Chris “Crick” Helfrich ’99 recently was featured on video outside the United Nations building in New York City juggling a soccer ball for the Nothing But Nets Foundation, of which he is the director for the United Nations effort.

Wednesday, April 25, was designated as World Malaria Day, and the Nothing But Nets Foundation worked to send 100,000 bed nets to refugees on the South Sudan border.

According to the foundation’s website, “Malaria is the leading killer of children under five in the South Sudan, but it can be prevented with just a $10 net."

On Chris’ Nothing But Net’s Blog, he writes, “Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to fight malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa. Nothing But Nets provides everyone — students to CEOs, bishops to basketball players — the opportunity to join the fight against malaria by giving $10 to send a net and save a life.

"While the UN Foundation has been working with the UN to fight malaria for years, it was Rick Reilly's column about malaria in Sports Illustrated challenging each of his readers to donate at least $10 to send anti-malaria bed nets, that led to the creation of the Nothing But Nets campaign in 2006.

"In five years, the Nothing But Nets campaign has engaged hundreds of thousands of individuals to help achieve the UN goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015. We work with a diverse group of partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Basketball Association's NBA Cares, The People of The United Methodist Church, VH1, Major League Soccer's MLS W.O.R.K.S., Boy Scouts of America, the Women's National Basketball Association, the Union for Reform Judaism, Usher's New Look Foundation, Junior Chamber International, and Orkin, Inc., among others.

"The success of Nothing But Nets is a testament to the power of passionate people coming together to make the world a better, healthier place. You can save a family. Your church, school, or sports team can save a village. Together, we can cover Africa with life-saving bed nets."

Along with a host of individuals who have climbed onboard to help the Nothing But Nets movement, the organization has enlisted the talents of many soccer stars from around the globe to juggle for the Nothing But Nets Foundation.

Chris, who was one of five soccer-playing brothers to attend Loomis Chaffee, can be seen on this video.

Find out more about the Nothing But Nets Foundation.