For second year, Walgreens goes digital to help tackle child poverty

Walgreens is not letting COVID-19 stop its annual effort to assist a major charitable initiative to end child poverty.

The drugstore giant is serving as the exclusive retailer of Red Nose Day, a fundraising campaign to end child poverty run by the non-profit organization Comic Relief U.S. Red Nose Day has raised more than $240 million since its launch in 2015. Walgreens is serving as exclusive retailer for the seventh year, and 2021 marks the second straight year the retailer is observing Red Nose Day digitally due to the ongoing pandemic.

Through May 31, customers can donating online via a dedicated page on the Walgreens e-commerce site to unlock a special digital “Red Nose” filter that can be shared on Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat. Donors can share a selfie wearing their digital Red Nose, tagging @walgreens, #NosesOn, then challenging friends and family to do the same. 

Customers may also donate in-store or, new this year, members of the myWalgreens loyalty program can donate their Walgreens Cash rewards through the Walgreens app. One hundred percent of the donations will go to Red Nose Day, benefiting grantee partner organizations that help underserved children.

The 2021 digital Red Nose filter will once again replace the physical Red Nose traditionally sold in Walgreens stores before the global pandemic. In-store shoppers can donate by adding to their transaction total at checkout or purchasing a Red Nose Day wristband with new glow-in-the-dark features for 2021.

“At Walgreens, we are committed to making a life-changing difference for children in need, which is why we continue to support Red Nose Day year after year,” said Patrick McLean, chief marketing officer of Walgreens. “The Digital Red Nose represents the innovative and safe way people have chosen to connect during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reminds us of the optimism and importance of improving the lives of the next generation.”

Walgreens operates more than 9,000 stores across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.