NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2013 — /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Last night, the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood (WRA), Kangu, The MOMS (Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein), and Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group launched Star Showers, a series of baby showers for expecting celebrity moms, which will raise awareness of and funds for pregnant women in need of medical care in the developing world.

Every day, 800 girls and women die needlessly from a complication related to pregnancy or childbirth. Nearly all deaths could be prevented with access to skilled medical care and a safe and clean labor environment. Donations raised for Star Showers will provide pre- and post-natal medical care for women who otherwise wouldn't have access.

"Star Showers is about making sure that one day every woman has a safe birth," said Betsy McCallon, Chief Executive of White Ribbon Alliance. "We want to pass on celebration and togetherness and ask that people – as well as thinking of expecting women in their life – give a donation as a global baby shower gift, passing on their thoughts to moms-to-be around the world."

Last night's shower honored mom-to-be Daphne Oz, a natural foods chef, New York TimesBestselling Author, and co-host of ABC's hit lifestyle series "The Chew," as well expecting mothers worldwide. Special guests Hilaria Baldwin, Georgina Bloomberg, Georgina Chapman, Amber Sabathia and Latham Thomas joined together to honor Daphne's approaching birth and to foster a conversation about the issue of preventable maternal mortality.

"Being part of Star Showers is like being part of a baby shower for the world where we are all celebrating and uniting for something bigger," said Oz. "It's a powerful feeling of global sisterhood when we join together to make birth safe for women everywhere."

Star Showers includes a virtual baby shower powered by Kangu, at www.starshowers.org, where anyone can make a donation towards life-saving medical care for a pregnant woman in need – and can do so in honor of a special mom-to-be in their life. 

"We are thrilled to leverage our technology platform forStar Showers," said Casey Santiago, Kangu's Founder and CEO. "Star Showers builds on our efforts to create a global community that expands high-quality healthcare services to pregnant moms around the world."

Produced by The MOMS with media partner TheBump.com, the Star Showers launch brought together celebrities, brands, and every day moms. Co-founders of The MOMS, Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein, saw this campaign as an exciting extension of their already vast mom-related programming.

"The MOMS was created to broaden parenting conversations found online, via social media and on The MOMS Sirius XM radio show," said Albert and Musen Gerstein. "We strive to empower millions of moms every year through our Mamarazzi events, our fashion show, Strut, and with our new handbag line Musen Albert. Working with other moms with the same goals to help women around the world is a mission we are proud to be a part of."

The founding partners of Star Showers saw a need to bring this often overlooked issue to light, and realized engaging passionate celebrity moms-to-be enabled them to give this cause a voice.

"By creating a campaign centered around celebrity, we've attracted brand support, which will result in increased donor interest as the campaign grows." said Sara Weinstein, Partner at Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group.

Rainbow Light sponsored last night's baby shower soiree. "Rainbow Light has been celebrating prenatal leadership for 25 years, by providing clinically researched, food-based vitamins that nourish and protect pregnant and nursing mothers and their babies before, during and after conception," said Michael Galef, Vice President of marketing at Rainbow Light. "Through our participation in Star Showers, we're thrilled to not only help raise awareness for an important issue, but also team up with like-minded organizations."

To learn more about Star Showers, or to make a donation to a pregnant woman in need, visitwww.starshowers.org.  

ABOUT

About White Ribbon Alliance Healthy mothers make a healthy world. White Ribbon Alliance unites citizens to demand the right to a safe birth for every woman, everywhere.

About Kangu Kangu is the first crowdfunding platform to support safe births for pregnant women and their babies worldwide. At Kangu.org, see profiles of pregnant women in India, Nepal and Uganda and fund a specific woman's access to high-quality healthcare before, during and after childbirth.

About The MOMS The MOMS (co-founders Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein) is a multi-platform lifestyle brand. The MOMS are the creators, producers and hosts of Mamarazzi® events, handbag line Musen Albert, Hosts of The MOMS with Denise & Melissa on Sirius XM Stars, Co-Founders of Strut, The Fashionable Mom Show, a fashion show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, and journalists and bloggers at the Huffington Post.

About Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group (WCPG) Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group (WCPG), founded by Sara Weinstein and Harrie Bakst, offers seamless and comprehensive philanthropic advisory services. WCPG specialize in the representation of non-profit organizations, corporate brand social responsibility, fundraising events, athlete and celebrity foundations, and 501(c)3 management and registration. Current clients include Sean Penn's charity J/P Haitian Relief Organization, The James Blake Foundation, and CC Sabathia's PitCCh In Foundation.

About TheBump.com The Bump is the fastest growing, multiplatform resource giving first-time moms the inside scoop on fertility, pregnancy and new mommyhood, reaching millions of moms each year through TheBump.com and The Bump local guide. The Bump is part of XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO), a global media and technology leader. Follow The Bump on Twitter @thebump.

About Rainbow Light® Founded in 1981 in Santa Cruz, Calif., Rainbow Light® is a pioneer of the natural industry's number one-selling women's and prenatal multivitamins. For more information, visit www.RainbowLight.com, facebook.com/RainbowLightNS and twitter.com/RainbowLightNS.