SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. (March 2006) - Vitamin Angel Alliance presented Rainbow Light with its prestigious Archangel Award for 2006 in recognition of the company's long-term commitment to providing basic nutrition to people in need and for their total dedication to making this world a healthier place. The award ceremony took place in February during the natural products industry's Focus on the Future Executive Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

As the founding prenatal vitamin donor to Vitamin Angel Alliance's Maternal Health project, Rainbow Light's groundbreaking 10:1 purchase/donation program, featuring their top selling Prenatal One™ Multivitamin, has contributed millions of supplements to at-risk mothers and their babies worldwide. For over 10 years, this program has been positively impacting birth weights, and infant and maternal survival rates. "Rainbow Light's consistent prenatal supplement donations have allowed Vitamin Angels to provide ongoing, critically needed dietary support to maternal health programs in many countries around the world," reports Vitamin Angel Alliance founder Howard Schiffer. "Mothers' and babies' lives are being saved because of the commitment Rainbow Light has shown."

During her acceptance speech, Rainbow Light's president, Linda Kahler, outlined three important steps for companies who wish to increase the impact and maximize the benefits of their own corporate giving programs. First, link contributions with corporate branding. For example, Rainbow Light has been the #1-selling brand of prenatal vitamins for years, so being a significant supporter of Vitamin Angel's Maternal Health Program is a perfect fit.

Second, tie donations to product sales, bringing your customers into the loop. When consumers realize that their purchases make a direct impact on the lives of people in need, they become more invested in the brand. With Rainbow Light's 10:1 donation program, for every ten of its prenatal multivitamin customers Rainbow Light cares for one Vitamin Angel mom and baby. As product sales increase, so do donations. Rainbow Light's Prenatal One™ Multivitamin is the #1-selling natural prenatal multivitamin, so their innovative purchase/donation program delivers well over a million supplements to Vitamin Angels for distribution each year, and that number continues to grow with product sales growth.

Finally, Kahler recommends building the program directly into production forecasting, monthly sales reporting and inventory management cycles, so the donations happen automatically. This allows Vitamin Angels Alliance the ability to establish a program knowing they will be able to offer long-term support where most needed.

Such well-planned and ongoing corporate giving programs are crucial lifelines for areas affected by extreme poverty, natural disasters, pandemics, and civil strife. Micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy are responsible for almost 18 million mentally impaired babies and approximately 250,000 severe birth defects every year, while more than 1,000 women die every week from complications due to iron deficiency anemia, according to UNICEF's Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency, A Global Progress Report.

"In impoverished areas, mother's milk is often the primary nutrient source during the first few years of a child's life. If the mother is undernourished, her child may also lack adequate nutrient support," explains Kahler. "By supplying at-risk mothers with effective, research-based prenatal multivitamins, we can help to save lives by protecting against acute maternal mortality risks like hemorrhaging, help prevent blindness, brain damage and other serious birth defects, as well as provide critical nutritive support during a child's early development."

Founded in 1994, Vitamin Angel Alliance is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization providing basic nutrition to areas of extreme poverty, catastrophic need, and civil strife. Learn more at www.vitaminangel.com.

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A leader in natural nutrition for 25 years with the #1-selling multivitamin, and the #1-selling men's, women's and prenatal multivitamins in the natural products industry, Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems, Inc., takes an holistic, evidence-based approach to formulating that combines optimal nutrient potencies, energizing foods, digestive enzymes and herbs from worldwide healing traditions to address specific health and lifestyle needs for men, women, seniors and children. The benefits of this integrated, research-driven approach are an immediate, positive difference you can feel, and long-term support of overall health. For more information on Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems, call 1-800-635-1233 or visit www.rainbowlight.com. The headquarters are located in Santa Cruz, CA.

For questions about Rainbow Light products e-mail customer service or call (800) 635-1233

Editor’s Note: For more information about this press release, contact:
Sharon Dressen, Press Release Coordinator, at Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems: sharondressen@adelphia.net

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