{{Short description|International non-profit organization}} {{Use American English|date=November 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}{{Infobox organization | name = Save the Children USA | image = Save the Children Logo.svg | type = NGO | founded = 1932 | founder = John Voris<br/>Frank Kingdon | location = 501 Kings Highway East, Suite 400, Fairfield, Connecticut 06825, United States | region_served = United States and Worldwide | key_people = Janti Soeripto (President & CEO)<ref name="Save the Children Charity Contact Info">{{Cite web|url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.history&orgid=4438|title=Charity Navigator - Historical Ratings for Save the Children}}</ref> | revenue = | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | subsid = | owner = | former_name = | website = {{URL|http://www.savethechildren.org}} | dissolved = | footnotes = }} '''Save the Children Federation, Inc.''', more commonly known as '''Save the Children USA''', is a non-profit organization in the United States. Its stated goal is to improve the lives of children in the U.S. and around the world. Its headquarters is in Fairfield, Connecticut.

The organization was established in 1932 by two East Coast clergymen, Dr. John Voris and Dr. Frank Kingdon,<ref name=":1" /> to help children in the Appalachian Mountains during the Great Depression. It was modeled on the Save the Children Fund which had been established in Britain in 1919.<ref name=Hoffman1980>{{cite news|last=Hoffman|first=Marilyn|title=International agency helps fight poverty with handcrafts|newspaper=Christian Science Monitor|date=May 29, 1980}}</ref>

Save the Children USA is part of Save the Children International, which operates in over 120 countries. It was rated 4-stars by the Charity Navigator from 2001 to 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.history&orgid=4438 |title=Historical Ratings for Save the Children |publisher=Charity Navigator |date= |accessdate=March 18, 2019 }}</ref> 3-stars from 2015 to 2017, and 4-stars in 2018 and 2019.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Kingdon |first=Frank |title=Inside the Golden Door |date=1963 |publisher=Unpublished |location=Kingdon Archive, Newark Public Library |pages=114 - 118 |language=English}}</ref>

==Global operations== {{Third-party|section|date=July 2023|https://savethechildren.org}}

Save the Children operates internationally to respond to global emergencies and conflicts which affect children.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What We Do|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref> The organization claims to be capable of assembling a team of skilled health professionals anywhere in the world within 72 hours of a crisis.<ref name="Why Save the Children">{{Cite web|title=Why Save the Children?|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/why-save-the-children|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref>

The charity works in over 200 of the poorest communities in rural America. Programs are focused on ensuring children are kindergarten-ready, reading by third grade, have safe places to go after school, and maintain reading and math skills over the summer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Help Save Children in America|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/usa|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref> It also provides relief for natural disasters in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Emergency Response|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref>

Internationally, Save the Children has significant presence in Yemen,<ref name="Why Save the Children" /> Syria,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Help Children in Syria|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/syria|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref> Bangladesh,<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Rohingya Crisis: Explained|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response/rohingya-crisis|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref> and on both sides of the U.S. Southern border.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What You Should Know about Kids in Crisis at the U.S. Border|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response/us-border-crisis|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref> It also provided international relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Help Children Affected by Coronavirus|url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response/coronavirus-outbreak|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Save the Children|language=en}}</ref>

==Ambassadors== Save the Children identifies its ambassadors as high-profile individuals that are widely-recognized as prominent members of their field and demonstrate a commitment to the organization's mission.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ambassadors |url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/ambassadors |access-date=March 17, 2021 |website=Save the Children |language=en}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=July 2023}} Ambassadors promote the organization's work, raise funds, and advocate to create lasting change for children in need.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} As of July 2023, ambassadors for the organization include Camila Cabello,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mier |first=Tomás |date=September 13, 2019 |title=Camila Cabello Vows to Raise $250,000 for Save the Children: 'A Voice Is a Powerful Instrument' |url=https://people.com/music/camila-cabello-save-the-children-voice-award/ |access-date=March 17, 2021 |website=PEOPLE.com |language=en}}</ref> Dakota Fanning,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Primeau |first=Jamie |date=October 12, 2016 |title=Dakota Fanning Is Empowering Girls With Save The Children & You Can Do The Same |url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/189227-dakota-fanning-is-empowering-girls-with-save-the-children-you-can-do-the-same |access-date=March 17, 2021 |website=Bustle |language=en}}</ref> Jennifer Garner,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Lee |first=Lauren |date=July 23, 2018 |title=Jennifer Garner teams up with Save the Children to fight rural poverty in America |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/23/us/iyw-save-the-children-rural-childhood-poverty/index.html |access-date=March 17, 2021 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> Enrique Iglesias,<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 24, 2019|title=Enrique Iglesias Salutes Fans for Helping Contribute Over $350,000 to Save the Children|url=https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/enrique-iglesias-salutes-fans-for-helping-contribute-over-350000-to-save-the-children/|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=Music Mayhem Magazine|language=en-US|archive-date=October 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026201821/https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/enrique-iglesias-salutes-fans-for-helping-contribute-over-350000-to-save-the-children/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Olivia Wilde.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Saval|first=Malina|date=February 25, 2016|title=Olivia Wilde Champions Kids With Work With Save the Children|url=https://variety.com/2016/scene/awards/olivia-wilde-determined-to-save-the-children-1201715139/|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Research papers== {{Primary sources|section|date=July 2023|find=Save the Children}}

