OREANDA-NEWS. United Airlines and the March of Dimes are celebrating a decade of working together to provide families across the country with support and valuable information on pregnancy and having healthy babies. The airline is marking the 10th anniversary in two special ways this year: United's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer John Rainey is serving as the 2015 March for Babies National Chairman, and long-time United employee Elise Jackson, her son Elijah and husband Todd are representing the March of Dimes as the 2015 National Ambassador Family.

The National Ambassador Program is an annual campaign that helps raise awareness on the need for research and community programs to prevent premature birth and birth defects. With support from United as the official airline sponsor, 12-year-old Elijah and his parents will travel the country to attend meetings, conferences and fundraisers to promote the organization and its mission.

"We know that many of our customers' and employees' lives have been touched by the issue of premature birth, and we are proud to support the March of Dimes in its exceptional mission to bring healthy babies into this world," said John Rainey, executive vice president and chief financial officer at United and 2015 National Chairman for the March of Dimes. "And this year on the 10th anniversary of our partnership, we're especially excited to support and cheer on our own United co-worker Elise and her family as they represent both the March of Dimes and United Airlines."

Along with serving as the official airline sponsor of the Ambassador Program, United is a national sponsor of March for Babies, the March of Dimes' signature fundraiser that occurs in April. Over the past nine years, United employees have helped contribute more than USD 5.5 million to the March of Dimes and have walked more than 36,000 miles in March for Babies events in the airline's hub cities and other communities across the U.S. Last year alone, United and its employees raised more than USD 700,000 for March of Dimes research, education and services.

"The Jackson family's story stands as living proof of the value of life-saving measures developed by the March of Dimes with the support of United and their employees," said March of Dimes President Dr. Jennifer L. Howse.