Connecting Cross-Cultural Hispanic Communities To The CENTURY 21 Real Estate Professional

September 12, 2017

Century 21 Real Estate LLC. (PRNewsFoto/Century 21 Real Estate LLC)

MADISON, N.J., Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — As part of an ongoing effort to better connect and interact with the cross-cultural makeup of the many diverse Hispanic communities in the United States and around the globe, Century 21 Real Estate LLC today announced a relaunch of its Spanish website, espanol.century21.com. The foundation of the new ‘look and feel’ pays careful attention to tone, simplicity and delivering relevant content and imagery to create an authentic, one-stop experience that helps guide the Hispanic community, a vitally important segment to housing and to economies as a whole, through their entire homebuying and selling journey.

“Our user research showed that the relationship bond between real estate agents and Hispanic home buying and selling clients is built on trust, and an affinity and understanding of the dramatic cultural disparities within this dynamic consumer segment,” said Cara Whitley, chief marketing officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. “Ultimately, the driving force behind the relaunch of espanol.century21.com was to connect Latino and Latina home buyers and sellers with C21^® Hispanic agents and those who speak Spanish to help provide better outcomes to clients and customers who view the home not just an asset, but also as the center and future of their families.”

Just last year, the iconic C21 brand released a 2016 Millward Brown consumer survey that showed that the Latino Community at large and Hispanic Millennials endorse Century 21 Real Estate significantly higher than the competition. In addition, the survey found that 70% of Hispanics are most likely to consider CENTURY 21^® the next time they decide to buy or sell a home, and are most likely to recommend the CENTURY 21 brand to someone else.

Looking ahead, CENTURY 21 is continuing its long-standing relationship with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), including today’s general session at the NAHREP National Convention where president and CEO Nick Bailey will speak about how the leading global franchisor is helping to advance the mission of the Hispanic Wealth Project. Bailey is announcing a new C21^® mentorship program to help Spanish women become real estate entrepreneurs called, “Empowering Latinas” and a Hispanic influencer program that authentically speaks to Spanish millennials about the home buying and selling process.

“Our efforts are more than simply translating English into ‘Spanglish’ or focusing only on cultural nuances–it’s an authentic mix of visuals, copy and overall storytelling that is intrinsically connecting Hispanics to the C21^® brand,” added Whitley. “By featuring Spanish-speaking Americans in familiar, real-world settings in the language that helps Hispanics remain connected to their culture, we are showing how we understand their needs intimately and value the tremendous impact they are having on our industry, the economy and the nation as a whole.”

About Century 21 Real Estate LLC
Century 21 Real Estate LLC is comprised of approximately 7,450 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 79 countries and territories worldwide with more than 115,000 independent sales professionals. Century 21 Real Estate has numerous websites to help answer specific consumer needs. They are century21.com, century21global.com, commercial.century21.com, century21.com/finehomes, and espanol.century21.com.

©2017 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21^® and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

Contact:
Peter Mosca
Century 21 Real Estate LLC
Phone: 973.407.5180
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE CENTURY 21

Hispanic Women are Cultural Catalysts as Entrepreneurship, Education Rates Rise, According to New Nielsen Report

September 12, 2017

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Hispanic women are rapidly becoming an economic and social powerhouse in the United States, with rising rates of entrepreneurship, educational attainment and delayed marriage, according to Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward, a Nielsen report released today. These advances are emerging as the relatively young Latina population is undergoing dramatic growth–37% between 2005 and 2015, with 77% of that growth coming from US-born Latinas, indicating that this largely bi-cultural group will exert a strong influence on both Hispanic and mainstream American culture into the 21st century.

The report also details how brands can exponentially magnify their market for ethnic products by tapping cultural-adjacent consumers who are open to products outside their traditional comfort zones.

“Latinas are coming into their own, and this newfound confidence will have an undeniable impact on our consumer-driven society,” commented Stacie de Armas, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Consumer Engagement at Nielsen. “Hispanic women are increasingly the catalysts in an intercultural marketplace. Not only are they the cornerstone of the Latino family, keeping language and traditions alive, but they are also forging a wider path in the mainstream and using technology to serve as brand and culture influencers. Marketers need to know how to tap this cohort in order to stay relevant and drive consumer engagement in the future.”

Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward is the second study on Latinas in Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence Series, which helps marketers better understand and reach diverse consumers through data-driven insights. The report highlights the soaring Latina population and the boom in Latina entrepreneurship, as well as Latina consumption patterns that are driving growth across a variety of sectors – from beauty to technology.

Highlights from Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward include:

U.S. Hispanic Female Population is Booming

Totaling 28 million, the Latina population accounts for 17 percent of the total U.S. female population and is growing rapidly–37% between 2005 and 2015
77% of US Hispanic female population growth over that ten-year span came not from immigration, but from Hispanic girls born in the U.S.
In many cities, particularly in California and New York, Hispanic females account for the majority of the female population
Almost half (45%) of all U.S.-born Hispanic females are under the age of 18

Latinas Drive Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture Retention

Although only 34% of Latinas are foreign-born, 74% over the age of five speak a language other than English at home, with only 26% speaking solely English at home
Three-quarters of Latinas say they enjoy maintaining cultural traditions

Latinas Are Delaying Marriage as Educational and Career Goals Rise

More Hispanic women ages 15 and over have never married (39%) than their non-Hispanic White counterparts (25%); that likelihood has increased from 31% in 2005
41% of Hispanic women have completed at least some college, and 74% of recent high school graduates are enrolled in college (vs. 72% of non-Hispanic females)

Latinas Are a Booming Entrepreneurial Force

Latina-majority owned businesses totaled nearly 1.5 million, representing 87% growth over the past five years, far outpacing the 39% growth by Hispanic male-majority owned firms and the 27% growth by total female majority-owned firms
Latina majority-owned firms make up 44% of all Hispanic-owned firms, and 15% of all female-owned firms
Sales of Hispanic female majority-owned firms grew 41% during the period –to $78.7 billion, while sales of all female majority-owned U.S. firms grew by only 19%

Latinas Are Super Connected

Latinas are significantly more likely than non-Hispanic white women to use social networking sites, such as YouTube, Instagram, Google+, Snapchat and Twitter
Hispanic women are more likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to own smartphones and smartwatches, and to watch videos on smartphones, listen to online radio, download/purchase music and play video games

Latinas Are Important Brand and Culture Influencers

74% of Hispanic women say they are likely to recommend products to others, while 40% say people often seek their advice before making a purchase, compared to 33% of non-Hispanic White women
Latinas use social networking sites to recommend or review products and show their support for brands and companies more than non-Hispanic white women
Over a fifth of married Hispanic women have non-Hispanic spouses and 10% are married to someone of a different race, making them catalysts of intercultural exchange

“Ambicultural Latinas move fluidly between their cultures, driving intercultural affinity by sharing her root culture with friends, family and coworkers,” remarked de Armas. “Latinas truly are at the forefront of this crossover trend, engaging her online and offline social networks, sharing her voice and influencing those around her. Marketers who successfully reach this segment can surely expect to see an increased return on investment.”

For more details and insights on the report, download Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward. Nielsen also encourages Latinas(os) in the U.S. to make their voices heard by taking an active role on how their culture is represented in the media. Please visit http://nielsen.com/latinos to register and learn more.

Join the discussion on Facebook (Nielsen Community) and follow us on Twitter (@NielsenKnows) #LatinaPower

About Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence Series

In 2011, Nielsen launched the Diverse Intelligence Series, a robust portfolio of comprehensive reports which focuses solely on diverse consumers’ unique consumption and purchasing habits. The series has become an industry resource to help brands better understand and reach ethnic customers. To learn more about Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence research series, visit www.nielsencommunity.com.

About Nielsen
Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers Watch and Buy. Nielsen’s watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services across all devices where content–video, audio and text– is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry’s only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen provides its clients with both world-class measurement as well as analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.

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SOURCE Nielsen

Group One Thousand One Presents Power Of Sports

September 12, 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Power of Sports presented by Group One Thousand One launches 30-minute television show, making its national debut this month.

Monthly segments will share inspiring stories of people, organizations and communities connecting through sports to create opportunities for youth to join teams and find the motivator they need to go to school, stay in school and prepare for life beyond the classroom. Power of Sports will help show what’s possible when people work together for the greater good of others.

