Achild’s first five years are the most important for their cognitive and physical development. We call these years the critical window, and it’s what we protect.

Nutrition is incredibly important, because if a child’s diet lacks vitamins and minerals, they will fall behind – in school, in relationships, and in life. It’s a very short span of time, but if it’s compromised, there’s no going back.

Vitamins are an immediate and cost effective way to protect the critical window of children in hard to reach communities around the world. Every $10 gift we receive carries a child through his or her key developmental years by starting at the very beginning.

In the womb, prenatal vitamins foster the baby’s physical and mental development, while ensuring the mother’s healthy pregnancy.

Through breastfeeding, the infant receives foundational nutrients for continued growth while the mom receives continued nutritional support and education.

Starting at six months old, and continuing every six months through age five, the child receives vitamin A to fend off blindness and life-threatening illnesses with deworming tablets to eliminate parasites and increase vitamin absorption.

Donations directly impact the 48 million mothers and children we serve worldwide.

Charity Navigator recognizes Vitamin Angels as an elite 4-star charity due to our financial transparency. More than 90 percent of our expenses go to bringing vitamins to those most in need worldwide.

To donate or learn more, visit vitaminangels.org/latimes.

$10 changes a life.

Meet Veronika from Sumba Island, Indonesia. Veronika is the youngest of seven children, though only she and her older sister survived past birth. Their mother, Orpa, looks to her daughters’ future with hope, grateful that vitamins give both of her girls the opportunity to thrive.