READING, Pa. — Local SUBWAY® Restaurants are supporting the Reading March for Babies, hosted by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the March of Dimes on Sunday, April 27. The local restaurants will donate 750 sandwiches to feed walkers, staff and volunteers – for a total donation valued at $2,600.
“Subway supports living a healthy lifestyle at every walk of life,” Sal Tassone, local SUBWAY® board chair said. “The March of Dimes strives to give babies a healthier start, and we are proud to give back to the community we serve by supporting their mission.”
Beginning at 9 a.m. walkers will converge at Reading Community College to begin checking in for the 4-mile fundraising walk, which will raise money to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
Walkers can register in advance online at http://www.marchforbabies.org or the day of the event beginning at 9 a.m. The walk will begin at 10 a.m., and refreshments, including the SUBWAY® sandwiches, will be provided afterwards.
“I walk because every baby deserves a healthy chance at life,” Amy Kheir, March for Babies committee corporate sponsorship chair said. “We are happy to have corporate sponsors like Subway support the March of Dimes’ premier fundraising event, allowing us to spend more of the money raised on research, community efforts, education and advocacy.”
According to the March of Dimes, nationwide one in eight babies is born premature. The rate of preterm birth in Pennsylvania is highest for African American infants, at 17 percent, followed by native Americans, 14.2 percent; Hispanics, 13 percent; Caucasians, 10.5 percent; and Asians, 9.2 percent.
For additional information about the local SUBWAY® Restaurants’
To learn more about the Reading March for Babies, please contact Jill A. Bowen, senior community director with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the March of Dimes at (717) 545-4534 or at jabowen@marchofdimes.com.
About SUBWAY® Restaurants
With more than 28,500 locations in 86 countries, the SUBWAY® Restaurant chain is the world’s largest submarine sandwich franchise. In 2002, the SUBWAY® chain surpassed McDonald’s in the number of restaurants open in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Milford, Conn., the SUBWAY® Restaurant chain was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. Their partnership continues today, making it possible for thousands of individuals to own, build and succeed in their own business. The SUBWAY® brand was recently ranked as the number one global franchise opportunity in Entrepreneur magazine’s 2008 Annual Franchise 500® listing. For more information on SUBWAY® Restaurants, please visit http://www.subway.com.
About the March of Dimes
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 http://www.marchofdimes.com or http://www.nacersano.org.
