Shawn Mendes Launches The Shawn Mendes Foundation, Committing Over $1,000,000 USD in Funds Raised to Supporting Causes that Affect His Audience
TORONTO, Aug. 28, 2019 /CNW/ - GRAMMY nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes launches The Shawn Mendes Foundation (SMF), seeking to inspire and empower his fans and today's youth to bring about positive change in the world and advocate for issues they care most about. Shawn and SMF will work to encourage young people around the world to learn alongside him, and support them in finding ways to act on topics they are passionate about. The Foundation will serve as a vehicle to support multiple youth related causes in the realms of children's healthcare, sustainability, mental health and wellness, human rights, anti-bullying, education and more.
The Foundation's first two campaigns will be with SickKids in Canada, a Toronto based organization close to Shawn's heart, and REVERB, an environmental nonprofit that engages fans to take action for people and the planet at shows and beyond, while helping artists reduce their environmental footprint and increase their positive impact on tour.
The Shawn Mendes Foundation on launch has already raised over $1,000,000 USD, through partnerships and donations. Funds raised by SMF will go towards supporting its partner causes, including SickKids and REVERB, plus others identified by Shawn's audience, including charities dedicated to the Foundation's areas of focus and organizations that help enable the work of other young changemakers. In addition to providing direct support, SMF will work to provide tools to help Shawn's audience learn, donate, volunteer, and amplify awareness around the issues important to them.
SickKids is recognized as one of the world's foremost pediatric health-care institutions and Canada's leading center dedicated to advancing children's health through the integration of patient care, research and education. One dollar from each ticket sold for his hometown Rogers Center stadium show, as well as donations and a portion of the proceeds from upcoming Canadian brand campaigns with brand partners, Tim Hortons and Roots respectively, will go to the Shawn Mendes Foundation Canada at the SickKids Charitable Giving Fund, which will support the hospital and other charities close to his heart. REVERB is a nonprofit that works with music industry partners to green their concert events while engaging fans face-to-face at shows to take environmental and social action. Across Shawn's tour, Shawn and REVERB have eliminated over 70k plastic bottles, and raised funds to offset the carbon footprint of the tour with brand partner Flow Water.
Mendes shared: "I'm so excited to launch The Shawn Mendes Foundation. For a long time, I've wanted to find a way to amplify the causes that my fans and I care deeply about, and to help make the voices of our generation heard. My goal in launching the Foundation is to work alongside my fans, and do everything I can to help provide them with a platform that inspires positive change, and empowers young change-makers."
As part of the launch, Shawn will be giving a voice to his fans and anyone who donates to the Foundation to help him determine which issues to address with future campaigns. In addition to its launch campaigns with SickKids and REVERB, the Foundation will also continue to work with and highlight Shawn's previous charitable partners, Pencils of Promise, WE Day, March For Our Lives, DoSomething.org, the American Red Cross, and more (a full list of past and current charity partners can be found on the SMF website). The Foundation will also work with Shawn's brand partners to find unique ways to give back and create charitable and cause driven elements to his brand campaigns. Tim Hortons, Roots, and Flow Alkaline Spring Water are among The Foundation's initial brand partners. Shawn recently became an investor and partner in Flow, working with the brand to further the mission of inspiring positive change in the world by providing a more sustainable alternative to traditional bottled water. The Foundation will also be supported by corporate partners AG Artists, Universal Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group, Island Records, Universal Music Canada, Bravado, Paradigm Agency and Messina Touring Group.
Shawn was inspired to start his own Foundation as a way to empower his audience's interest in giving back, as well as create a platform to bring together the variety of causes that are important to him and his fans, after the success of past charity campaigns with his audience. These include multiple years of #NotesFromShawn, an initiative started with DoSomething.Org to support teen mental health, by encouraging fans to spread positive messages in person and online, in conjunction with Papermate; Shawn's music video for "Youth," which highlighted dozens of incredible young talents and changemakers and was released in support of March For Our Lives; and starting the The Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund in conjunction with The Red Cross of America, donating $100k to the cause and generating over $180,000 to benefit relief efforts on the ground in Mexico City. Shawn has also worked on multiple campaigns with Pencils of Promise, leading to the construction of two schools in Ghana.
