FedEx Racing driver Denny Hamlin will drive a special #11 FedEx Office/March for Babies® Toyota in the “SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500” at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, April 18, 2009 in effort to rev up the revenue for the March of Dimes and give every baby a healthy start in life.
“Our goal is to raise awareness for the March for Babies and the great work the March of Dimes does to make sure all babies will be born healthy,” said Hamlin. “This is the second year in a row that we’ve put March for Babies on the car for the spring race in Phoenix and we are hoping to have an even greater impact this season. We are asking all of my fans, all fans of racing and all supporters of the March of Dimes to go to fedexracing.com and contribute a minimum of $11 to this great cause.”
During the race, Hamlin also will wear a helmet designed by Bernard “Sonny” VanBuskirk. Sonny is the son of FedEx Express employee Bernard VanBuskirk and was born seven weeks premature in 1998. Eleven years later, Sonny is a healthy, vibrant boy due to the March of Dimes and the medical care he received.
For the past five years, FedEx has been a national sponsor of the March for Babies, the March of Dimes annual event that raises funds to support research and other programs that improve the health of babies.
“FedEx has a long history of supporting March of Dimes programs to save babies,” says Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, President of the March of Dimes. “We couldn’t be more pleased with this support from Denny Hamlin and the #11 team. He’s a great addition to the longstanding and broad commitments we have received from FedEx and their pledge to fund cutting-edge research and community-based programs that help parents have healthy babies.”
Thousands of FedEx employees and their families also will participate in the 2009 March for Babies. Last year, FedEx, and all of its operating companies, raised over $1.6 million.
“FedEx is proud to share with March of Dimes a commitment to on-time, healthy deliveries,” said Laurie Tucker, FedEx senior vice president of FedEx Corporate Marketing. “Over the years, March of Dimes has helped thousands, including many FedEx employees, who have had premature babies or have been connected to someone who has. Through this national sponsorship, we will continue to support the March of Dimes in their mission to reduce the number of premature births.”
FedEx provides corporate funding and employee volunteerism for several initiatives that help increase resources needed for education and lifesaving research related to preterm birth. In addition to the company's sponsorship of March for Babies, FedEx also provides financial support and free shipping for the March of Dimes national campaign to prevent premature births.
About FedEx Corporation
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $38 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 290,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.