For More Information Connect Socially @PowerofSportsTV and click here for showtimes.

Hosted by sports industry insider Rick Horrow, Power of Sports will take viewers into conversations with influential thought leaders to understand how different sports and business organizations are engaging America’s youth to help drive positive social change.

“I am constantly amazed at the innovation taking place to better serve people and communities in need. As we consider stories for Power of Sports, we are humbled by the sacrifice and investment we see happening everywhere we go,” says Horrow, an executive producer of the show.

Group One Thousand One CEO Dan Towriss commented, “In the realm of sports there are so many inspiring and untold stories that need a place to be told. We hope that Power of Sports provides the platform to celebrate these amazing stories, both professional and amateur, with the simple goal of inspiring others to step forward.”

Added Towriss, “Earlier this year, our Delaware Life team made the decision to go all in with support for Fields & Futures, a local nonprofit in Oklahoma City. The scope of this effort encompasses a comprehensive and sustainable rebuild of all 42 athletic fields in Oklahoma’s largest school district, a district that serves more than 46,000 students from predominantly high poverty neighborhoods. The desired outcome is a bigger opportunity and a brighter future for each kid that steps on the field, court or track. Power of Sports has been created to tell these stories and to remind us there are children all across the country who, if given a chance, want to get in the game. It is our hope this show will help inspire and empower viewers to find ways they can help.”

Video – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554549/Power_of_Sports_Promo_Trailer.mp4

SOURCE Power of Sports

Zero-Fee Transactions for Red Cross Donations remain in place to support response to Hurricanes Irma and Harvey

September 11, 2017

DALLAS, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — As clean-up of the the destruction left by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey continues, MoneyGram (NASDAQ: MGI) reminds consumers that a waiver for all transaction fees for donations to the American Red Cross remains in place through October 1, 2017.

The fee waiver applies to all donations up to $249.99 per transaction. Funds will help support the Red Cross’s efforts to provide shelter, supplies and technical assistance to those in need.

In addition to the fee waiver for Red Cross donations, the MoneyGram Foundation has provided support through donations made to disaster relief and emergency response efforts initiated by AmeriCares and Save the Children USA. Both organizations are responding in areas impacted by the powerful storms.

Red Cross Donations can be made at www.MoneyGram.com or any MoneyGram agent location in the U.S. All donations should be submitted to “Red Cross Disaster Relief” under receive code 2540. Any dollar amount will be accepted up to a maximum of $249.99 per transaction.

MoneyGram is committed to giving back to the communities we serve and we will continue to support efforts that help people impacted by natural disasters when needed.

#moneygramnews

*The American Red Cross name used with permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross name and logo are registered trademarks owned by the American Red Cross. MoneyGram and the Globe are marks of MoneyGram. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

About MoneyGram International, Inc.
MoneyGram is a global provider of innovative money transfer and payment services and is recognized worldwide as a financial connection to friends and family. Whether online, or through a mobile device, at a kiosk or in a local store, we connect consumers any way that is convenient for them. We also provide bill payment services, issue money orders and process official checks in select markets. More information about MoneyGram International, Inc. is available at moneygram.com.

Media Contact:
Michelle Buckalew
[email protected]
214-979-1418

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/251082/moneygram_logo.jpg

SOURCE MoneyGram

Rock Gap Engineering Attends Navajo Nation Parade, Building a Network of Entrepreneurship

September 11, 2017

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — A member of the Navajo clan Tse deeshgizhnii (Rock Gap Clan), Keith Keetso is a small business owner, finding ways to bring financial awareness to the Navajo community. A 100% Native American owned engineering and construction firm, Rock Gap Engineering (RGE) focuses on providing engineering design services to various federal agencies and the Navajo Nation.

Head just west of RGE’s Albuquerque, NM location and marvel at the high desert mountains and ancient landmarks that symbolize the undecorated roots of RGE’s beginnings. The Navajo people, the Diné, indulge in a cultural past that is very much present today – inscribed in the language, etched in the monumental rocks, and permanently passed down to new generations. Celebrating reserved traditions, there are said to be more than 50 different kinds of ceremonies that may be used in the Navajo culture – all performed at various times for a specific reason.

