Rancho Santa Fe philanthropist presents special Valentine to betrayed charity
Submitted press release
The relationship matching services company, Valenti International, recently announced a pledge by its founder, RSF’s Irene Valenti, to personally donate $5,000 along with a commitment to raise an additional $25,000-$30,000 to recoup the losses suffered by the nonprofit organization Empty Cradle, which recently fell victim to an accused embezzlement. The fundraising campaign was launched by Valenti International, which will collect and administer donations from private individuals, corporations and foundations, plus fund the remainder of the balance until the financial goal is reached.
Elizabeth Lower, 29, a former volunteer of Empty Cradle (a nonprofit organization that helps parents cope with the loss of an infant before, during or after birth) was arrested in late January on suspicion that she embezzled between $25,000-$30,000 from the Empty Cradle bank accounts. According to the Empty Cradle organization, Lower initially approached the group and asked for assistance in overcoming the loss of her 6-month-old daughter to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). She subsequently offered to serve as volunteer treasurer for the organization which gave her access to bank accounts, Empty Cradle officials said.
Irene Valenti, who is also an active community philanthropist and Rancho Santa Fe Rotary member/Paul Harris Fellow, remarked, “When I first learned of the incident from an Empty Cradle donor days before the news broke in the media this January, I realized something must be done. Empty Cradle is an all-volunteer-run organization and this offense wiped out almost all of their capital that’s used to support bereaved families. I made the decision to deliver a special Valentine to rescue this organization so they could provide uninterrupted service.”
Empty Cradle is a nonprofit peer support group for San Diego and Riverside County area parents who have experienced the loss of an infant through miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death. They offer grieving families opportunities for group and individual support, as well as a lending library, community education and individual telephone counseling. www.emptycradle.org.
Those interested in donating to the Empty Cradle fundraising campaign may call (+01) 858-759-9239 or visit
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