2. *Each Week…
Over 76,000 babies are born in
the United States
Over 9,200 are born too early
508 will never celebrate
their first birthday
1 in 9 babies are born too soon
Thank you for supporting stronger, healthier
babies
*Facts provided by marchofdimes.com/peristats
3. Agenda
Today we are going to
talk about:
● March of Dimes: Overview
● Support our Mission Year-Round
Raising Awareness & Funds, Service
Opportunities, Advocating for babies
● Action Plans
● Resources
4. 75 years of helping babies
More than four million babies were born last year and the March of
Dimes helped each and every one through 75 years of
research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs.
● In the beginning
○ Founded in 1939 by President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
○ National Foundation for
Infantile Paralysis
● Today - The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the
health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature
birth, and infant mortality.
5. Our Mission - Today
The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of
babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant
mortality.
Fund Research
Help Moms
to understand
problems & discover
answers leading to
prevention &
treatment.
have full-term
pregnancies &
healthy babies.
Support
Families
providing comfort
when their baby
needs help to
survive and thrive.
8. Prematurity Awareness
Educate Your Peers
World wide, 15 million babies are born too soon
every year. Over 1 million do not get to celebrate
their first birthday.
In the United States, 1 in 9 babies are born
prematurely each year.
• November is Prematurity Awareness
Month & November 17 is World
Prematurity Day
• Download the Youth Planning
Guide available online
at marchofdimes.com/youth
9. Prematurity Awareness
Spread Our Mission
Activities/Events to host at school:
• Give a presentation
•
•
•
Go Purple
•
•
•
•
Information booth outside the cafeteria
Speak before, during or after an assembly
Decorate your halls in purple
Encourage everyone to wear purple
Light your school in purple
Spread the word online
•
Facebook, twitter, instagram!
10. Prematurity Awareness
Average medical costs among
preterm and term births (US)
*Premature birth costs
the United States over
$26 billion each year.
Preterm is less than 37 completed weeks gestation.
Source: Institute of Medicine. 2007. Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
Published and unpublished analyses. Retrieved January 29, 2013, from www.marchofdimes.com/peristats.
11. Service Opportunities
Support your local NICU
Possible Activities could include:
• Conduct a book drive
• Collect items for families and babies:
•
•
•
•
Scrapbooking materials
Hotel and gas cards
Diapers
Disposable cameras
• Prepare Parent Care Kits
• Make greeting cards & decorations
12. March for Babies
Raise Funds
Participate in March for Babies
• Sign up and register your team at
marchforbaies.org (make sure to
include “FBLA” or “PBL” in your team
name)
• Set Goals for your team
and personal fundraising efforts
• Fundraising online & offline
• Host events and activities at school
to raise even more funds!
13. Online Fundraising
OFT = Online Fundraising Tool
Did you know… Volunteers who use OFT raise over $100 more than
those who don’t. Sign up and create your page at marchforbabies.org
15. Off-line Fundraising:
Events
• Plan Ahead (at least one month
prior)
o Location, date (and rain date), time
• Make sure your event appeals to
a WIDE audience:
o Set a theme; Make it instantly
recognizable and easy to promote
• Ensure that you plan a UNIQUE and
TAILORED event, such as:
o Fashion Show, Dance
Marathon, Karaoke Night, Quidditch
• Work with other
clubs, organizations
16. Fundraising:
Additional Tips
Maximize your contacts
• Utilize email signatures & badges
• Update EVERYONE on your progress
• Use benchmarks to update the world
o “We are just three $10 donations
from goal!”
• Set up an informational table/ booth
at school
Follow Up
• Contact people who were interested in
donating, but haven’t committed
• Send Thank You notes
17. Sample Events & Activities
To Raise Awareness
To Raise Funds
Health Fair
Coin Drive
Folic Acid Breakfast
Bowling for Babies
Light up your school
in Purple
Trivia/Game Night
NICU Donation
Drive
Mile of Dimes
School Dance
Bagels for Babies
Incorporate the Mission
into all activities
Raise Awareness & Funds
For more information visit marchofdimes.com/youth
18. Supporting Our Mission
Raise Your Voice
Advocate for moms and babies!
• Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts at
marchofdimes.com/advocacy
• Set up appointments to visit your
state and local government officials
• Write letters to your legislators
asking for their support
19. Action Plans
Questions to answer
individually & with your
chapter:
o What are your March of Dimes
individual and chapter goal(s)
for this year?
o What events or campaigns
will you have to do to reach
this goal?
o What specific steps are required to make these become
reality?
Follow up:
o Set a timeline to accomplish these goals
o Donations & forms due: May 15, 2014
Before we get into the training, I wanted to provide some important facts about why we are all here today. (Facts will come in when you click)Each week in the United States, over 81,000 babies are born. Over 10,000 are born too early and 561 will never celebrate their first birthday. By participating in March for Babies you are making a difference for all babies. Please feel free to share these facts with your members.
*Today we are going to talk about:What is the March of Dimes?How can your chapter supportthe mission of the March of Dimes?Setting up action plans What resources are available to help you achieve your goals?
