PROGRAM LIAISON, VITAMIN A PROGRAM
DIRECT RELIEF INTERNATIONAL (DRI)

DRI's mission is to improve the health of people living in developing countries and those who are victims of natural disasters, war, and civil unrest. DRI supports the indigenous health efforts of international partners by providing essential material resources - medicines, medical supplies and equipment. Their goal is to strengthen in-country health efforts around the world and improve the quality of life for the most impoverished people.

Vitamin A Program provides assistance to the tens of millions of children around the world who are currently at risk of permanent blindness and associated mortality caused by lack of vitamin A, which is endemic to regions where poverty, civil and natural disasters and poor public health conditions prevail.

Vitamin A deficiency affects 100 and 140 million children. An estimated 250, 000 to 500, 000 vitamin A-deficient children become blind every year, half of them dying within 12 months of losing their sight. Providing specially formulated vitamin A capsules to nutrition programs in high-risk communities solves this preventable problem. These specialized capsules only need to be administered twice per year to prevent the development of blindness and illness from vitamin A deficiency. Providing vitamin A preserves and invests in the lives of children around the world.

— • —

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BOARD MEMBER
VITAMIN ANGEL ALLIANCE (VAA)

Vitamin Angel Alliance, a non-profit, non-sectarian organization, was created in 1994 to fight malnutrition and childhood blindness around the world. Initially VAA began working in partnership with Direct Relief International, a disaster relief and medical assistance organization. Vitamin Angel provides health education and nutritional supplements to individuals, families, and communities that are medically underserved or at risk of a specific condition or illness. Nutritional products are contributed to the Alliance by an ever-increasing association of Vitamin Angels-a consortium of nutritional supplement manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. These goods are then donated to charitable health care facilities and programs located in countries across the globe including the United States.

— • —

HIGHLIGHTS

• Coordinated and managed promotional campaign to raise funds to produce high-dose vitamin A for distribution in developing countries.

• Designed and managed cause-marketing partnerships between nonprofits and corporations.
  

• Established giving programs for corporations and nonprofit agencies.
  

• Collaborated on the preparation of grant proposals to corporate foundations to fund Vitamin Angel Alliance programs.
  

• Obtained commodities from manufacturers to distribute through community-nonprofit programs.
  

• Organized production and distribution of over one million vitamin A capsules, Albendazole, an anti-parasitic medicine as well as millions of other nutritional supplements.
  

• Conducted in-country vitamin A distributions in schools and communities' abroad- Guatemala, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and India.
  

• Evaluated products for appropriate distribution to targeted populations and agency programs.
  

• Ensured that product were shipped, received and distributed to target populations.
  

• Assessed development projects, facilities, and health clinics in Southeast Asia, Central and South America.
  

• Compiled reports, managed research database and country information.
  

• Established and managed databases related to budgets, inventories, corporate funding sources, and community programs.

In 1995, I began working with a budding progressive non-profit, health assistance organization, Vitamin Angel Alliance. Over the course of ten years I held many different positions ranging from contribution liaison, executive director, board member and program director.

My interest in humanitarian work began long before my association with DRI and VAA. I was introduced to the concept of "giving" at elementary school. At ten years of age, we were instructed, by the nuns to collect money for less privileged children in developing countries around the world. I enthusiastically determined to save as many children as possible. This opportunity to adopt "pagan babies", as they were referred to at the time, opened up the world to me.

A world map was prominently displayed in the classroom and each $25 collected afforded an opportunity to adopt a child. By the end of that school year I adopted the most children in the school. I was relentless in collecting money from friends, family, and neighbors, and I sold my snacks at lunch. It was a passionate quest that stirred deep inside of me. Discovering VAA re-ignited that deep passion to serve and make a difference.