Printer-Friendly FedEx and March of Dimes


For once, we'd like to stop a package from getting there early.

FedEx is proud to support the March of Dimes and its mission to improve the health of babies. We believe focusing resources on the health and welfare of our children is a core part of our commitment to social responsibility, and will make a meaningful and lasting impact in our communities.

"The March of Dimes is an organization about which FedEx is especially passionate because its campaign resonates with many of our employees, who either have had preterm babies and relied on MOD resources throughout a difficult time, or know someone who has... thousands of employees support this cause, nationwide."
—David Bronczek, CEO FedEx Express

About the March of Dimes
Premature birth is the leading cause of infant mortality during the first month of life, killing one in eight babies born in the United States. Sadly, many of the infants who survive—roughly 100,000 each year—develop disabilities and other health problems.

The March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality. For more than sixty-five years, the March of Dimes has funded lifesaving research, community services, education and advocacy programs to save babies.

FedEx and March of Dimes
FedEx is a national corporate sponsor of the March of Dimes, working alongside the organization to help raise awareness about prematurity and the problems associated with it. FedEx support includes corporate donations to campaigns such as the March of Dimes' Prematurity Campaign, as well as annual employee volunteerism in events such as the March of Dimes' WalkAmerica. These efforts help increase the education and lifesaving research related to preterm birth.

WalkAmerica is the March of Dimes' biggest and most recognized fundraising event. The proceeds support prematurity research, education and preventative programs. Nearly half a million walkers in over 1,000 communities across the nation participate in the walk, including 220,000 company teams like FedEx. Thousands of FedEx employees across the country participate in WalkAmerica each year.

The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign, launched in January 2003, is a five-year, $75-million research, awareness and education campaign to help families have healthier babies. The campaign's two major goals are to increase public awareness of the issue by 25 percent and decrease the rate of premature births by 15 percent—all by 2007. "For once, we'd like to stop a package from getting there early" is the tagline from a 2003 FedEx print ad encouraging people to join in the fight.

About FedEx Employee Volunteers
FedEx employee volunteers have participated in WalkAmerica since 1979. Our participation began with teams of more than 400 employees from Memphis. It expanded in the 1980s to local markets across the nation, which eventually led to the formation of a national team. A steering committee was established in 2000 to lead the national team, and employee support has steadily grown.

Today, thousands of FedEx employees and their family members throughout the nation and across all the FedEx companies participate in WalkAmerica during the last weekend in April each year. The national FedEx WalkAmerica team has grown from 1,582 employees in 1997, who raised over $193,000, to over 10,000 employees in 2004, who raised over $1 million.



FedEx & March of Dimes