Why Every Mother Counts With Alex Newbold

We're so thrilled to have just launched our latest collaboration with our partner Every Mother Counts. Just in time for Mother's Day, we've created a t-shirt as part of their new Orange Rose Collection, printed with the words "Mother Knows Best" en francais. Continuing our work with them, all proceeds from the shirt will go toward supporting their amazing work, providing critical resources to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere.

 (The Maman Sait Mieux T-Shirt)

We talked to Alex Newbold, their Director of Partnerships & Finance, about the incredible work they do.

 (Alex and Christy)

  How did you first start working with EMC? I started volunteering with EMC back in 2011 as the Captain of our first running team. There were 10 runners who spent 10 weeks training for the NYC Marathon. By the time of the race, we had raised over $150K for EMC. Running for EMC was a great escape from my day job working for an investment bank. Then, in the summer of 2013, I was complaining about my job to a fellow banker during the Hood to Coast relay race in Oregon, which I was running with EMC. Turns out Christy (Turlington Burns, founder of EMC) was eavesdropping. Three weeks later I got a text from her, asking me to have a conversation about a full-time gig at EMC doing finance and partnerships. After some thought (and a little arm twisting), I left my investment banking job to seek a soul at EMC. It’s been 3 years and I couldn’t be happier with making the change. I think I have the best job in the world. What exactly does EMC do? Every Mother Counts is a non-profit organization founded by Christy Turlington Burns dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother. We inform, engage, and mobilize new audiences to take actions and raise funds that support maternal health programs around the world. Every Mother Counts supports programs in Bangladesh, Guatemala, Haiti, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United States that address three critical barriers to maternal healthcare: lack of education, transportation and supplies.   How did the relationship with Clare V. come about? I met Clare through Christy’s sister, Kelly, about a year and a half ago. Clare was in NYC looking for a new store space in Brooklyn and we immediately scheduled a meeting. We discussed the work that EMC does and our typical partnership process. I think I impressed her with my French. We decided on doing an EMC x CV Tote, printed with ‘Maman Je T’Aime” - where proceeds of the bag would benefit EMC’s portfolio of grants. Since then, Clare has run with us, attended several EMC events, joined us for a trip to Haiti to see the work we’re doing on the ground and created other various products and collections that have benefitted EMC.

(Clare with the EMC Team before the Golden Gate Half)

What is this latest collab? Our latest collaboration with Clare V. is for the Orange Rose Campaign. Every Mother Counts will introduce the "orange rose" as a recognizable symbol of both our mission and a united effort to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for every mother, everywhere. The rose is both fragile and resilient. Under the right conditions, a flower will bloom. When a mother gives birth, so too begins the process of blooming into motherhood. However, without proper care and support in this phase, she cannot thrive. Each year, over 300,000 women will lose their lives to pregnancy and childbirth related causes. That’s 800 women lost, this Mother’s Day, from largely preventable causes. We know how to end these deaths, but we can’t do it alone. That’s why we’re hoping this campaign will inspire a movement to help us get women and mothers the care they need to survive.

(Clare with the EMC Team during their trip to Haiti last November)

What do the proceeds benefit? Clare V. has been gracious enough to create and offer the ‘MAMAN SAIT MEIUX’ t-shirt for the inaugural year of this campaign. 100% of the proceeds will go towards the programs that Every Mother Counts supports, which link women to critical maternal healthcare.