march for babies blog

As long as you’re sitting behind your computer… click through to do some good this summer!

These three great companies are giving away a total of $60K to the charity of your choice. Just think of the good that this money could do for babies and families.

1. Enter Kenneth Cole’s Big Change Giveaway here and win $25K to fight premature birth and other problems that threaten our babies.

2. Visit delicious cookies on the Web: Christie Cookies is also giving out $25K!

3. Check out Capital One’s Connect One campaign to win $25 instantly ― plus a shot at the $10K grand prize. Make our babies the winner!

Thanks to all these companies for showing some love in the summer of ’09. And thanks to you for taking a couple of minutes to support your favorite charity. Share the love and invite others to click to help us also!

Nascar legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rock n’ Roll superstar Dee Snider have teamed up to help give every baby a healthy start! The Dale Jr. Foundation graciously donated a custom built Orange County Chopper to the March of Dimes and it could be yours. $20 buys a chance to win and helps improve the health of babies.

If you’re a biker up to some good, then check out the March of Dimes event Bikers for Babies and see about participating in a ride near you.

Vote for Kelly!

Team Youth Ambassador Kelly Clarkson’s single, “My Life Would Suck Without You” has been nominated for this years’ Teen Choice Music: Single. So show your support for Kelly and click here to vote. Make sure to register first at teenchoiceawards.com and note that voters must be between the ages of 13 and 19 years old.

The 2009 Teen Choice Awards air on FOX, Monday, August 10th at 8pm. Be sure to tune in to see the results. Congratulations Kelly, from all of us at the March of Dimes!

Love Hannah Montana? Fan of Miley Cyrus? Bid now for a Miley Cyrus signed guitar! What an awesome birthday gift or treat for yourself! Bidding ends on Friday evening so make your move at ebay.com/auctioncase. All proceeds go to the March of Dimes!

Shout out to all Miley fans and parents - check out the auction now!

More details on the guitar: Ibanez acoustic guitar signed by Miley Cyrus with beautiful natural, high-gloss finish and comes with a hard black Road Runner case. Thanks!

Kerri and Maggie with DC March for Babies leaders

The Washington Monument in the background, families and friends gathered and the sun shining - combined, these pieces make for a perfect March for Babies day! The DC event was a great success, with local residents showing up in full force to walk around our Nation’s Capitol so that one day every baby is born healthy.

As you avid readers know, Kerri Strug came out to the event and was able to spend some time with our top youth walker in the area, Maggie. Kerri got a few fundraising tips from superstar Maggie. And Maggie, who hadn’t reached her goal yet, sent another ask with photos from her day at March for Babies and hit her goal, raising $3015!

From family teams to high school volunteers to some of our favorite athletes including Kerri and Brian Mitchell, the day was all about people coming together to support the March of Dimes and healthy babies. I had a fabulous time at my 11th March for Babies, and I hope you did too! Tell us all about it.

And if you happen to be walking in San Antonio this weekend, keep your eyes out for American Idol former contestant and local Team Youth Ambassador Haley Scarnato. She’ll be making an appearance at the San Antonio March for Babies!

Our social media leading volunteer, Dylan Conn, volunteered at his local March for Babies event. We interviewed him to find out about his experience as an on-the-ground volunteer.

Allison & Kaylen: What motivated you to volunteer & participate in March for Babies?

Dylan: I may be known for the work I do for the March of Dimes online, but this weekend I experienced “the real deal” - walking in March for Babies.  Walking in  March for Babies was actually my first experience with the March of Dimes, so I love participating in it again every year.

A & K: In what ways did you volunteer at the walk?

Dylan:I left my house much earlier than I usually even wake up on a Sunday morning (6:30!) and headed to the Chicago suburb of Highland Park to volunteer at the Lake County March for Babies.  My job was to work the registration table, which consists of taking the donations from the walkers and making sure their team gets the credit for it.  It may sound easy, but when the walkers began arriving, it quickly turned busy. All of the other volunteers did a great job of working together, and we managed to collect all of the walkers’ money quickly and efficiently!

A & K: Were you able to participate in the walk?

