NOW Foods, award-winning manufacturer of vitamins, dietary supplements, health foods, and personal care products, has donated 4,000,000 vitamin A capsules to the Vitamin Angel Alliance.

NOW’s donation was made specifically in support of Vitamin Angels’ Operation 20/20 – a program dedicated to eradicating childhood blindness and Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) by the year 2020.

NOW has proudly supported many of Vitamin Angels’ most worthy, life-saving programs. In 2008, to mark the company’s 40th anniversary, NOW announced a commitment to donate 40 million supplements to the work of Vitamin Angels over the next decade.  This most recent donation is part of that commitment.

NOW’s donation will positively impact four million children by providing them with the vitamin A needed for healthy vision and other vital functions. Each 200,000 IU capsule provides enough vitamin A to prevent VAD, one of the leading causes of childhood blindness. Vitamin A is critical for healthy vision, bone growth and normal bodily development, and plays a key role in the development of a child's immune system. Today, half of the children who go blind from VAD die each year from opportunistic infections and other non-life-threatening illnesses. By providing this crucial nutrient to children in need, NOW is confident that this donation will have a tremendous impact on the lives of millions of at-risk children.

NOW’s President, Al Powers, has been a pivotal figure in the company’s ongoing efforts to support Vitamin Angels’ cause. “Our commitment to the work of Vitamin Angels is a natural extension of our mission to empower people to lead healthier lives, said Powers. He continued, “Vitamin Angels’ Operation 20/20 is making a difference in the lives of countless people impacted by war, poverty, and disease. We are honored to be working with Vitamin Angels on this important project, and we are blessed to be able to provide the products that will help make this important goal happen. We could not do this without the support of our customers, who are our partners in making a difference in our world.”

Founded by Elwood Richard in 1968, NOW has grown from a small, family operation, to a highly respected, global manufacturer of natural health products. Today, NOW manufactures and distributes over 1,500 dietary supplements, natural foods, sports nutrition, and personal care products. NOW’s state-of-the-art, 250,000 sq foot manufacturing facility has been GMP certified since 2000, and its quality testing labs are among the most advanced in their industry. NOW currently has over 500 employees and its products are sold in close to 70 countries. For over 40 years, the company has remained family-owned and operated, and committed to its original mission of providing value in products and services that empower people to lead healthier lives.