WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., MARCH 1, 2005 -- The March of Dimes today announced a comprehensive, national alliance with FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) to continue to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. The national alliance strengthens the FedEx and March of Dimes relationship, developed through a long heritage of charitable contributions, to include a three-year sponsorship of the March of Dimes WalkAmerica.
“FedEx has a long history of supporting March of Dimes programs to save babies,” says Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, President of the March of Dimes. “Through this expanded commitment, we can do even more to fund cutting edge research and local community programs that will help parents have healthy babies.”
Since 1979, thousands of FedEx employees and their families have participated in WalkAmerica. FedEx returns in 2005 for its fifth consecutive year as a nationally coordinated WalkAmerica team. With participation from all of its operating companies last year, FedEx organized a national team of more than 10,000 walkers that raised over $1 million to save babies from prematurity.
“FedEx will now share with the March of Dimes a commitment to ensuring on-time, healthy deliveries,” said David Bronczek, CEO, FedEx Express. “Over the years, the March of Dimes has helped thousands, including many FedEx employees, who have had preterm babies or have been connected to someone with a preterm baby. We hope that through this national sponsorship we can assist many more.”
FedEx support includes corporate funding and employee volunteerism for several initiatives that help increase resources needed for education and lifesaving research related to preterm birth. In addition to the company's sponsorship of WalkAmerica, FedEx also provides financial support and free shipping for the March of Dimes national campaign to prevent premature births.
Prematurity in the United States has risen 29 percent since 1981, and now affects one out of every eight babies. Many babies born prematurely die or face lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease, and vision and hearing loss. Nearly 50 percent of all premature births have no known cause.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $27 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 250,000 employees and contractors to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities.
