Who runs the March of Dimes and what is its history?
Here is the history part of it… “The original purpose was to raise money for polio research and to care for those suffering from the disease. The name emphasized the national, nonpartisan, and public nature of the new organization, as opposed to private foundations established by wealthy families. The effort began with a radio appeal, asking everyone in the nation to contribute a dime (10 cents) to fight polio. The name “March of Dimes” for the fundraising campaign was coined by entertainer Eddie Cantor as a play on the popular newsreel feature of the day, The March of Time. Along with Cantor, many top Hollywood, Broadway, radio, and television stars served as promoters of the charity. Because of his close association with the cause, Roosevelt was portrayed on the U.S. dime after his death. Over the years, the name “March of Dimes” became synonymous with that of the charity and was officially adopted in 1979. For its first 17 years, the March of Dimes provided support for the work of