As part of its advocacy role, Save the Children USA commissions research to support its mission. Amongst the reports are a 2016 paper on International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA), a method for direct assessment of child development.<ref>{{Cite web|title=IDELA: Fostering Common Solutions for Young Children|url=https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/node/14986/pdf/gs_0.pdf|access-date=August 21, 2021|website=Resource Centre|language=en}}</ref> ''Stop the War'' reports, which discuss war crimes against children, were published in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 13, 2019|title=Stop the War on Children: Protecting children in 21st century conflict|url=https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/library/stop-war-children-protecting-children-21st-century-conflict|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=Resource Centre|language=en}}</ref> 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 6, 2020|title=Stop the War on Children 2020: Gender matters|url=https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/library/stop-war-children-2020-gender-matters|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Resource Centre|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Stop the war on children 2020: Gender matters - World|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/world/stop-war-children-2020-gender-matters|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=ReliefWeb|date=February 13, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> and 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stop the war on children - Killed and maimed: A generation of violations against children in conflict - World|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/world/stop-war-children-killed-and-maimed-generation-violations-against-children-conflict|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=ReliefWeb|date=November 20, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> The organization also published a report on how COVID-19 has affected children's lives.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 8, 2020|title=Protect a Generation: The impact of COVID-19 on children's lives|url=https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/library/protect-generation-impact-covid-19-childrens-lives|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Resource Centre|language=en}}</ref>

Save the Children USA published an annual ''End of Childhood Report'' and an ''End of Childhood Index''<ref>{{Cite web|last=McCarthy|first=Niall|title=The U.S. States Where Childhood Is Most And Least Protected [Infographic]|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2020/06/03/the-us-states-where-childhood-is-most-and-least-protected-infographic/|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> that evaluates countries against a common set of life-changing events which can signal the disruption of childhood.

==Controversies==

===Sponsorship scandal=== In March 1998, the ''Chicago Tribune'' reported that the organization had mishandled donation funds; The investigation revealed that two dozen donors were making contributions to sponsor dead children.<ref name=Anderson1998>{{cite news|last=Anderson|first=Lisa|title=Save The Children Reacts To Probe, Plans Reforms|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/03/18/save-the-children-reacts-to-probe-plans-reforms/|access-date=September 11, 2012|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=March 18, 1998}}</ref> In one instance, an American family with the surname "Dixon" had been sending $20/month to a child by the name of Abdoul Kone who died in a donkey cart accident nearly 3 years prior.<ref name="Dellios">{{cite news |last=Dellios |first=Hugh |date=March 15, 1998 |title=Greetings From Grave |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/27276103.html?dids=27276103:27276103&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+15%2C+1998&author=Hugh+Dellios++Lisa+Anderson%2C+Tribune+Staff+Writers.&pub=Chicago+Tribune&edition=&startpage=6&desc=GREETINGS+FROM+GRAVE%3A+%60WE+ARE+ALL+DOING+WELL%27+Series%3A+THE+MIRACLE+MERCHANTS.+Special+report.+First+of+two+parts |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The scandal resulted in the dismissal of a Mali-based employee.<ref name=Anderson1998dec>{{cite news|last=Anderson|first=Lisa|title=The Road to Reform|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=December 31, 1998}}</ref> Three additional employees were reprimanded for allowing the deaths to go unreported.<ref name=Anderson1998dec />

===Traces of lead in mugs=== In October 1998, Save the Children USA recalled approximately 2,000 mugs when it was revealed that their lead content, while in compliance with Federal guidelines, exceeded the levels of a voluntary standard to be instituted in California the following year.<ref name=MiamiHerald1998>{{cite news|title=Recalls Save the Children Mugs|newspaper=The Miami Herald|date=October 31, 1998}}</ref>

=== QAnon attempt to co-opt #SaveTheChildren === {{main|QAnon}} In 2020 proponents of the unproven far-right conspiracy theory QAnon attempted to co-opt the hashtag #SaveTheChildren, leading to a temporary block of the hashtag on Facebook.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|last=Dickson|first=E. J.|date=August 12, 2020|title=What Is #SaveTheChildren and Why Did Facebook Block It?|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/savethechildren-qanon-pizzagate-facebook-block-hashtag-1041812/|access-date=August 28, 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref> On August 7, Save the Children issued a statement on the unauthorized use of its name in campaigns.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2020 |title=Save the Children Statement on use of its Name in Unaffiliated Campaigns |url=https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2020-press-releases/save-the-children-statement-on-use-of-its-name-in-unaffiliated-c |access-date=August 28, 2020 |website=Save the Children |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

Category:1932 establishments in the United States Category:Organizations established in 1932 Category:Children's charities based in the United States USA Category:Non-profit organizations based in Connecticut