Save the Children

Mission Statement

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating real and lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. It is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, comprising 28 national Save the Children organizations working in more than 110 countries to ensure the well-being of children.

The history of Save the Children is a story of positive change and people -- millions of people in thousands of communities around the globe -- working together to create opportunities for the world's children to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives. In January 1932 in a small room in New York City, a group of concerned citizens gathered to respond to the needs of the proud people of Appalachia hard hit by the Great Depression.

The inspiration and vision for Save the Children came in part from the international children's rights movement begun in England in 1919 by Eglantyne Jebb, founder of the British Save the Children Fund. From this early effort in the hills and hollows of Harlan County, Kentucky grew a self-help philosophy and practice still at work today in more than 45 countries -- providing communities with a hand up, not a handout.

This approach -- working with families to define and solve the problems their children and communities face and utilizing a broad array of strategies to ensure self-sufficiency is the cornerstone of all Save the Children's programs. Through the decades, we have evolved into a leading international relief and development organization. Countless events and achievements have shaped the development of our organization and helped change the lives of the children we serve.