Reducing Infant Mortality: Zaenah's Blanket Foundation, Inc.'s Mission Explained

ZBF, Inc Giving Tree Event for the Maternal Intentions Program in Harlem, NY

Zaenah's Initiative Learner: Infant/Child CPR education

The Mission of Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation

The mission of Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation, Inc. is to help reduce the infant mortality rate by providing blankets to newborn families; who are in need of something warm to bring the babies home in from the hospitals and to provide a service to the community that will inspire both young and old to care for their most vulnerable members by educating them in infant/child CPR.

Understanding Infant Mortality and Its Causes

Infant mortality refers to the death of children under the age of one year. Globally, millions of infants die each year due to preventable causes. The some leading factors include:

• Lack of access to quality healthcare

• Lack of basic essentials such a baby blankets, appropriate clothing and nutrition leading to illness which develop into infections such as pneumonia and sepsis

• Lack of Support

  
  

In many low-income areas, there are large disparities resources, i.e.; basic essentials such a blankets, maternal education and insufficient healthcare infrastructures. Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s mission focuses on addressing these root causes through the provision of baby blankets and other newborn essentials, education, referrals to healthcare access, and community support.

Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s Approach to Reducing Infant Mortality

Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s believes that reducing infant mortality requires a combination of the access to all resources; medical care, education, and community involvement. Our strategy includes several key components:

Improving Prenatal and Postnatal Care

Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s works closely with doulas and other supports to ensure pregnant women receive support and education about healthy pregnancy practices. This includes providing referrals for:

• Doula services

• Midwifery services

• Lactation support services

• Providing nutritional guidance

• Birth Education

• Community Health Workers and Mental Health Support

  
  

After birth, Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s emphasizes the importance of postnatal visits to monitor the infant’s health, provide breastfeeding support and mental health supports.

The Gift of a Warm Blanket

• A warm blanket may seem simple, but it plays a critical role in infant survival, especially for newborns in vulnerable circumstances. Maintaining a baby’s body temperature is one of the most essential and immediate needs after birth, and a warm blanket directly supports that need in several life-saving ways.

• Prevents hypothermia, increasing the risk of infection, breathing difficulties, low blood sugar organ distress and death. A warm blanket helps a newborn retain heat, stabilizing their temperature during the most fragile hours and days of life.

• Supports healthy breathing and heart function, when babies are cold, their body must work harder just to maintain temperature, which can stress vital organs. Newborns who become chilled are more susceptible to serious infections, including sepsis—one of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide.

• Maintains stability, reducing vulnerability to infection and illness. Keeping a baby warm conserves energy so the body can focus on growth, immunity, and healthy development are reduces the risk of infections, critical for those facing homelessness/housing instability and encourages safe and soothing bonding.

• It's protection, a warm blanket becomes more than comfort—it reduces exposure to cold stress and contributing to survival during the first days and months of life. This kind of bonding and stability can improve feeding success and developmental outcomes and sleep—all linked to lower infant mortality.

Challenges Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s Faces in their Mission

Despite our dedication, Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s encounters several obstacles:

• Limited funding to provide resources for newborn essentials

• Financial and racial barriers resulting in a shortage of trained healthcare professionals in making it difficult to access quality care

  
  

Zaenah addresses these challenges by building trust within communities, seeking partnerships with NGOs, and advocating for government support.

Real-Life Impact of Zaenah’s Blanket Foundation Inc.'s Work

Zaenah’s efforts have led to measurable improvements in infant health in the areas they serves. For example:

• To date, ZBF has gifted the following: • 4500 gift bags (Nursery & EI) all include story books (Nursey Bags contain: 1-receiving blanket, 1-outer blanket, starter clothing i.e.; onesies, sleepers and or pants & shirts. 1 story book and 1 Emergency Medical Info Card for the parents that includes a place for the child’s pic. 14 ZBF Anniversary gifts • 50 car seats • 500 bags of educational toys • 10 strollers • 15 Cribs & Bassinettes • 25 book bags (school bags) including the following. Notebook, pencils, ruler, crayons, tape, glue, stapler, story book, lunch bag, mini plastic document clips.

• Mothers reported increased confidence in breastfeeding and newborn care.

• Clinics experienced higher attendance for prenatal and postnatal visits.

  
  

These outcomes demonstrate how targeted, community-based interventions can save lives.

What You Can Do to Help

Reducing infant mortality is a global challenge that requires collective effort. You can support this mission by:

• Donating to Zaenah's Blanket Foundation who's mission focuses on the education and support of child and maternal health

• Donate gifts in kind that support our mission

• Volunteer at our events