Eli Manning Leads March for Babies® in Manhattan

New Yorkers Walk Together for Stronger, Healthier Babies

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Apr 29, 2013, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Two-time Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning, kicked off March for Babies in Manhattan this morning. Manning was joined by March of Dimes Foundation President, Dr. Jennifer L. Howse and GE Aviation's General Manager, Bill Fitzgerald, who is the 2013 National March for Babies Chairman. Thousands of New Yorkers turned out for the March of Dimes largest annual fundraising event. Started in 1970, March for Babies was the nation's first charity walk event and has raised over $2 billion to support programs of research, advocacy, community programs and education. CBS 2 meteorologist and co-host of WLNY 10/55's Live from the Couch, John Elliott and WCBS Newsradio 880 announcer, Pat Farnack, co-hosted the Opening Ceremonies. The 3.5-mile walk started at 65th St. and Broadway and finished at 26^th St. and Madison Ave. where walkers were treated to a Finish Line Festival featuring snacks and entertainment.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130429/NY03221 )

This year March of Dimes is celebrating its 75^th Anniversary. The organization was founded in 1938 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, to help find a cure for polio. Today, it is the leading non-profit organization for pregnancy and baby health and is leading the fight to find the causes of premature birth. "It is a real honor to work with the March of Dimes New York Division, especially during the Foundation's milestone 75^th anniversary year," said Manning, who has served as the March of Dimes NY Division Celebrity Chairman for the past 5 years. "March for Babies is a great event and gives everyone in our community the chance to make a difference in the lives of millions of babies." March of Dimes NY Division's 75^th Anniversary corporate sponsors are AECOM and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.

March for Babies local corporate sponsors include Bloomberg, Citizen Watch Company of America, Clifford Chance, Davis Polk, Ernst & Young, Greenburg Traurig, InnisFree M&A, Inc., Latham & Watkins LLP, Morgan Stanley, Morrow & Co., Standard Motor Products Corp., VIACOM, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Local media partners are CBS2 WLNY10/55, WCBS News radio 880, fresh 102.7, WCBS FM 101.1, WFAN Sports Radio, NY1 News and NY1 Noticias. The event is sponsored nationally by Kmart, Farmers Insurance Group, Macy's, Cigna, Sanofi Pasteur, Famous Footwear, Actavis, Mission Pharmacal, and United Airlines.

March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, and its premier event, March for Babies, March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. More than 4 million babies were born in the United States last year and March of Dimes helped each and every one through 75 years of research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com/ny or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE March of Dimes