WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 11: (LR) Vanessa Bryant, Kelly Sawyer Patricof, Co-CEO, … [+]
Imagine not having diapers for your baby and using newspapers instead. Or the image of the hungry, crying newborn running out of formula and giving your child Gatorade so they don’t starve to death. Although these scenarios are heartbreaking, this is the reality for nearly half of American families according to The NBDN Diaper Check 2023.
On Saturday night, more than 800 guests, including Hollywood stars and executives, business leaders and philanthropists, packed the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles and gathered more than 12 million dollars to support Baby2Baby. The national nonprofit, led by co-directors Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein, provides essential items to children experiencing poverty. “This event is much more than a party. He is single-handedly raising millions of dollars to make Baby2Baby’s vital work possible. This one night is where Baby2Baby raises 60 percent of their operating budget,” Olivia Wilde shared on stage with Kim Kardashian and Zoe Saldaña.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 11: (LR) Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek Pinault pose on stage … [+]
The Giving Tree Award
During the fundraiser, Kardashian, who received Baby2Baby’s Giving Tree Award last year, donated $500,000 along with Emma and Jens Grede from SKIMS.
This year, the nonprofit organization honored Oscar-nominated actress, Emmy-winning director, producer and humanitarian Salma Hayek Pinault. “We already knew Salma was a force, but we’re blown away by her genuine passion for giving back. She cares so deeply about helping children in need, which is our entire mission at Baby2Baby. From her commitment to increasing resources and opportunities for women and girls to supporting children affected by natural disasters, Salma epitomizes exactly what this award means to Baby2Baby,” said Weinstein.
During Hayek Pinault’s acceptance speech, she emphasized the importance of dignity. “Diapers are dignity, make no mistake,” she said. “Everything you donate and everything Baby2Baby brings – there is an intention, not just money. It’s love. It is compassion. It’s caring. We are interconnected – baby to baby.”
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 11: Gwyneth Paltrow attends the 2023 Baby2Baby Gala Presented by … [+]
Other Hollywood stars who presented included Jennifer Garner, Julie Bowen, Zooey Deschanel and Channing Tatum. Snoop Dogg performed live and D-Nice did the after party. Guests mingled as they sampled select dishes from top Los Angeles chefs and restaurants, curated and led by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo of Jon & Vinny’s, Son of a Gun, Cookbook Market and Carmelized Productions. Participating restaurants were Funke, KazuNori by Sushi
SUSHI
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Snoop Dogg performs on stage during the 2023 Baby2Baby Gala … [+]
Powered By Women
When Sawyer Patricof and Weinstein spoke to the audience, they shared how they have developed an innovative model and unique approach to alleviate the burden felt by families experiencing poverty from a variety of angles, including manufacturing, advocacy, influencer marketing and more , always finding ways to evolve their approach to meet the needs of the families they serve.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 11: (LR) Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein, Co-CEOs, … [+]
They say much of Baby2Baby’s success can be attributed to the combined effort of an ever-evolving network of an all-female board of directors and angel ambassadors, including Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Kim Kardashian, Olivia Wilde, Vanessa Bryant, Jessica Alba, Zoe. Saldaña, Kristen Bell, Ali Wong, Blake Lively, Ayesha Curry, Kate Hudson and others. “Our incredible supporters support Baby2Baby every day of the year and leverage their unparalleled platforms to raise millions of dollars for Baby2Baby and the children we serve.”
Relieving a huge need
Baby2Baby has distributed 375 million critical items over the past 12 years. “We support children in all 50 states and received requests for 1.3 billion diapers this year alone,” Weinstein said. The organization gave away 170 million diapers and launched its own diaper manufacturing system to make them at 80% lower cost.
The Co-CEOs also discussed Baby2Baby’s partnership with the White House, which is addressing the nation’s alarming maternal mortality crisis. Sawyer Patricof and Weinstein further highlighted Baby2Baby’s recent critical efforts around the world. This includes helping children in the Middle East, sending more than half a million emergency supplies to children affected by the Maui wildfires, providing formula and clothing to support families left homeless by tornadoes in Mississippi, delivering more than 350,000 emergency supplies to Florida following the devastation caused by Hurricane Idalia and more. “We know and deeply understand the fear of donors that their money or donations will not reach the intended recipients. But our people did and they did,” Weinstein said. “We stepped back and are listening and evaluating. We expect requests to come from trusted partners on the ground – from the smallest grassroots organizations to the largest government agencies like FEMA or the Red Cross. Then we provide families with their most urgent needs – in the shortest possible time,” added Sawyer Patricof.
