Once again, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) staff rallied together in support of March of Dimes, raising nearly $47,000 through individual donations and fundraising events for the 2019 campaign. SECU branch and operations employees throughout the state organized a variety of fundraisers to help fund research, programs, and education efforts in the fight to improve the health of mothers and babies.
In addition to fundraising, many SECU employees, along with friends and family participated in regional March for Babies® walks, with approximately 300 Triangle-area staff joining in the event held at Perimeter Park in Morrisville, North Carolina. Sponsors and teams gathered just before the walk to honor families affected by premature births. Some of those families shared personal stories about how March of Dimes has made a tremendous difference for them.
Jamie Neuenschwander, Financial Services Officer II at SECU’s Garner-Benson Road branch, witnessed the heartache of infertility and miscarriage through an immediate family member, who eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy. She volunteered this year to be the March of Dimes Team Captain for her branch and stated, “Watching the struggles in my family and knowing what a blessing every child is, I felt a need to help in any way possible. Participating in the March for Babies and raising awareness and funds are just small ways I can help others achieve the blessings our family has received. I plan to continue to raise money and participate in the walk every year.”
According to March of Dimes, premature birth and its complications are the largest contributors to infant death in the U.S. and more than 380,000 babies are born prematurely each year. Pregnancy-related death has more than doubled over the past 25 years. “We’re grateful and excited to have had the support from State Employees’ Credit Union staff for the past seventeen years,” says Lauren Ross, March of Dimes Development Specialist for Eastern North Carolina. “Their passion and commitment to the health of moms and babies are tremendous factors driving the success of these events.”
