Direct Relief works with maternal and child health centers  around the world to make sure babies are born healthy.

There are an estimated 300 million orphaned babies in the world today and Tasha-Nicole Terani, the founder of Every Child’s Dream Foundation, is making a difference in those babies’ lives. Every Child’s Dream Foundation gives care packages filled with teddy bears and blankets to orphaned and abandoned babies to provide them physical, emotional, and psychological benefits. This afternoon, about 2,000 care packages were dropped off at Direct Relief to be sent to babies around the world. In the last year, we have sent the blankets alongside donated medical supplies to 20 health centers in 12 countries. “This is the largest shipment through Direct Relief so far,” Tasha Nicole said with a smile.

As an orphaned and abandoned baby herself, Tasha-Nicole started the Every Child’s Dream Foundation in 2009. After she was born, she was left in the streets to die in Tehran. Luckily, a sheriff found her and took her to a nearby orphanage. Looking back at the photos of her young self, Tasha-Nicole is horrified by the lack of diapers, toys, and blankets in the orphanage. Thus, she decided to send the babies something that would comfort them. “Who better to know what they (the abandoned babies) want than me?” The blankets with the teddy bears not only provide something for the babies to hold on to, but also a friend. These babies are often alone and the care packages provide them comfort, security, and something to bond with, Tasha-Nicole says.

Tasha-Nicole has always wanted to help kids who are going through a similar situation she went through as a child.  She came up with the idea for Every Child’s Dream Foundation at the age of 12. She wanted to create awareness about baby abandonment and provide those abandoned babies with things she did not have going up. “I wanted to channel my pain into something that helps others,” she said.

Tasha-Nicole did not let her painful past stop her from reaching her goals. She was an international model until the age of 25 and was awarded multiple Guinness World Records for soccer ball control. As a kid, Tasha-Nicole trained herself to play soccer and took advantage of every opportunity she had to improve her skills. Even though Tasha-Nicole enjoys playing soccer, she says that she only finds true happiness from helping kids.

Every Child’s Dream Foundation and Direct Relief have been partners for two years. Tasha-Nicole enjoys working with Direct Relief because she believes she is different than the other donors. She doesn’t donate medicines or medical supplies, but she gives an element of love that the babies will cherish forever.