(Atlanta, GA) February 6, 2009—On Saturday, April 25, 2009 at Centennial Olympic Park and three other Metro Atlanta locations, thousands of families and business leaders will join together in the March of Dimes annual March for Babies -  the nation’s oldest walk fundraiser honoring babies born healthy and those that need help to survive and thrive.  Registration begins at
7:30 a.m. with the 5.2 mile walk kicking off at 9 a.m.  Participation in March for Babies will provide a memorable and rewarding day for the whole family including local celebrity appearances, live music, costume characters, face-painting and more.  There are 29 other March for Babies events throughout the state of Georgia.  To register for an event in your community visit, www.marchforbabies.org. 
Funds raised by March for Babies in Georgia help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Family Support Programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies. 
The most urgent infant health problem in the U.S. today is premature birth. It affects more than half a million babies each year, with the number growing every day.  This past November, the March of Dimes issued a Report Card on Premature Birth, giving the nation a “D” and Georgia, the grade of “F.”  The March of Dimes is committed to reducing this toll by funding research to find the answers to problems that continue to threaten the health of babies.  

March for Babies corporate sponsors include State Sponsor - Macy’s; Metro Atlanta Presenting Sponsor - Kaiser Permanente; Platinum Sponsor – AirTran Airways; Picnic Sponsor – Publix Supermarkets, Inc. 
National corporate sponsors are Kmart, the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter, CIGNA, Continental Airlines, Famous Footwear, Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, FedEx, First Response, Liberty Tax Services, Mead Johnson Nutrition and Ther-Rx.
To join in, visit marchforbabies.org, or call 404-350-9800 to sign up as an individual, to start a corporate, family/friends team, or donate to help babies be born healthy. Participants can also pick up sponsor forms at Kmart.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health.  With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.