Doing The Right Thing

At New Chapter, one of our guiding principles is to deliver the wisdom of Nature, thus relieving suffering and promoting optimal health. First and foremost, our intention is to create products that do just that. But we also realize we have great power to relieve suffering and promote optimal health by caring, giving, participating and educating. By providing products, money, time, effort and knowledge to people in great need here at home and around the globe, New Chapter is constantly striving to make a difference.

What We’re Doing
Caring is at the core of who we are, and we’d like to share with you some of the things we’re doing in the hopes you will be inspired to take action. If you’d like to join us in helping, be sure to check out the Get Involved section of our web site!

In our philanthropic efforts, we partner with organizations that meet one of the following criteria:
- Focus on human health
- Work to further the accessibility and awareness of organic food and farming.
- Act as environmental stewards
- Contribute to community life in the Brattleboro, Vermont area, our hometown.

Restoring The Rainforest
In February 2008, New Chapter CEO Tom Newmark, leaders from Whole Foods Market and other pioneers in green business gathered in Monteverde, Costa Rica for a 2-day journey through the Children’s Eternal Rainforest in order to raise money -- and awareness -- for the preservation of this fragile ecosystem. Check out this slide show of photographs from the hike, narrated by Tom Newmark, to learn about Whole Foods Market’s amazing commitment to the rainforest.

Making A Difference in Bali, Indonesia
The 2002 terrorist bombings in Bali left the lives of many people there utterly and completely devastated. Faced with widespread malnutrition and poverty, the infant and maternal mortality rates began to skyrocket. It was a grave situation, to say the least. Primarily because of malnutrition, the mothers were unable to prevent hemorrhaging following the birth of their children, and this postpartum hemorrhaging accounted for 49% of all maternal deaths there.

Recognizing a massive need for prenatal care, nutrition and education, humanitarian and Vermont midwife Katherine Bramhall traveled to Bali and started a free prenatal clinic, Yayasan Bumi Sehat, which stands for Healthy Mother Earth Foundation. When New Chapter was approached by Katherine, we were awestruck by this widespread epidemic of completely preventable maternal deaths, and also moved by the humanitarian efforts of both Katherine and founder of Healthy Mother Earth Foundation, Robin Lim. We donated a supply of New Chapter’s Perfect Prenatal™ vitamins, which provide vital whole-food nutrition to the expectant mothers that visit the Yayasan Bumi Sehat clinic.

What began in a small tent has now blossomed into a permanent, not-for-profit clinic that delivers over 500 babies each year with very few maternal deaths, thanks to the efforts of Katherine, Robin and countless volunteer midwives, nurses and staff. At New Chapter, we feel not only obligated to help, but honored. And our products are making a difference. Check out this video, shot at the clinic in Bali, to learn more about how our philanthropy there has made a difference.

Since that time several years ago, their commitment has grown, as has the clinic. It now serves over 100 women each week with prenatal care. And our commitment has grown as well. We have now committed to be the sole supplier of whole food prenatal vitamins to the clinic, assuring that the Balinese women who rely on Yayasan Bumi Sehat will never, ever be in need of prenatal vitamins again.

It’s an amazing story that has very little to do with us, and everything to do with the strength and courage of the people of Bali, and the determination and selflessness of humanitarians and midwives Katherine Bramhall and Robin Lim.

If you would like to learn even more, or get involved, please visit the following web sites:
www.bumisehatbali.org
www.robinlimsupport.org

National Philanthropy

The Organic Center
We are providing financial support, knowledge and time to help this national organization generate credible, peer reviewed scientific information and communicate the verifiable benefits of organic farming and products to society.

Whole Planet Foundation
We work with this organization to help them provide grants to microfinance institutions who, in turn, develop and offer micro-enterprise loan programs, training and other financial services to the self employed poor.

Medical Research
New Chapter supports clinical research at institutions such as Columbia University, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Beth Israel Medical Center to advance complementary medicine.

Beth Israel Medical Center

Community Philanthropy

Strolling of the Heifers
This wonderful organization increases the public’s awareness of how family farms contribute to the local community, Vermont’s agricultural landscape, as well as heritage and society overall.

Genetic Engineering Action Group
This group’s mission is to halt the release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment and food supply.

Encouraging Our People To Give
At New Chapter, we will match each employee’s donation to an approved 501 (c) (3) up to $100 a year.