At Orso, we believe in supporting not only our clients and team members, but the causes that matter to them too. As part of those efforts, we’ve made charitable contributions to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Second Harvest Food Bank, Northern Illinois Food Bank, Gleaners, Austin Humane Society, and Toys for Tots.
This month, we’re happy to make a contribution to Every Mother Counts, a nonprofit dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for everyone, everywhere. The organization has special meaning for Orso’s Director of Public Relations, Carly Kuikman.
“As a mom of three, who struggled with fertility and then experienced pregnancy challenges with two rather small babies, I’ve seen how hard it can be to welcome a little one into the world, even in the world’s best hospitals with the best resources available,” Carly says. “I’m beyond grateful that my three kids are happy and healthy, even if I joke that they are my three toughest clients!”
Every Mother Counts was founded in 2010 by activist and former model Christy Turlington, who hemorrhaged after delivering her daughter Grace in 2003 and realized how important compassionate, quality healthcare was to her survival. (Hemorrhaging is the number one cause of global maternal deaths.) As the longtime world traveler soon learned, maternal mortality is a global health crisis. More than 800 women a day — one woman every two minutes — die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Yet almost all maternal deaths are preventable when women have accessible, equitable care.
“I can only imagine what it’s like when you don’t have that, and I love the work that Christy Turlington is doing to raise awareness for compassionate care, because there’s truly nothing more important,” adds Carly. “We are so focused on our babies but who is mothering the mother?”
Every Mother Counts works in countries including Guatemala, Haiti, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and the United States to help prevent maternal deaths. Partnering with local community leaders, the nonprofit supports healthcare models that address systemic issues such as racism, income inequality, forced marriage, and lack of skilled providers nearby — an escalating problem in U.S. cities and rural areas alike.
In addition to raising awareness and funding for maternal healthcare, Every Mother Counts also offers practical solutions on the ground, like providing solar power to dozens of clinics in Africa or equipping mobile clinics in Guatemala so they can better reach patients in mountainous terrain. Additionally, the nonprofit advocates for policy changes to make pregnancy and childbirth safer everywhere.
To date, the Every Mother Counts has invested more than $42 million in community-based programs around the world and has helped more than 1.5 million people, including women, families, and healthcare providers.
If you’d like to join us in helping, you can make a direct donation, shop gifts (including clothing and accessories from designer Claire V.), and sign the “Momnibus” bill to encourage your local representatives to invest in maternal health care in the U.S. And if running long distances is more your speed, you can join Team EMC and participate in a marathon or half-marathon.
We hope you’ll consider joining us in helping Every Mother Counts in their meaningful and impactful work!