On September 9^th, 2017, both young and old gathered for the 71^st annual Navajo Nation Parade and Fair in Window Rock, AZ. Thousands upon thousands of locals and hundreds of the most talented artists arrived to harvest in the Navajo way. RGE joined the procession, teaming up with the Native American Business Incubator Network (NABIN) to support Native American business owners.

The Navajo Nation truly is a nation within a nation. #IAMTHENAVAJOECONOMY was endorsed throughout the parade, giving hope to first-generation entrepreneurs who will one day become the new Keith Keetso’s of the Navajo community.

For more information about the RGE and the Navajo Nation, please visit us at www.rockgap.com.

RGE is certified by the Small Business Administration as an 8(a), Small Disadvantaged Business and as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) by the New Mexico Unified Certification Program (NMUCP) and the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT).

RGE was established with the mission to raise the performance level of engineering and construction precision to deliver focused and tailored solutions to all our clients.

CONTACT: Juperi Johnson, 1-505-604-1594, [email protected]

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554203/Rock_Gap_Engineering_at_Navajo_Nation_Parade.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554204/Rock_Gap_Engineering_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Rock Gap Engineering

Natalia Denegri Celebrates Her Win As Film Producer At The Burbank International Film Festival

September 11, 2017

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Popular TV host Natalia Denegri went through days full of excitement this past weekend, as the first feature film from her production company, Trinitus Productions, a co-production with Venezuela and Italy, earned the Best Foreign Film Award at the Burbank International Film Festival that, in its ninth edition continues its unabated expansion with more galas, more premieres and red carpet events in one of the most vibrant cities of the great Los Angeles area. The Argentine was one of many celebrities present at the event this past Wednesday. She also attended the Sunday World Premiere with director Alain Maiki and the rest of the cast, among them Venezuelan actors Alexandra Braun, Orlando Delgado and Henry Zakka, as well as Ana Turpin from Spain. Before a sold-out screening at the AMC Burbank 16, the movie was enthusiastically received by the attendees, a reaction immediately confirmed during the evening gala at the Marriott Hotel, where the award was bestowed. The motion picture, a Trinitus and Epic in Motion production, is a love story filmed entirely in Italy and will arrive in theaters of that European country this November.

On Saturday, even as tension was running high in the U.S. with news of the path of Hurricane Irma approaching Miami, where Natalia resides, the season premiere of “Corazones guerreros” (Warring Hearts) her solidarity news show she produces with the Hassenfeld Family Foundation went on the air on Mega TV. The series has won an Emmy with the episode “Doble Exilio” (Double Exile) and earned a nomination with the episode “Pon el Foco en la Carretera” (Shed Light on the Highway) and has given Natalia many other recognitions, as when Miami Mayor, Tomas Regalado, handed her the keys of the city and Mayor of Doral, Luis Boria, awarded her an honor medal for her journalistic work.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Natalia, please contact
Ana Matonte of Hispanic Bridge at (818) 207-8671 or at [email protected]

Photo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554514/Natalia_Denegri___Burbank_International_Film_Festival.jpg

SOURCE Natalia Denegri

(Español) Manténgase seguro tras el paso del huracán Irma

September 11, 2017

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1973 and charged with protecting the American public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772, or visit http://www.saferproducts.gov. Further recall information is available at http://www.cpsc.gov.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Selena Artifacts Highlight Hispanic Advertising History at the Smithsonian

September 11, 2017

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — A new display opening Sept. 12 within the museum’s “American Enterprise” exhibition will explore advertising history through the lens of Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez (1971 – 1995). In the 1960s and 1970s, Latinos in advertising and Spanish-language broadcasting began advocating for the buying power of Latino consumers. This exhibition case looks at the transition the advertising industry made from mass market to targeting specific demographic groups through the work of the San Antonio-based Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates, which was founded in 1981 and became the top-billing Latino agency in the industry.

Selena was an American singer-songwriter who came to be known as the “Queen of Tejano music,” a popular form of music originating in Texas and taking influences from polka, rock, conjunto and mariachi. She rose to fame in the late 1980s among Mexican-Americans. She would go on to sign with a major record label and the agency worked with her as a spokesperson for Coca-Cola from 1989 until her death.

