BOONE, Iowa—The Muscular Dystrophy Association of Iowa announced today that its 2019 Fareway Shamrocks fundraising program raised $164,701 to help free kids and adults from the harm of muscular dystrophy, ALS and related muscle-debilitating diseases. This is the highest donation amount raised through the Shamrock program during the history of the Fareway Stores and MDA partnership.
From February 25th through March 16th Fareway Meat and Grocery participated in the St. Patrick’s Day fundraising program in which customers purchased an iconic MDA Shamrock pinup for just a $1, $5 or a larger contribution at checkout. Each paper Shamrock was signed by generous customers and prominently displayed in each store, symbolizing strength, independence and life for MDA families in the community.
“Once again, Fareway retailers, their customers, and employees have gone above and beyond to make a meaningful difference for people whose everyday freedoms – walking, talking and even breathing – have been taken away by neuromuscular diseases,” said MDA of Iowa Development Director, Brette Dowson. “It is because of their generosity that MDA is able to provide lifesaving research and support to help these individuals and their families live longer, grow stronger and experience a world without limits.”
“For more than 25 years, we’ve taken great pride in helping further the mission of MDA to find a cure for debilitating muscle diseases,” said Fareway President and CEO Reynolds W. Cramer. “This life-saving work would not be possible without the generosity of our customers and their on-going support of the Shamrocks campaign.”
This year the MDA Shamrocks program celebrated its 37th anniversary, uniting tens of thousands of retail locations throughout the country to benefit the organization’s shared mission to fund groundbreaking research across diseases and provide individuals with life-enhancing programs and support services, including state-of-the-art multidisciplinary care the MDA Care Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa.
Funds raised also make MDA Summer Camp possible for more than 70 area kids where they can experience the best week of the year at no cost to their families.
To learn more about the 2019 MDA Shamrocks program and how to get involved, contact MDA Development Director, Brette Dowson at 515-681-2363 or bdowson@mdausa.org, or visit mda.org/shamrocks.
(contributed article and photo, MDA)
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