In celebration of Mother’s Day, hundreds of advocates, experts and every day moms and dads will gather on May 4 in New York City to share ideas, exchange best practices and inspire action for a healthy planet and happy families.
One of the most joyful moments in a parent’s life should be the moment when they hold their new baby for the first time. However, everyday 830 women die due to complications in pregnancy or childbirth. What’s more, every year, 16,000 children die before their fifth birthdays, mostly from preventable causes.
Hosted by the United Nations Foundation and Johnson & Johnson, the fifth annual Moms +SocialGood is a one-day event where moms and their families are the focus of the conversation. The health and well-being of families around the world will unite hundreds of passionate experts and advocates to share ideas and inspire action to tackle some of the world’s most critical challenges for families.
To date, speakers include:
Zoe Saldana, Award-winning Actress
Rachel Zoe, CEO, Rachel Zoe, Inc.
Dr. Vanessa Kerry, CEO and Co-Founder, Seed Global Health
Catalina Escobar, Founder, Juan Felipe Gomez Escobar Foundation, 2012 CNN Hero
Kimberly Chandler, Journalist and Philanthropist
The Harlem Gospel Choir
Carolyn Miles, President and CEO, Save the Children
Gwen Zwanziger, Flu Prevention Advocate
There is no greater power than when families, from all backgrounds and geographies, come together for a healthier and more equal future for all. Moms +SocialGood will leverage the power of social media to connect these passionate experts, advocates and parents with others around the world, making it a truly global event.
“If you care about healthier families and communities, join us and raise your voice with ours to highlight the global issues impacting the health of moms and children around the world, and how we can do our part to solve them” said Kathy Calvin, President & CEO, UN Foundation. “Thanks to our partner, Johnson & Johnson, you can hear from UN leaders, be inspired by young activists, and share your own ideas for improving the lives of women and children around the world.”
The event, hosted at the AXA Event & Production Center, will be followed by Dads +SocialGood on June 13 at the Times Center in New York, and Families +SocialGood on June 15 in London.
“Johnson & Johnson’s long-standing partnership with the UN Foundation is helping to make deep strides in improving the health of moms and children worldwide,” said Michael Sneed, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Johnson & Johnson. “Still, there is much work to be done. Our goal through the Global Mom’s Relay initiative is to inspire action that continues to improve the health and wellbeing of mothers and children everywhere. By leveraging the power of social media, we encourage moms, dads and families everywhere to join us in making a difference.”
Moms +SocialGood will also kick off the Global Moms Relay, a digital storytelling and fundraising campaign. Launching in time for Mother’s Day, the Global Moms Relay celebrates the lifesaving work of Girl Up, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, UNFPA, Shot@Life and Nothing But Nets.
The Global Moms Relay will begin just before Mother’s Day and run through Father’s Day, from May 3 to June 16. Featuring 25 voices including public figures, activists, nurses, artists, mothers, fathers and more, the relay asks participants to share a personal story answering the question, “What do you wish were true for every family, everywhere?” and then passes the baton to the next contributor. This one-of-a-kind digital relay encourages audiences to read the inspiring stories and share them with friends on social media networks. For each social media share, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per action up to $500,000) to help improve the health and wellbeing of moms and kids worldwide through Girl Up, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, UNFPA, Shot@Life and Nothing But Nets. Through the Donate a Photo mobile app, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 per photo, up to another $40,000 to Shot@Life, UNFPA, Girl Up, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Nothing But Nets, bringing the total goal to $700,000.