Objects on display include a black leather jacket and black satin bustier worn by Selena between 1990 and 1995 for performances in both the United States and Mexico. The singer is depicted wearing the same outfit at the Selena Memorial statue in Corpus Christi, Texas. The case also includes transparencies from a Coca-Cola photo shoot, some of which were never published, and an image from the 1994 Coca-Cola ad developed by Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates as well as materials related to the agency’s work on HIV/AIDS awareness in the Latino community. The photos are the work of San Antonio-based photographer, Al Rendon.

“Selena is a reflection of a second wave of Hispanic marketing,” said Kathleen Franz, the chair of the museum’s Work & Industry division and curator of American Business. “Her selection as a spokesperson for Coca-Cola is based in the growth of the Mexican-American consumer market in the Southwest.”

Lionel Sosa, the agency’s founder. commended the museum for including the story of Hispanic advertising within its permanent business exhibition. “Our client, Coca-Cola, was a true pioneer in Hispanic marketing. They set the stage for brand imagery and participation in all facets of American society,” he said.

Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates donated business records, public service announcements, the 1988 Clio award for “Hispanics get AIDs,” which was the first Clio to be awarded to a Latino agency, other print materials and video of landmark campaigns developed for companies such as American Airlines, Burger King, Coca-Cola (including a print tribute marking Selena’s passing in 1995), Kroger Grocery and Western Union during a 2015 special ceremony in San Antonio. In addition to donating their pioneering work in developing advertising that appealed to Latino consumers, Sosa, Ernest Bromley and Al Aguilar contributed oral histories. Their materials are located in the museum’s Archives Center.

“Our work for one of America’s iconic brands almost 30 years ago allowed us to creatively express our proud Latino heritage,” said Aguilar, now CEO of Creative Civilization, which he founded in 1999. “The campaigns created by the innovative and diverse advertising professionals at Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates not only reflected the growing influence that Latinos were exerting on the changing face of America but did so in a way that Latino consumers could relate to and embrace.”

The museum’s Archives Center holds archival materials (documents, photographs, oral histories, film and video) and three-dimensional objects (packaging, point-of-sale displays, signage, premiums and personal objects from advertising agents). It preserves significant campaigns from companies such as Alka-Seltzer, Federal Express, Cover Girl and Nike as well as the records of the NW Ayer Agency.

The museum continues to add campaign materials and personal artifacts related to Hispanic advertising agencies and their founders, including, most recently, items associated with the 50-plus-year career of Isabel Norniella, the founder of Olé TV Media and numerous agencies. Through a collaboration with AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing, the museum has collected the archives of Sara Sunshine, a Cuban immigrant, that include her work for Colgate and Palmolive; the legacy of Tere A. Zubizarreta, who founded her agency in 1976; Lopez Negrete Communications, founded in 1985; Orci Advertising, established in 1986; the IAC Group and Dieste Inc.

A video of an interview with Selena on the program “Tejano USA” was part of a separate donation to the museum’s Spanish-language television project by Univision, the parent company of San Antonio’s KWEX-TV, Channel 41. The interview, with footage of Selena from approximately 1994–95, can be viewed here: http://americanhistory.si.edu/.

“American Enterprise” is a permanent exhibition that opened July, 1 2015, and chronicles the interaction of capitalism and democracy that resulted in the continual remaking of American business. The exhibition includes stories of entrepreneurs including Raoul A. Cortez who founded KCOR-radio in San Antonio in 1946 and then KCOR-TV which became KWEX-TV. The Zubizarreta family is featured in the exhibition’s “Families in Business” video about the founding of Zubi Advertising, a Miami-based full service agency. For more information on the exhibition visit: http://bit.ly/AmericanEnterprise.

SOURCE Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

The Home Depot Foundation Increases Hurricane Relief Commitment to $2 Million

September 11, 2017

ATLANTA, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Home Depot^® Foundation today announced an additional commitment of $1 million to support hurricane relief efforts, raising total financial support to $2 million for hurricane aid this season.

“Our hearts are with the communities that have been impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “We’re working closely with our nonprofit partners to identify the most urgent needs so we can provide immediate support.”

The Home Depot Foundation will provide short-term relief and rebuilding efforts in collaboration with several nonprofit partners including the American Red Cross, Convoy of Hope, Operation Blessing, Team Rubicon and Rebuilding Together.

