WESTPORT, Conn., (October, 18 2010) The Great Recession appears to have sparked new creativity among Americans who want to help families in need this holiday season. While it has become more difficult to give financially, Save the Children reports that many supporters are finding ways to use their time and talents to help others. The global humanitarian organization has already received contributions to its Caps for Good campaign, which encourages people to knit or crochet a baby cap to help save a newborn life. A cap is a low-cost, effective tool that can keep babies warm and prevent hypothermia. The cap is part of a package of newborn care provided by health workers trained by Save the Children and their partners which can contribute to reducing newborn deaths in the developing world.
Every year, nearly 2 million newborns die within the first 24 hours of life – largely from preventable and treatable causes. Most of these children can be saved through proven, cost-effective interventions like vaccinations, antibiotic treatment, and better delivery and newborn care practices, such as the use of a baby cap at birth.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to know you can help mothers and children in the world’s poorest, most remote communities just by using your own two hands,” said Mary Beth Powers, Save the Children's Newborn and Child Survival Campaign Chief and knitting novice. “It is also a valuable lesson to teach your students, children and grandchildren during the holiday season.”
Simple cap patterns can be viewed at www.GoodGoes.org/caps, along with materials and resources for classroom teachers and Scout leaders. Once the caps are completed, they can be sent, along with a note for the new mother, to the Doe Fund, a non-profit partner who is collecting and boxing caps for shipping.
Community health workers will deliver the caps in 2011 to new mothers in Save the Children programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
To further support the issue of newborn survival, Caps for Good participants are also being asked to write a letter to President Obama urging him to commit greater resources and support to maternal, newborn and child health. Supporters can also visit www.savethechildren.org/giftcatalog to buy a Newborn Care Package for $10 to compliment the cap with simple tools and guidance to promote healthy newborn care practices.
Caps for Good is part of a larger campaign launched by Save the Children in partnership with the Ad Council, “See Where the Good Goes” (www.goodgoes.org) to educate Americans on the role they can play in saving and improving the lives of children in need by supporting the training of local health workers.
Save the Children is the leading, independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 29 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 120 countries.
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~This post is for information only. I received no payment or product for this post.
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