PRESS RELEASE
The 2012 Signature Chefs Auction is proud to welcome Dr. Steven and Mrs. Holly Gelfand as the Honorary Co-Chairs. The event will take place on Monday, November 19 at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. The best chefs in West Michigan will offer food lovers the opportunity to enjoy a night out while raising funds, making friends and increasing awareness of the March of Dimes’ mission to improve the health of babies.
“As a neonatal physician at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, I see babies born too soon or with birth defects struggling for life on a daily basis. Volunteering for the Signature Chefs Auction gives me a chance to help to March of Dimes share their urgent mission with the community in a unique way,” said Dr. Gelfand of Neonatal Associates. Holly adds: “Signature Chefs Auction is a fun way to experience some of Grand Rapids’ finest cuisine while also supporting the March of Dimes improve the health of all babies.”
Funds raised by Signature Chefs Auction support lifesaving research and educational programs right here in West Michigan. Money raised will fund research, awareness, education and local community grants. In 2011, the March of Dimes granted $1.1 million to programs in Michigan alone. Many of these grants fund programs providing prenatal education for doctors and nurses at community hospitals, as well as the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. This year, a new grant was given to First Steps to support their ‘Welcome Home Baby’ program which provides essential supplies to encourage safe sleep among newborn babies. The March of Dimes plays a vital role in many lives locally. Guests will have the opportunity to recognize this local impact by hearing the first hand testimony of the Goodell family, this year’s Ambassador Family.
In Michigan, the March of Dimes supported legislation around home visits which was enacted this fall. Pregnant or new moms are visited at their homes from a nurse to provide individualized health care. This removes the barrier of transportation and provides an opportunity for further education such as securing a safe sleep environment. Home visiting programs are important to the March of Dimes mission as they have been shown to lower incidents of preterm birth and infant mortality.
Premature birth is the most serious infant health problem in the United States today. It affects more than half a million babies nationwide each year, with over 15,000 in Michigan alone. Babies born too soon are more likely to die or have lifelong disabilities. The March of Dimes is committed to reversing this trend by funding research to find the causes of premature birth and providing comfort and information to families.
Visit www.signaturechefsauctiongr.
Purchase tickets online at http://www.signaturechefsauctiongr.com/purchase.php.
$150 / Per Person ($100 of the ticket price is tax deductible)
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