About The Home Depot Foundation

The Home Depot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to improving the homes and lives of U.S. veterans and their families with a specific focus on combat-wounded, senior and homeless veterans. The Foundation also provides cleanup and rebuilding support for communities affected by natural disasters.

Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested approximately $200 million in veteran-related projects, part of the Foundation’s quarter of a billion-dollar pledge to veteran-related causes by 2020. In partnership with Team Depot, the 400,000-strong army of associate volunteers, the organization has positively impacted more than 33,000 veterans’ homes and helped more than 2,000 communities.

To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation and see Team Depot in action visit homedepot.com/teamdepot and follow us on Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram @teamdepot and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/teamdepot.

For hurricane-related information about The Home Depot’s operations, please visit corporate.homedepot.com/newsroom.

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SOURCE The Home Depot Foundation

Emergency tips from the March of Dimes for pregnant women and mothers of infants

September 8, 2017

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Sept. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — As residents of Florida and the Southeast brace for Hurricane Irma, and possibly other storms to follow that could bring high-speed winds and torrential rain, the March of Dimes offers tips to help protect pregnant women, moms, and newborns in case of emergencies.

1) Pregnant women should discuss any concerns and their delivery plans with their obstetrician or other perinatal care provider. Know the signs of labor and if you experience any of these symptoms, do NOT wait for them to just go away. Seek immediate medical care. Preterm labor is any labor before 37 weeks gestation. The signs of labor are:

Change in your vaginal discharge (watery, mucus or bloody) or more vaginal discharge than usual.
Pressure in your pelvis or lower belly, like your baby is pushing down.
Constant low, dull backache.
Belly cramps with or without diarrhea.
Regular or frequent contractions that make your belly tighten like a fist. The contractions may or may not be painful.
Your water breaks.

2) All families should have at least a three-day supply of food and sterile water stored in their homes, with at least one gallon of water per person per day. If you have the space, experts recommend a week’s supply of non-perishable food and sterile water. Try to choose foods that are high in protein and low in salt and fat.

3) Your stockpile also should contain a battery-operated radio in case the power goes out; flashlights; a manual can opener; extra batteries; and copies of important documents. For downloadable instructions online for creating a disaster kit, go to:

http://www.marchofdimes.org/materials/Disaster_Kit_Preparedness_for_Pregnant_Women_and_Families.pdf

4) If your baby uses medical equipment, charge all equipment with backup energy sources such as batteries. Notify the local Fire department or Emergency Medical Services that you have a baby dependent on medical equipment. Also notify the power company. It is wise to consider evacuation to a location with stable or emergency backup power.

5) Put together an emergency bag in advance in the event you do need to evacuate. What should you pack if you need to evacuate?

Prescription medications (refill in advance if possible), and other medications.
Prenatal or over-the-counter vitamins.
Consider bringing a safe place for your baby to sleep, such as a portable crib.
A baby carrier or sling is essential for getting around as strollers may not be of use when there is debris on the ground.
Extra diapers and other basic medical supplies.
Food for infants: Breastfeeding is the best food for your baby. Breast milk is naturally clean and helps protect your infant from illnesses. If you rely on pumped milk, bring a breast pump unless you know how to express milk by hand. The stress of a hurricane may affect lactating women’s milk supply, although breastfeeding can be calming for both mother and baby.
In the rare instance that it becomes impossible to continue to breastfeed, you may consider switching to formula. If you don’t have sterile water, use pre-prepared formula. Do not use water treated with iodine or chlorine tablets to prepare powdered formula. Unused formula cannot be refrigerated during a power outage, so small ready-to-use formula in single serving pouches, jars, or bottles works best. Try to bring along enough food to last 7 days. Feed your baby using a small disposable feeding spoon or cup.
Other emergency supplies to care for an infant include:

a thermometer;
copies of vaccination records;
antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer;
dish soap;
two baby blankets;
extra baby clothes and shoes for older infant;
diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream to last 7 days;
infant liquid pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

6) Keep your baby warm and close for extra protection.

7) Pregnant women and new moms should do their best to eat regularly and nutritiously and stay hydrated. If you are packing food, try to include protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, and granola.

8) Do your best to get enough rest.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

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SOURCE March of Dimes

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