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Signature Chefs Auction, Traverse City

Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, and 1 million will die before their first birthday. The March of Dimes works to end premature birth and other problems that threaten our babies. We help moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.  If something goes wrong, we offer information and comfort to families. We research the reasons why babies are born too soon or very sick and work on preventions.

Your Fund the Mission gift helps the March of Dimes fund research, education, advocacy and programs that help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies. Fund the Mission gifts are 100% tax deductible and can be made during the Live Auction or Click here. 

At this year’s event, our featured Signature Chefs will be competing. Top Chef 2019, Best Taste, Best Presentation, Best Use of Michigan Products, and the People’s Choice Awards are all decided and awarded tonight. Judges come from a variety of culinary backgrounds such as education, media and hospitality. Competition judges are anonymous, and our guests will enjoy a taste of the competition dishes.

Fund the Mission
Together we can give them tomorrow
 
Premature birth is the most serious infant health problem in the United States today. It is, in fact, the #1 killer of babies. It affects more than half a million babies nationwide each year, with over 15,000 in Michigan alone. The U.S. preterm birth rate is still too high at 11.4 percent—higher than that of most developed nations—while Michigan’s preterm birth rate is even higher at 11.9 percent.
 
Premature birth costs society more than $26 billion a year. Babies born just a few weeks early are at risk of severe health problems and lifelong disabilities, taking an extreme toll on families emotionally and financially.  

How we are making an Impact:

March of Dimes Michigan has heavily invested in group prenatal care with our partners across the state.  This innovative approach to prenatal care has produced significant improvement in not only babies being born at term, but also Mom and baby thrive in bonding, increased breastfeeding, and healthy weight gain and brain development.

March of Dimes is strategically fund programs that promote health equity among different racial/ethnic groups.  African American babies are two times more likely to be born premature more than their Caucasian counterparts.  Michigan funds programs that address social determinates of health to increase the rate of African American babies born full term.

Leading preventable causes of premature birth in Michigan include; tobacco use during pregnancy, lack of health education and good health status prior to pregnancy as well as lack of access to proven interventions for women with prior preterm birth such as progesterone (17P) shots.

  Michigan Investment Goals:
1. Increase access to pre- and interconception (in-between births) education for high-risk women
2. Decrease late preterm birth by reducing early elective deliveries before 39 weeks
3. Reduce racial/ethnic disparities in premature birth outcomes  

 In 2018, the March of Dimes granted $1.1 million for programs, research and services in Michigan. The funds provide prenatal education for doctors and nurses at community hospitals.
 
In an Average Week in Michigan:
2,182 babies are born
151 babies are born to teen mothers (ages 15-19)
711 babies are delivered by cesarean section
254 babies are born preterm
179 babies are born low birthweight
16 babies die before their first birthday  

Through partnerships with companies, organizations and individuals, the March of Dimes is able to create unique moments for your clients, vendors and leadership teams. They participate in an exclusive dining event while supporting a critical cause. Sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of levels for our Signature Chefs events, providing you with brand recognition, civic engagement and an exclusive client entertainment opportunity within the event.

We look forward to working with you to discuss your partnership with the March of Dimes. Please contact Ginger Feldman at 616.247.6861 or email gfeldman@marchofdimes.org for more details on how to partner with the Traverse City March of Dimes.

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