'Today Show' Highlights Be a Hero for Babies Day

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Jul 22, 2010, 10:29 ET

NEW YORK, July 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A crowd of volunteer moms, dads and their newborns appeared on NBC's "Today Show" to celebrate Farmers Insurance Be a Hero for Babies Day, a one-day fundraiser in which Farmers Insurance hopes to raise more than $2 million to benefit the March of Dimes. The group, clad in purple and white, the signature colors of the March of Dimes, drew the attention of weather anchor Al Roker, who interviewed one of the volunteer "spokesmoms" about the March of Dimes mission to give all babies a healthy start in life. View the program by visiting http://today.msnbc.msn.com/

Throughout the country today, Farmers Insurance employees, agents and district managers are holding fundraisers such as local telethons, golf outings, pancake breakfasts and pie-throwing contests to help meet and perhaps exceed the single-day goal of $2 million. Anyone can visit marchofdimes.com/farmers and make a donation, or use their cell phone to donate $5 to the March of Dimes by texting the word "hero" to 20222.

Several celebrity sports figures will join Farmers Insurance in four key markets to help support this one-day fundraising effort. In Los Angeles, Matt Kemp with the LA Dodgers, Jordan Farmar formerly with the LA Lakers and now with the New Jersey Nets, Mexican soccer legend Jorge Campos, Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh and Candace Parker with the LA Sparks are among the crowd of supporters on this special day. T.J. Ford with the Indiana Pacers will be in Austin; Christian Okoye, a former Kansas City Chief, will be in Kansas City; and Gerald McCoy, a former OU Sooner player currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be in Oklahoma City.

As the nation's third-largest personal property and casualty insurance group, Farmers is committed to improving the communities where their customers, agents and employees live and work. Farmers' commitment to the March of Dimes spans more than two decades and has donated more than $31 million dedicated to research and education programs to protect infant health.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies®, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.

SOURCE March of Dimes