s work,” Fincham said.
She added that Bono had been invited to this year’s 15th anniversary ball, slated for March 7 at the Chelsea Piers in Manhattan, and that the singer “possibly might be coming.”

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