With the nation’s corporate leaders as her audience, comedienne, actress and author Sherri Shepherd kicked off March for Babies, the March of Dimes largest fundraising event, by ringing the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange.
“As the mother of a premature child, I know first-hand the toll an early birth can have on a family. That’s why I’m here today to open the New York Stock Exchange and kick off March for Babies,” said Sherri Shepherd, Emmy Winning co-host of ABC’s The View and March of Dimes celebrity spokesperson. “March for Babies helped fund research that saved my son, Jeffrey, who was born three months too soon, and helped millions of other premature babies nationwide. I support the March of Dimes and hope my fans do, too, so that one day all babies will be born healthy.”
Each year, about 20,000 companies get involved in March for Babies. These company teams raise $70 million dollars. The goal for this year’s event is more than $100 million dollars. March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Farmers Insurance Group, CIGNA, Continental Airlines, Famous Footwear, FedEx, Sanofi Pasteur, First Response and Mission Pharmacal.
Fundraising is important business, not only for charitable organizations, but also for the corporations that sponsor them. Donations are a bell-weather for the larger economy, and the March of Dimes presence at the world’s financial capital is an example of the economic importance of nonprofits.
“We’re here at the center of the world’s financial markets to engage the corporate community,” said Carol Evans, president, Working Mother Media and a vice chair of the March of Dimes national Board of Trustees. Her now college-aged son also was born prematurely. “Corporate philanthropy is critical to improving the health of babies. It helps fund the research and can help reduce everyone’s health care costs. Bottom line, it’s good business.”
Premature birth is a serious and costly problem. More than 540,000 babies are born too soon in the United States each year, costing the nation more than $26 billion annually. Babies who survive an early birth often face lifelong health challenges.
March for Babies events happen in more than 900 communities all across the United States. Most occur the last weekend of April.
Top photo: Emmy Award-winner Sherri Shepherd (center), co-host of ABC-TV’s “The View” and a March of Dimes celebrity spokesperson, rings The Opening Bell today at the New York Stock Exchange to kick off this year's March for Babies, joined by Carol Evans (right), President of Working Mother Media and Vice Chair, March of Dimes Board of Trustees; Jane Massey (next to Ms. Evans), Chief Operating Officer of the March of Dimes; Duncan L. Niederauer (back row, left), Chief Executive Officer, NYSE Euronext; Brett Browchuk (front row, left) Senior Vice President of Service Operations, CIGNA Corporation; and top March for Babies volunteer leaders. The March for Babies funds research and other programs to give every baby a healthy start in life, and will take place the last weekend in April in more than 900 communities across the United States. (PHOTO CREDIT: NYSE Euronext)