An urgent opportunity: a healthy first 1,000 days for mothers and children everywhere.

From India to Indiana, Kenya to Kentucky, mothers and children everywhere need good nutrition and nurturing care in the first 1,000 days in order to thrive.

Yet too many women and children in the U.S. and throughout the world do not get the food, healthcare or support they need to have a healthy first 1,000 days. The consequences are often devastating. Globally, hundreds of millions of young children fail to reach their developmental potential, while millions more die every year as a result of malnutrition.

In the U.S., as in many other parts of the world, there are profound health disparities that contribute to unacceptably high maternal and infant mortality rates. And when we fail to nourish strong beginnings, we all feel the consequences—from persistent poverty and worsening inequality, to higher healthcare costs and weaker economies.

While the roots of malnutrition, disease, stunted development and inequality are often found in the first 1,000 days, so is the opportunity to build healthier and more equitable futures for children, women, their families and societies. This opportunity is what drives us at 1,000 Days.