Miss USA Works With Poor Youth on a River Clean-Up and Clean-Water Campaign on World Water Day in the Dominican Republic

NEW YORK, March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- To commemorate  World Water Day, Miss USA Kristen Dalton and the contestants of the 2010 Miss Universe Dominican Republic  pageant will work with teens on a river clean-up project, tree-planting and a clean water seminar for impoverished children and families in the communities near Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  

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“It is devastating to see the suffering of children and families living in extreme poverty. Many of the children carry parasites from drinking dirty and disease-laden water. It is saddening,” says Dalton.

According to a United Nations Human Development Report, every 15 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease. The report also claims children living in poverty often have more than 1,000 parasites in their bodies at any time.

Dalton adds, “Whether it’s providing tools to keep drinking-water clean or providing anti-parasitic medicine, Children International knows the importance of sanitation and clean water to the health of children in the Dominican Republic and around the world.”

On Tuesday, March 23rd Dalton will be in Bayaguana working alongside Children International’s Youth Health Corps to participate in a river clean-up of Los Pomos River, the city’s main water source, and a tree-planting project to stop soil erosion and run-off.

Children International CEO and President Jim Cook says, "We are grateful to have Miss USA's commitment in helping children and families in the Dominican Republic and around the world. She is a true advocate for children living in extremely difficult circumstances."

The Miss Universe Organization is committed to raising awareness for impoverished children through their partnership with Children International.  Children International has worked in the Dominican Republic since 1979. Along with over 900 volunteers, the charity operates 10 community centers serving children living in crushing poverty. The community centers provide medical and dental clinics, pharmacies, libraries, computer labs and meeting rooms.

About Children International

Established in 1936, Children International is a humanitarian organization with its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. Children International’s programs benefit more than 335,000 children and their families in 11 countries around the world including Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Zambia, Honduras, India, the Philippines and the United States. For more information about Children International or to sponsor a child, visit www.children.org.

About The Miss Universe Organization

The MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA® and MISS TEEN USA® Pageants are a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness and increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education such as the Latino Commission on AIDS, The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Gilda's Club, the women who champion these causes during their reign personify the combination of beauty and intelligence that defines the 21st Century. For more information, visit: www.missuniverse.com.

SOURCE Children International