COMPANY AWARDS SPOTLIGHT MEDIA GRANT TO HELP BRING AWARENESS TO THE RISING MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN THE UNITED STATES

New York – May 10, 2024 – iHeartMedia today announced Every Mother Counts as the newest recipient of its coveted Spotlight Media Grant program to bring awareness to the fact that the United States is one of the most dangerous high-resource nations in the world to give birth.  In 2021 (the most recent year for which there is data), in the U.S. alone, over 1,200 women died from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, and the risk of dying is three times greater for Black women in the U.S. compared to white women.  

Every Mother Counts believes that pregnancy and childbirth should be safe, respectful, and equitable for everyone, everywhere. Founded by Christy Turlington Burns in 2010 to address the global maternal health crisis, Every Mother Counts works to increase access to timely, quality maternity care and improve maternal health outcomes in the United States and around the world. 

Beginning Mother’s Day weekend and running through the end of the year, 840 iHeart radio stations across the country will air a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that bring attention to the rising mortality rates among pregnant women and will direct listeners to everymothercounts.org to learn more and take action.  The campaign will also include grassroots local opportunities for listeners to get involved with Every Mother Counts and other partner organizations, including Black Mamas Matter Alliance; a series of interviews with subject matter experts including Christy Turlington Burns, Founder & President, Every Mother Counts; and a digital campaign that will extend across iHeart radio station websites.  

Launched in 2020, the iHeart Communities Spotlight Media Grant Program has supported with free media nearly 20 organizations that are making a positive impact within communities and serving the full diversity of the country. To date, iHeart has committed $11 million worth of media to leading organizations supporting American communities that fight against hate and racism and bring attention to issues disproportionately impacting underserved communities.  

Past iHeart Spotlight Media Grant partners include UNCF; GLAAD; Operation Hope; NAACP; SAGE; OutRight Action International; Big Brothers Big Sisters; CenterLink; Stop AAPI Hate; National Urban League; Black Music Action Coalition; The National Black Justice Coalition; Shine a Light; Hispanic Promise; The Trevor Project; The Ad Council's Fight the Virus, Fight the Bias; National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ); and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.  

“It is unfathomable that, today, a woman might die in pregnancy or childbirth, and yet this happens far too frequently – and right here, in the United States. Every Mother Counts believes that to achieve our mission to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for everyone, everywhere, we need to begin by educating about the maternal health crisis,” said Christy Turlington Burns, founder and president of Every Mother Counts.  “This is why we are delighted to partner with iHeart on this campaign. Raising awareness among the hundreds of thousands of iHeart listeners across this country is the first step toward creating meaningful change on the state of maternal health.”

“The iHeart Spotlight Media Grant program brings attention to issues that impact historically marginalized communities and helps access solutions through public awareness and action,” said Michael Preacher, President, Unified Partnerships at iHeartMedia. “The rising maternal health crisis is a critical issue that is both preventable and solvable, and this campaign will bring attention to the statistics and enable listeners to access valuable resources, potentially changing the outcome for thousands of women and babies across the U.S.” 

About Every Mother Counts

Motivated by the belief that maternal health is a human right, Every Mother Counts works to advance evidence-based strategies to address the global maternal health crisis and improve maternal health outcomes and the experience of care for all. We support community-centered care and workforce development by raising awareness, investing in community-led solutions, and advocating for critical systems change. To date, EMC has invested over $42M to make pregnancy and childbirth safe, respectful, and equitable for everyone, everywhere. Learn more at: https://everymothercounts.org