By Wendy Keyes/March of Dimes
More than 11,000 New Jersey babies will be born premature this year, and business leader Jay Weinstein is working with the March of Dimes to change this.
Jay Weinstein, New Jersey Partner-in-Charge of CPA firm EisnerAmper in Iselin, NJ knows how important the March of Dimes mission is to families in Middlesex County. He has taken on the role of 2015 March for Babies Chair to raise awareness and important funding to help babies born prematurely or with birth defects. Weinstein’s goal is to raise $84,400 in new revenue as part of the overall goal of $376,000.
March for Babies, the March of Dimes largest fundraiser, helps fund lifesaving research and educational programs aimed at helping moms have healthy babies. Last year in Middlesex County, more than $351,000 was raised. This year, Weinstein will focus on recruiting new companies to participate and lead the community in making a difference for the health of moms and babies.
“As a business leader, this campaign gives me and my company a unique opportunity to help the community that I love. As a father, I can’t think of a more important cause than our babies,” said Weinstein, who will be asking other local businesses for their support in the coming months. “Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in this country. One in nine of our babies here in Middlesex County are born premature, and that’s just not acceptable. It takes leaders in our community working together to ensure more moms have healthy pregnancies. More than 20,000 companies are partnering in March for Babies to help reduce the premature birth rate and improve the health of babies.”
Middlesex County residents can sign up today at www.marchforbabies.org and start a team with co-workers, family or friends. Last year, more than 3000 people attended the event — which will be held this year on Sunday April 26th at Johnson Park in Piscataway.
“We’re so excited to have Jay Weinstein on board to help us at a local level,” said James Young, State Director for the New Jersey March of Dimes Chapter. “His passion for the cause and commitment to helping our babies will be a huge driving factor in the success of our event. We are grateful for his commitment.”
The 2015 March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, and top sponsors Famous Footwear, Macy’s, Cigna, United Airlines and Mission Pharmacal and locally by PSEG, UnitedHealthcare, Virtua, Comcast NBCUniversal, New Jersey Family, New Jersey Monthly, EisnerAmper, Johnson & Johnson, Siemen’s Financial, Inc., and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
