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Howard Schiffer is the founder and president of Vitamin Angels, a public health nonprofit working to improve maternal and child nutrition worldwide. Here he discusses the organization’s most recent work.
Question: Please describe Vitamin Angels’ work.
Answer: Today, more than 3 billion people worldwide—largely in low-resource settings—experience some form of malnutrition.
We focus on reaching the most underserved, nutritionally vulnerable populations—pregnant women, infants and young children—with essential vitamins and minerals. To do this, we work alongside over 1,200 local organizations, including governments, across about 65 countries to reach those most in need. Last year, we reached over 71 million women and children in underserved communities.
Question: What is new with Vitamin Angels?
Answer: This year, Vitamin Angels has set a new goal to reach 140 million women and children with life-changing nutrition solutions annually by 2033.
At Expo West, we shared more about our latest work and connected with current and future partners. The support of our corporate partners is vital to helping us continue to expand our impact and improve nutrition for mothers and children on a global scale.
Question: Congratulations on the expansion of your Prenatal Vitamin and Mineral programs. How did this come about, and can you tell us about the expansion’s impact so far?
Answer: Over the last five years, we’ve gone from reaching about 500,000 pregnant women with prenatal vitamins and minerals to more than 6 million women around the world. We also reach underserved pregnant women in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.
Prenatal vitamins and minerals are so important during pregnancy because women have increased nutritional demands to support the growth and development of their baby. This becomes a problem for many women in low- and middle-income countries because they are already lacking in key micronutrients even before pregnancy.
Prenatal vitamins and minerals are a safe, proven and cost-effective way to help pregnant women meet the nutritional requirements of pregnancy. We know that when pregnant women have access to nutrition interventions like prenatal vitamins, health outcomes are improved and their children and families do better for generations to come.
Prenatal vitamins are a huge priority for us and our partners—they are recognized as a game-changer for women’s nutrition. That is why Vitamin Angels, together with our partners, is working to support policy change and integrate the delivery of prenatal vitamins and minerals into a country’s existing public health programming. When we connect underserved pregnant women in their communities with bottles of prenatal vitamins to take throughout their pregnancy, the entire world benefits.
Question: Can you share more about Vitamin Angels’ work in Indonesia? What has collaboration with Indonesia’s government and academic partners led to so far?
Answer: Indonesia is one of Vitamin Angels’ largest prenatal vitamin and mineral programs, with the potential to impact millions of pregnant women’s lives.
We’re partnering with Indonesia government leaders, national universities and more …. an impressive number of partners have come to the table, and momentum is building quickly to inform how we introduce and provide large-scale distribution of prenatal vitamins and minerals for pregnant women across the country.
Question: What is the best way to get in touch with Vitamin Angels?
Answer: Check out our new website www.vitaminangels.org, where you’ll find a lot of resources about our work and how to support us.
Question: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Answer: Good nutrition during the first 5 years of life, beginning with a mother’s pregnancy, is critical to reducing infant and maternal mortality and improving health outcomes. There is no catching up later. The work we are doing is life-changing and it’s needed now more than ever. We invite you to join us in our efforts.
Howard Schiffer is the founder and president of Vitamin Angels, a public health nonprofit working to improve maternal and child nutrition worldwide. Here he discusses the organization’s most recent work.
Question: Please describe Vitamin Angels’ work.
Answer: Today, more than 3 billion people worldwide—largely in low-resource settings—experience some form of malnutrition.
We focus on reaching the most underserved, nutritionally vulnerable populations—pregnant women, infants and young children—with essential vitamins and minerals. To do this, we work alongside over 1,200 local organizations, including governments, across about 65 countries to reach those most in need. Last year, we reached over 71 million women and children in underserved communities.
Question: What is new with Vitamin Angels?
Answer: This year, Vitamin Angels has set a new goal to reach 140 million women and children with life-changing nutrition solutions annually by 2033.
At Expo West, we shared more about our latest work and connected with current and future partners. The support of our corporate partners is vital to helping us continue to expand our impact and improve nutrition for mothers and children on a global scale.
Question: Congratulations on the expansion of your Prenatal Vitamin and Mineral programs. How did this come about, and can you tell us about the expansion’s impact so far?
Answer: Over the last five years, we’ve gone from reaching about 500,000 pregnant women with prenatal vitamins and minerals to more than 6 million women around the world. We also reach underserved pregnant women in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.
Prenatal vitamins and minerals are so important during pregnancy because women have increased nutritional demands to support the growth and development of their baby. This becomes a problem for many women in low- and middle-income countries because they are already lacking in key micronutrients even before pregnancy.
Prenatal vitamins and minerals are a safe, proven and cost-effective way to help pregnant women meet the nutritional requirements of pregnancy. We know that when pregnant women have access to nutrition interventions like prenatal vitamins, health outcomes are improved and their children and families do better for generations to come.
Prenatal vitamins are a huge priority for us and our partners—they are recognized as a game-changer for women’s nutrition. That is why Vitamin Angels, together with our partners, is working to support policy change and integrate the delivery of prenatal vitamins and minerals into a country’s existing public health programming. When we connect underserved pregnant women in their communities with bottles of prenatal vitamins to take throughout their pregnancy, the entire world benefits.
Question: Can you share more about Vitamin Angels’ work in Indonesia? What has collaboration with Indonesia’s government and academic partners led to so far?
Answer: Indonesia is one of Vitamin Angels’ largest prenatal vitamin and mineral programs, with the potential to impact millions of pregnant women’s lives.
We’re partnering with Indonesia government leaders, national universities and more …. an impressive number of partners have come to the table, and momentum is building quickly to inform how we introduce and provide large-scale distribution of prenatal vitamins and minerals for pregnant women across the country.
Question: What is the best way to get in touch with Vitamin Angels?
Answer: Check out our new website www.vitaminangels.org, where you’ll find a lot of resources about our work and how to support us.
Question: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Answer: Good nutrition during the first 5 years of life, beginning with a mother’s pregnancy, is critical to reducing infant and maternal mortality and improving health outcomes. There is no catching up later. The work we are doing is life-changing and it’s needed now more than ever. We invite you to join us in our efforts.
