Hands Across America
Credit: Sam Cali via Wikipedia Commons
| Giver: | Individual |
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| Receiver: | - |
| Gift: | Time |
| Approach: | Philanthropy |
| Issues: | 1. No Poverty, 2. Zero Hunger |
| Included in: | Food and Generosity, Humanitarianism & Philanthropy, Kindness and Generosity |
Hands Across America was a humanitarian mega-event to raise money and public awareness to combat hunger and homelessness in the United States. On May 26, 1986, millions of Americans – including thousands of famous entertainers, athletes and other public figures – joined hands to form a 4,125-mile human chain across the country. Hailed as the largest participatory event in U.S. history, Hands was part of a mid-1980s wave of celebrity anti-hunger activism. With Coca-Cola and Citibank as its corporate sponsors, Hands also marked a watershed in the rise of cause-related marketing, a now-common form of “strategic philanthropy” wherein corporations seek to win over consumers by promoting shared values and social concerns.
Hands Across America was spearheaded by Ken Kragen, a music promoter and president of the supergroup USA for Africa, whose 1985 hit single “We Are the World” raised over USD 50 million to provide humanitarian relief for people affected by famine in Ethiopia. Responding to a dramatic spike in American food and housing insecurity – along with severe cuts to government-funded social services – USA for Africa launched the Hands Across America campaign with the goal of raising USD 50-100 million to address these needs.
A massive logistical undertaking, Hands took nine months and a 400-person staff to plan, promote and execute. With organizing costs exceeding USD 14 million, the campaign solicited major financial support from hundreds of corporate sponsors, who used the event to align their brands with aspirational messaging about the generosity of the American spirit.
The Hands route ran from Battery Park in New York City, through 550 cities and towns across sixteen states and the District of Columbia, and culminated where the Queen Mary stood docked in Long Beach, California. On the day of the event, more than 5 million people turned out to participate. The hand-holding demonstration lasted for fifteen minutes, during which crowds sang “We Are the World,” “America the Beautiful” and the Hands Across America theme song. Gaps in the human chain – especially prevalent in desolate areas of the Southwest – were bridged by miles of rope, ribbon and red-and-white Coca-Cola cord.
Despite the jubilant spectacle it created, Hands fundraising fell far short of expectations. Among other factors, a high proportion of individuals participated without making the suggested ten-dollar contribution. Ultimately, the event raised only about USD 15 million for charity. ''It was a net good,'' Robert Hayes of the National Coalition for the Homeless told the New York Times, ''but they spent too much to raise too little and promoted a national extravaganza empty of content.''
Still, organizers insisted on the success of Hands Across America, citing benefits that could not be measured in dollars, such as increased awareness of the problem of hunger and homelessness in the United States and a newfound sense of social responsibility among everyday Americans. Hands also catalyzed a seismic shift in consumer marketing strategy, whereby corporations began to position themselves as trusted partners with a mutual desire to make the world a better place.
Contributor: Erin Brown
| Source type | Full citation | Link (DOI or URL) |
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