WHITE PLAINS, NOV. 27, 2007 – This school year, the March of Dimes is working with elementary and middle schools to introduce a new curriculum for grades K through 5 that educates children about the importance of good health, diet and exercise  and urges them to volunteer for charity – including participating in a coin drive that will help the March of Dimes give every baby a healthy start in life.

 “These education materials teach young students the importance of taking care of themselves and of civic responsibility,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “It's a great way to bring students together in the classroom, the school, and in their community, while teaching them about fun volunteer activities that make a difference in the lives of others.”

Dr. Howse noted that youth who volunteer are more likely to do well in school, graduate, vote and be philanthropic, according to the UCLA/Higher Education Research Institute.

The new teacher-approved March of Dimes materials, “Change for America's Babies,” convey age-appropriate health messages and follow national education standards.

Students are also asked to help raise funds for the March of Dimes by collecting coins.  “Giving spare change to the March of Dimes is a long tradition that stretches back to the founding of our organization in the 1930s by President Roosevelt, who asked every American to send a dime to the White House,” says Dr. Howse.

There's about $10.5 billion of loose change sitting idle in American households, according to estimates.  To make it easy to donate coins,  the March of Dimes has partnered with Coinstar® which will feature the March of Dimes on Coinstar® Center screens during November and December, 2007.  Coins can be taken to any participating Coinstar® Center or brought to any local March of Dimes office. 

To download or order the curriculum for your school, find donation locations, or simply acquire more information on “Change for America's Babies,” visit marchofdimes.com/change. Donations can also be made year-round by visiting the March of Dimes Web site. 

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.  Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth.  For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.