Dear critics: Much to your surprise I’m not going to make fun of the International Rescue Committee for raising money through a capitalistic joint venture with a for-profit business like Ingrid & Isabel. That is, assuming, of course, that the more money the IRC raises privately means they will dip into the US Treasury less—right!
And, helping poor refugee women around the world sure beats “resettle and dump on… “ American cities and towns.
Besides, the IRC needs to raise money to pay its new CEO—David Miliband—the $400,000 plus salary he will be receiving, and the less of that coming from the US taxpayer the better.
Here is the gist of the new ‘Support the Belly’ partnership:
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ingrid & Isabel, the maternity company known for its best-selling Bellaband, has partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a non-profit organization that responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, for the launch of Support the Belly, the company’s philanthropic initiative. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, the IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The organization delivers 200,000 babies in crisis settings annually. Refugee women with little or no access to maternal health care are particularly vulnerable, and this is why Ingrid & Isabel wants to help.
“Motherhood is life-changing, it shouldn’t be life-threatening. So, we are proud to join forces with the IRC to address the dire need for healthcare, nutrition and maternal support around the world.”
“Ingrid & Isabel’s passion and focus is the expectant mother,” explains Ingrid Carney, Founder and CEO of Ingrid & Isabel. “Motherhood is life-changing, it shouldn’t be life-threatening. So, we are proud to join forces with the IRC to address the dire need for healthcare, nutrition and maternal support around the world.”
Together with the IRC, Ingrid & Isabel has developed a selection of charitable “Rescue Gifts” that can be purchased on www.rescue.org/Support-the-Belly to help expectant mothers in need. Ingrid & Isabel has pledged to match donations to the IRC up to $30,000. These tax-deductible gifts are offered at a variety of price points:
For gift ideas, read on. I repeat, private charitable giving should be the goal of all NGOs doing humanitarian work!
If you are old and managed being pregnant ‘back in the day’ without a BellaBand, go here to learn what you missed.