Social Capitalists

Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating real and lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world. Recognized for our commitment to excellence, accountability, innovation, and teamwork, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves.

In 1932, a group of compassionate U.S. citizens formed the organization to help families survive the Great Depression. Today, in more than 40 countries, including the United States, Save the Children empowers 15 million children and adults to improve their well-being, now and in the future. On average, 90% of expenditures are spent on our programs for children in need, one of the many achievements Charity Navigator recognized in awarding Save the Children its highest four-star rating for two consecutive years.

Save the Children's relief and development programs address both the immediate and long-term needs of children struggling to overcome poverty, which is often exacerbated by war and disaster:

In the developing world, Save the Children ensures that children can survive and thrive and that their families, communities and societies have the resources, knowledge and skills to enable them to do so. Our work actively engages children, women, families, and communities in identifying problems, partnering to pursue and develop solutions, and building their capacity to create permanent solutions on their own and over the long term.

• Health Treatment of childhood illnesses (especially diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria), maternal and child health and nutrition (including pregnancy-related care, newborn survival, family planning and immunizations), school health and nutrition, and adolescent reproductive and sexual health for healthy life options for youth
• Education Community-managed preschools and "village schools," primary education especially for girls, youth development and adult literacy, out-of-school programs, and parenting support
• Economic Opportunities Lending and savings groups, access to credit for women microentrepreneurs and building of local microfinance institutions to offer these services so that mothers can earn enough income to better meet their children's basic needs
• HIV/AIDS Prevention and education among high-risk populations, care and protection of AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children and prevention of maternal-child transmission

In the United States, Save the Children ensures that children in need participate in effective literacy as well as nutrition and physical activity programs to help them achieve in school and maintain healthy life-styles. Our work supports effective in-school, after-school, summer and early childhood literacy programs in more than 150 sites in of some of the poorest and remote rural neighborhoods in America, including Appalachia, the Southeast, the Mississippi River Delta, the Southwest and California's Central Valley.

• Early Childhood Literacy Fostering emergent reading skills in young childfren to help ensure they enter school with the skills to be successful
• School-Aged Literacy Improving children's ability to read and write through supplemental in-school, afterschool and summer literacy programs
• Prevention of Childhood Obesity Developing school- and community-based strategies to increase physical activity and improve eating habits

In emergencies and crises, Save the Children works for and with children at risk of hunger and malnutrition and those affected by natural or created emergencies and longer-term crises. We care for and protect children, offering them and their families relief in the short term and community rehabilitation over the long term.

• Rapid Response Arrival at the scene of an emergency immediately in areas where we work and within 72 hours in areas where we don't, relying on the innovative Halaby-Murphy Revolving Emergency Fund to help us reach children at the very onset of a crisis, when saving time means saving lives
• Food Security School feeding programs, school health and nutrition, maternal/child health, household gardens, nutrition education, and natural resource management
• Protection Care and protection for at-risk children and women from the effects of war, exploitation, and trafficking; community-based prevention; reintegration and rehabilitation; and advocacy

Through the support of essential members of our family of donors, Save the Children ensures that more children benefit from higher-quality programs in health and education and increased resources in the United States and abroad. Our sponsors' support helps us develop community-run programs from early childhood through adolescence, to children in living in the most extreme poverty in the world. Sponsorship funds are pooled together to help communities in the sponsor's chosen area reach the greatest possible number of children and programs that communities and partners manage themselves.

The above information was provided by the profiled organization.