LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Support mothers, children with SB 1911

Three cheers for the Days of Caring and the volunteers helping to build homes.-á ("Volunteers help build homes in Monroe for Days of Caring,GÇ¥ by Brandon Macz, Monroe Monitor, September 11, 2015)-á They are indeed an inspiration to us all. Sometimes it is hard to know how to help others, but this is a great example. -á Another way is to exercise our voices in a democracy. For example, asking Senator Maria Cantwell to join Senator Patty Murray in supporting Senate Bill 1911 that targets saving the lives of mothers and children in our world who die of preventable causes.-á The number of children dying each day has dropped from 40,000 25 years ago to just 16,000 today, but that is still too many. Likewise the number of mothers dying each day from pregnancy-related causes has been nearly cut in half, from the 500,000 each year in 1990 to 289,000 today, still a tragedy. The Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2015 (S. 1911) would focus the effort of our US Agency for International Development (USAID) to end this preventable tragedy. It does this by putting reforms into law that make USAID more efficient and transparent.-á So a call or email to our Senators can show them how important this life-saving bill is. You, too, can make a difference.

Willie Dickerson

Snohomish