Ten national corporations as diverse as airlines, insurance companies and retailers have one thing in common – aligning their brand with a cause that’s important to their employees’ and community’s hearts – the health of babies.
The March of Dimes® announced its national sponsors as it kicked off the 2012 March for Babies® the nation’s first and most beloved charitable walking event. The annual March for Babies walk will take place this spring in nearly 900 communities across the nation.
“The power of these 10 March for Babies corporate sponsors is tremendous. They know the importance and value of supporting a non-profit like the March of Dimes, whose work helps give more babies a healthy start in life,” said Dr. Jennifer L.Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “They are shining examples of corporate philanthropy. Partnering with March for Babies helps build company morale, recruit and retain quality employees and strengthens deeper community connections. We couldn’t do it without them and their employees.”
The money raised by March for Babies events support education, community-based programs that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies and provides vital funding for research to find answers to the problems that threaten our tiniest citizens.
This year’s March for Babies national sponsors include our number one corporate supporter Kmart, along with top supporters of Farmers Insurance Group, Cigna, Famous Footwear, Sanofi Pasteur, FedEx, Mission Pharmacal, Watson Pharmaceuticals, First Response, and United Airlines.
“More and more, companies are seeing employee engagement as an extension of their overall brand and an integral part of their overall cause marketing strategy. When companies support a causepassionate to their employees, such as the health of babies, it demonstrates that they are truly committed at all levels,” said Troy Ruhanen, Chairman and CEO of BBDO, the Americas and national chair of the March of Dimes 2012 March for Babies. “These national sponsors and hundreds of other companies involved in March for Babies are great examples of corporations who know the bottom line must also include doing good.
March for Babies has been held annually since 1970, and the event has raised a combined total of $2 billion to help all babies get a healthy start in life. This year’s fundraising goal is to raise more than $110 million. Any company or individual can get involved by visiting marchforbabies.org.