For information about The Shawn Mendes Foundation, including how to donate, please visit ShawnMendesFoundation.org.
About Shawn Mendes:
GRAMMY nominated Toronto born multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes released his highly anticipated self-titled third album in May 2018. The certified platinum album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Chart as well as multiple additional worldwide markets, including Australia, Canada, Mexico, Belgium and Holland among others. It shot to #1 on iTunes in more than 80 countries immediately upon release. The album became one of the top best-selling album debuts of 2018 and made Shawn the third youngest solo artist to ever have three consecutive #1 albums. Shawn was nominated in two categories for the 61st annual GRAMMY® Awards, including "Song of the Year" for "In My Blood" and "Best Pop Vocal Album" for SHAWN MENDES. Leading up to the album, he released multiple tracks including "Youth" Featuring Khalid, "In My Blood" and "Lost In Japan." Both "In My Blood" and "Lost In Japan" experienced massive success, soaring to the #1 and #2 spots on the overall iTunes chart in the U.S, Top 5 on iTunes in over 50 countries, and held the #1 and #2 spots on Spotify's "New Music Friday" playlist. With "In My Blood," Shawn became the first artist to ever have four #1 singles at AC radio before the age of 20.
Most recently, Shawn released his new single with Camila Cabello, "Señorita," which debuted at #1 on iTunes worldwide and broke Spotify's record for the biggest debut from a male/female duet in its history. The hit nabbed the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart as well as #1 at Top 40 Radio. Earlier this summer, Shawn debuted his certified platinum single, "If I Can't Have You," at #1 on iTunes and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has garnered over 600 million global streams and 00 million video views and is Shawn's 10th consecutive platinum single. With "If I Can't Have You," Shawn became the third artist in history to ever close the Pop panel first week with 184 stations across the country reporting. "If I Can't Have You" currently sits at #1 on Hot AC radio and #2 on Top 40 radio and marks Shawn's biggest debut to date with more than 30 million streams globally on the first day. With "Señorita" at #1 and "If I Can't Have You" at #2, Shawn is the first male solo artist ever to simultaneously hold the #1 and #2 place on the Top 40 chart.
In April 2017, Shawn released his 3x platinum hit "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back." The track scored Shawn his second #1 single at Top 40 radio and on Billboard's Pop Songs chart, joining his 7x platinum single "Stitches." Throughout his career, Shawn has achieved 3 consecutive #1 album debuts, 3 platinum albums, and 10 consecutive platinum and multi-platinum singles. Worldwide, he has sold over 18 million albums, 151 million singles, and has amassed over 26 billion strong streams and over 6 billion YouTube views. Shawn has completed two sold-out world tours with over one million tickets sold, selling out legendary stadiums and arenas including NYC's Madison Square Garden and London's O2 Arena in minutes. On his upcoming tour, Shawn Mendes: The Tour, he sold out his first ever stadium show in minutes at Rogers Centre in his hometown of Toronto. The tour began in March 2019, with over 100 dates currently announced across the UK, Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Australia/New Zealand. He topped Billboard's "21 Under 21" in 2017 and 2018 and has been featured on Forbes "30 Under 30," Spotify's "25 Under 25," and Time Magazine's "Time 100 Most Influential". Last year, ROI Influencer Media recognized Shawn as the #1 Most Influential Artist and #1 Most Influential Teen across all social media platforms.
About The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is recognized as one of the world's foremost pediatric health-care institutions and is Canada's leading centre dedicated to advancing children's health through the integration of patient care, research and education. Founded in 1875 and affiliated with the University of Toronto, SickKids is one of Canada's most research-intensive hospitals and has generated discoveries that have helped children globally. Its mission is to provide the best in complex and specialized family-centered care; pioneer scientific and clinical advancements; share expertise; foster an academic environment that nurtures health-care professionals; and champion an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. SickKids is a founding member of Kids Health Alliance, a network of partners working to create a high quality, consistent and coordinated approach to pediatric health care that is centred around children, youth and their families. SickKids is proud of its vision for Healthier Children. A Better World.
SOURCE Universal Music Canada
Media Contacts for Shawn Mendes: The Lede Company, Dvora Englefield, [email protected]; Cara Hutchison, [email protected]
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