MAC Cosmetics is increasing its philanthropic efforts with a $200,000 Viva Glam Fund grant to The Victoria Venture in partnership with BirthFund, the nonprofit based by journalist and maternal well being advocate Elaine Welteroth. The grant will assist midwifery-led, maternity look after 30 underserved households throughout the U.S.
“I met with the crew [at MAC], they have been already leaning in, tremendous supportive of what we did,” Welteroth stated. “It felt actually thrilling to know that we had this extra funding in our pocket. We utilized it towards masking the total quantity for all of our households in cohort 4, which is being distributed principally, imminently, so August via September.”
Since its 2024 launch, BirthFund has raised greater than $3 million to cowl midwifery payments for households shedding insurance coverage or in any other case falling via systemic gaps. The group is increasing to assist midwives in coaching, addressing a scarcity exacerbated by lack of funding.
“There isn’t a funding accessible for group midwives,” Welteroth went on. “Many have been in coaching for years whereas working different jobs simply to maintain the lights on.”
Past funding, MAC will assist amplify the message via social storytelling and postpartum makeovers for moms.
“The entryway is magnificence, however actually, what we’re addressing is a lot deeper,” stated Welteroth. “Magnificence is a common equalizer, identical to motherhood.”
In response to the World Well being Group, midwifery care may avert 80 % of maternal and toddler deaths. And but entry to this care stays restricted, particularly for marginalized communities.
Welteroth’s own residence start expertise impressed the creation of BirthFund and its partnership with The Victoria Venture, which collectively purpose to handle systemic limitations akin to price, racial inequity and lack of entry to trusted suppliers.
Launched in 1994 to assist these impacted by HIV/AIDS, and now centered on broader fairness points, MAC Viva Glam has raised greater than $535 million. Its marketing campaign continues to donate one hundred pc of the promoting worth of its Viva Glam lipsticks to international causes.
“For many years, Viva Glam has championed communities which might be too typically missed,” stated Rachel Lockett, vice chairman of promoting for MAC North America, as a part of an announcement. “With this grant, we’re honored to assist fund holistic, midwifery-led maternal look after households who want it most.”
Viva Glam lipsticks by MAC Cosmetics.