Dylan: Yes! I really wanted to experience the walk, so I ran away from the table just in time to catch the ribbon cutting and beginning of the march.  As we left the park where we started, hundreds marched through Highland Park’s shopping district, which was a very cool sight.  I caught up with the ambassador family and asked them about their story since I couldn’t hear it earlier when I was working registration.  Jack weighed only 1.5 pounds when he was born at 26 weeks because his mother suffered from HELLP syndrome, which can cause premature birth.  Jack’s story is a happy one though, because he came home from the NICU after 115 days.  Now a year old, he suffers from some lung issues, but is otherwise happy and healthy.  It was great to see Jack, his cousins, and many other family members walking in the March for Babies and supporting the March of Dimes!

It started to rain about twenty minutes into the walk, which is something I always dread!  It seems like I always get stuck with bad weather! But another great thing about the March for Babies is everyone is so happy to be there and showing their support, they don’t care if they get a little wet.  I was still relieved when I reached the picnic shelter at the end and got to put on my warm, dry coat! 

A & K: Were there other youth walkers participating in your March for Babies event?

Dylan: There were-special thanks to students from North Chicago and Zion-Benton High Schools who came out to walk - I love seeing youth teams come out when we all know that many would prefer sleeping on their Sunday morning!

A &K: Why do you think it’s important for youth to be involved in March for Babies?

Dylan: March for Babies truly shows what the March of Dimes is all about, and I can’t wait to participate for years to come… but I also like volunteering online.  It never rains on Facebook!

I’m sure many of you who walked last weekend, or are planning on walking this weekend, had beautiful locations for your March for Babies event. But I think I definitely lucked out with my walk. I was in New Haven, CT volunteering at their event which took place at Lighthouse Point Park. On the beach. Complete with a lighthouse, old-fashioned carousel, and plenty of picturesque views for walkers to enjoy.

There were many highlights from the day, but watching the children play after completing the route was definitely one of them. I was also very moved by Team Kaelyn, a family team walking in memory of a little girl with my name. Thank you to Team Kaelyn, Team Peleach, and all of the other family teams who walked and helped remind me why participating in March for Babies is so important.

And youth walkers? Special shout out to East Shore Middle School who fundraised and walked in a community service effort led by student Serena Mulligan. Also, kudos to the women of Quinnipiac University’s Women’s Ice Hockey Team who showed up with smiles to help set up the walk. Go Team Youth!

It was such a beautiful day, I couldn’t resist snapping some photos. Did your walk site rival mine in beauty? Were you inspired by any family teams or youth walkers? Please share, we’d love to hear what made your March for Babies Day!

Kelly & Alex; Photo by DavidBean.net

Congratulations Kelly Clarkson, March of Dimes National Team Youth Ambassador, who walked the entire route with her team at the Nashville March for Babies yesterday!

Despite the rain, Kelly was out with her cute green umbrella and March for Babies hat and had a great time. Go Kelly! Thanks for all that you do for the March of Dimes year-round! She also got to meet some special youth volunteers and ambassador families and hear their stories and why the March of Dimes is so important.

In the photo you see Kelly with top youth volunteer Alexandra Wallace from the March of Dimes Tennessee Chapter. What an awesome experience for Alexandra! The March of Dimes thanks Kelly Clarkson for her dedication to our cause – and to her leadership with the Foundation.

You can donate to Team Kelly Clarkson online to show your support at marchforbabies.org/kellyclarkson.

Walking with us for a second year, Camille Winbush of ABC Family’s “The Secret Life of the American Teen” has put together a message for all our walkers, especially our student teams! Check it out above.

In addition to joining us for March for Babies, Camille was able to visit our Volunteer Leadership Conference last fall and share encouragement with some of our top youth volunteers. Her continued participation is a great motivation to others and she wants to make sure our youth volunteers get involved with the March of Dimes by volunteering and fundraising. Thanks for all you do and feel free to send this message to others!

Want to use your profile to turn a March for Babies profit? Follow these tips:

• Put your March for Babies personal fundraising link in your status update. People really rally around a tangible goal so try a message like “I am $150 away from $500. If 30 of my 200 friends each donate $5, I’ll reach my goal!” For extra pep, share with a link, video, or cute baby photo! 

• Add the App. The March for Babies Facebook application provides a dynamic badge for your profile and publishes a story each time you receive a donation. It’s an excellent way to get the word out that you’re helping the babies.

• Create an event. Create a “Help Me Support Healthy Babies” Facebook event and invite all of your friends. Include your fundraising link, an ask for donations and team members, and post motivational pictures and videos.

Have you fundraised successfully on Facebook? Share best practices with us about using Facebook to raise money for March for Babies.