Talk about the history of the organization briefly (some points outlined below)Founded in 1938 as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, we focused on eradicating polio. The term “March of Dimes” comes from Comedian Eddie Cantor in a radio pitch using the term to appeal for funds. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a polio victim himself, founded the March of Dimes on these timeless values that still hold true todayFoundation’s ValuesBringing science into service for people;Building the public trust; andGathering the power of volunteers.Volunteers of all ages are still our most valuable asset. ….Today, we continue to fight for the health of babies. Our mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. We do this through research, education, service and mission awareness.
As mentioned, we focus our mission more specifically by improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. These are the largest risks to stronger, healthier babies today.We accomplish our mission in three very important ways:Funding researchHelping mom by providing education Supporting families with direct care and supportNOTE: You can expand any of these but don’t get too deep into this discussion unless the group takes you there. It is better to follow-up with some information as that keeps your conversation (and presentation) progressing.
So, what can FBLA members do? On a national level, there are a number of major events and initiatives that your chapter could take part in. In the Fall – raise awareness of the costly problem of preterm birth, and in the Spring, rally your chapter and your entire school to participate in March for Babies, our signature fundraiser. In addition, we have some great service opportunities, that I’ll speak about as well.
More than 15 millions babies are born too early each year and 1 million never celebrate their first birthday. In the US, alone, 1 in 9 babies are preterm (born before 39 weeks). Babies being born too small and too sick face an increased risk of serious medical complications and even death. As a nation, we scored a “C” on our Premature Birth Report Card, with 11.5 percent of all births being premature. BUT – we are making progress. In 2013, six states were given “A”s.
-Youth were the foundation of the MOD when eradicating polio. Youth are so powerful, and as the future generations of parents we have key roles in seeing the day when every baby is born healthy.-Your efforts are so important, and each baby and family is so very thankful for all you do!Educate your peers:Throughout Prematurity Awareness Month (November) and on World Prematurity Day (November 17), and year round - raise awareness about the results of prematurity. Educating students, faculty, and your entire community about prematurity is a great way to engage your community.
Spreading our mission at school and throughout your community *Remember to get administrative approval before conducting an activity or event on campusGive a presentationSet up an information booth outside the cafeteria or another popular spot at school Speak before, during or after an assemblyHost a segment on theschool news station (tv or radio or during morning announcements Go PurpleDecorate your halls in purple – make posters, hang balloons. To make even more of an impact, mark every 9th locker to represent that 1 in 9 are born too early Encourage everyone to wear purple – host a contest to see who can wear the MOST purple, from their head to their toes. Light your school in purpleSpread the word onlineFacebook, twitter, instagram! Follow the march of dimes on facebook, dedicate a blog post to prematurity day
In addition, the medical costs of a premature baby are much, much greater than they are for a healthy newborn. In their first year of life, the average year of medical costs are 10 times greater for preterm birth than full term. Educate your members and peers. A preterm birth costs about employers 12 times as much as a healthy birth.Premature birth is a major driver of health insurance costs for employers and public programs.Since 2006, 176,000 fewer babies have been born too soon because of reductions in the preterm birth rate, potentially saving about $9 billion in medical and societal costs.
You can do service projects in your community to support babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and help the March of Dimes. *At this time, hand out the materials and let everyone know that we will be doing a service opportunity today to benefit a local NICU (name the NICU, if possible). Give students 10 minutes to create cards for families - remember to collect them at the end
Money your team raises funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten our babies and supports programs in your community that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. Key Points for March for Babies:March for Babies is the March of Dimes’ largest fundraiser and typically takes place in late April. Keep in mind that you can fundraise year-round for the March of Dimes, not just during March for Babies. Visit marchforbabies.org to sign up online as an FBLA – PBL team and find the date and location in your area. Open it up for discussion, asking what events they have host in the past to raise funds. Some additional events/activities could be carwashes, dances, bake sales, etc.
There are a variety Events and Activities your chapter can host to raise funds and awareness for the March of Dimes. We’ve listed a few on these slides but the possibilities are endless. Remember to incorporate the mission into all of your activities and let people know that by supporting this event they are making a difference for babies! *Invite a few audience members (1-2) to talk briefly about any activities they have hosted for the March of Dimes in the past (does not have to be listed on the slide). Questions to ask volunteer: Explain the event and results. How much time did you spend planning and executing the event? What would you do differently in the future, if anything?
For more information and to sign up for our advocacy alerts, visit marchofdimes.com/advocacy
Remind them that the FBLA – PBL Donation Form (along with donations) are due by May 15, 2014. This form can be found at fbla.org.
Thanks for all you already have done and what you plan to do! Ask attendees to share success stories of ways they have supported March of Dimes in the past. In addition, ask students to share ideas/ways their club can support March of Dimes. And of course, feel free to answer any questions. If you aren’t sure of the answer, let them know they can contact teamyouth@marchofdimes.com or collect their information and reach out to national staff directly.