SERVPRO of West Riverside City Supports March of Dimes Walk in Jurupa Valley

5/9/2019 (Permalink)

Visit our March of Dimes Web page or Face book page to donate.

Why We are Fighting for Healthy Families

About half a million babies are born premature or with birth defects in the U.S. each year. 

SERVPRO of West Riverside City participated to help all moms and families experience the joy of a healthy baby. With nearly 4 million babies born each year, we have a lot of work to do to help them all. The funds raised enable March of Dimes to support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy that truly makes a difference to families in our community and across the country. If you believe, like we do, that every baby deserves the best possible start, please make a donation to support this community effort. Together we can fight for the health of all moms and babies.

SERVPRO joined our Executive Team Networking group in this initiative.  The walk took place on Saturday, May 4th…(yes, the force was with us!).  We took the 5K walk, although there was also a family 3K walk.  Our mascot, Ellie also joined us.  She was proud to sport a March of Dimes purple t-shirt.  Check in for the event was at 8:00 a.m. and the activities began at 9 a.m. at Rancho Jurupa Park in Jurupa Valley. Parking was free for participants. Several vendors, music, snacks and water were provided at this event.

March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health, devoted to improving the lives of the nearly 4 million babies born yearly in the United States through research, education, support, and advocacy.

This year, several area sponsors participated to make the event possible. American Medical Response, KMart, Famous Footwear,  Big 5, Ontario International Airport, Loma Linda University Medical Center and United Airlines are just a few of the companies dedicated to helping March of Dimes bring the March for Babies event back to the Inland Empire.

SERVPRO got involved this year thanks to our E Team March of Dimes advocate Ricki Hill. March of Dimes chapter staff and volunteers invest time and resources in local programs and activities in all 50 states, playing a vital role in improving maternal and child health in their communities. As respected leaders in the field of maternal and child health, the March of Dimes is uniquely positioned to partner with local and state public and private health care systems and organizations to enhance and expand the services available to women and their families.

Chapter staff and volunteers partner with local health agencies, community-based organizations, professional associations, hospitals and others to determine the most pressing maternal and child health needs and to develop a multiyear strategic plan that will positively impact the health status of communities. Staff and volunteers then work to enhance and expand community services, and to improve systems of care for mothers, babies and their families through leadership, educational programs and community grants.

Ensuring that women have access to prenatal care and services throughout their pregnancy is a vital role that the March of Dimes plays in communities. Whether bringing high-quality, evidence-based interventions and health care to underserved areas or striving for increased services for pregnant women to help them adopt healthy behaviors, March of Dimes staff and volunteers strategically focus resources and funding in the areas with the most need and potential for impact.

In partnership with community organizations, the March of Dimes encourages expansion of services for pregnant women, including care coordination, home visiting services and maternal medical homes to help moms-to-be access the services they need to have healthier pregnancies and babies. To address factors known to increase a woman’s risk of a poor birth outcome, March of Dimes supports targeted programs aimed at smoking cessation, diabetes management and expansion of substance abuse prevention programs during pregnancy.

Although many instances of preterm birth have no known cause, certain factors are known to increase a woman’s risk of having a premature baby. Chronic medical conditions, like diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure, can increase risk, as can using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs during pregnancy. After assessing their local needs, chapters provide training, education and support for various programs to reduce these risks in the populations they serve. In 2014, chapters reached more than 5,600 professionals with information, training and program support and impacted more than 25,000 women.

Quitting smoking is an important change a pregnant woman can make to improve her health and the health of her baby. Smoking in pregnancy increases a woman’s risk of preterm labor, low birth weight and other serious pregnancy complications. Chapters invested in 20 grants totaling $346,753 to support smoking cessation services for pregnant women. 

In 2014, chapters also awarded 16 grants totaling $181,906 for alcohol and substance abuse services to help programs screen women and provide education and case management. 

SERVPRO is passionate about serving the community - especially those that support children and families. Whether through infant loss, miscarriage, birth defects or premature birth, March of Dimes has directly impacted the lives of many, my team and the clients we serve. They are an organization fighting for the health of all mothers and babies and we couldn't be prouder to support them. Join us in our fight! $10 or $20 may not mean much to you, but could mean the world to a family in need.

You can donate by accessing our Facebook page or our March of Dimes page:

March of Dimes

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