World’s renowned musician, John Legend has embarked on a fundraising  drive to raise money to fight AIDS in Rwanda and other African countries. Grammy-Award winning artist and long-time "Product Red” supporter, Legend is joined with Gap to create an exclusive Red Zone seating section for his August 13th, 2009 concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Beginning yesterday (July 29), every purchase at select Gap stores in the New York tri-state area will include a special access code enabling shoppers to obtain one ticket in the reserved Red Zone section for John Legend’s MSG show.

According to reports, with each RED ZONE ticket purchase, shoppers will automatically receive a second ticket to the show free of charge.
Proceeds from the ticket sales in the "Red Zone” will benefit HIV/Aids programmes in Africa supported by the Global Fund.

"I love working with "Product Red” because they provide an innovative way for great brands and great artists to come together, to powerfully and effectively fight Aids in Africa,” said Legend.

"I’m proud to be partnering with Gap and Red TM on my upcoming Madison Square Garden concert, because I know the money generated will go directly to help get medicine to those who need it.”

Gap is celebrating its collaboration with John Legend and the launch of the new "Product Red” Artist Edition T-shirts by turning Gap store windows RED nationwide, which started July 29, until August 12.
Gap also opened a special pop-up art gallery adjacent to its Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City on Saturday, July 25.

The shop features Gap (Product Red) Artist Edition T-Shirts, as well as original works of art from some of these artists. Fifty percent of the profits all Gap (Products Red) Artist Edition T-Shirts benefit the Global Fund to help eliminate Aids in Africa.

Legend founded the "Show Me Campaign” after visiting Millennium Villages in Ghana and Tanzania. The non-profit’s mission is to end poverty around the world through sustainable development at the individual, family and small community levels.

RED’s primary objective is to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds for the Global Fund, to help eliminate Aids in Africa. Companies whose products take on the PRODUCT RED mark contribute a significant percentage of the sales or portion of the profits from that product to the Global Fund to finance Aids programmes in Africa, with an emphasis on the health of women and children.

Current partners are: American Express (U.K. only), Apple, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, Dell, Windows and Starbucks.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant financer of programmes to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US $15 billion for programs in 140 countries.

At the end of 2008, programmes supported by the Global Fund have averted more than 3.5 million deaths by providing Aids treatment for two million people, TB treatment for 4.6 million people, and by the distribution of 70 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria worldwide.

Ends