Community service

MDA & ‘Deliver the Cure’

MDA Coordinator

MDA columns published in The Postal Record

Support the fight against muscular dystrophy

Half a century of help...millions to fight muscular dystrophy

America's letter carriers have helped lead the search for cure for neuromuscular diseases for half a century. The NALC was the first national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and letter carriers are among MDA's top fund-raisers, collecting more than $20 million in the past 15 years alone to finance research and provide care and services for children and adults with muscular dystrophies.

Branches can now register to take part in the year-long campaign to raise funds for NALC's official charity. Branches that fill out a registration form will receive a packet of materials designed to help branches redouble their efforts.

Click here to download a branch registration form. Print it out and mail it to the address at the bottom of the form.

Fundraising report form

Members, please send your checks to MDA. Locally raised funds must be turned over to the local MDA office for deposit and crediting purposes. Click here to download the form.

MDA 2017 Honor Roll

In the April Postal Record you will find NALC’s annual MDA Honor Roll, which recognizes branches for their fundraising efforts for the union’s official charity in 2017. In addition to being cited in The Postal Record, the branches in the top spots for each of 10 branch membership size categories and the branch with the largest overall total are celebrated with an opportunity to attend a special function designated by President Rolando.

The Honor Roll is followed by a list of reported MDA fundraising results. Next to each branch’s name is the total raised by the branch and a gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention ranking, each recognizing the per capita level of fundraising by the branch.

The total raised in 2017 was $1,200,381.

“Letter carriers should be very proud of their efforts to support MDA, and the children and adults whose lives are made better and longer through its work,” Rolando said.

You can see the Honor Roll list and read more about MDA here.

Branch MDA representatives are reminded to deliver all money collected each year, along with activity forms, to MDA by Dec. 15. Activity form copies should be sent to the attention of Geneva Kubal at NALC Headquarters also by Dec. 15.

News

Rolando walking for MDA

On May 19, NALC President Fredric Rolando will take a few steps to help “Deliver the Cure” for muscular dystrophy by participating in a Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Muscle Walk fundraiser in Alexandria, VA.

“Every day, kids and adults are diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and related diseases that take away from the most basic freedoms—the freedom to walk, talk, hug and even breathe,” Rolando said. “By taking part in this Muscle Walk to help raise money and awareness for NALC’s only official charity, I hope to help those striving to get some of those freedoms back.”

Rolando is walking in the MDA Muscle Walk of Greater Washington, one of more than 150 such events held across the country each year. Rolando will join participants of all ages and abilities on a wheelchair- and equipment-friendly course. If you are in the Alexandria, VA, area, please sign up for Muscle Walk to participate as part of Rolando’s team. If you are unable to join him in Alexandria, you can support his effort with a donation.

To visit Rolando’s official Muscle Walk page, go to www2.mda.org/goto/TeamRolando. If you would like for your branch to receive the credit for your donation, be sure to type in your branch number in the “Recognition Name Box” at the end of the billing information. If you prefer to donate by mail, send a check or money order, payable to MDA, along with your name, branch number, amount sent and an indication that it is for the MDA Muscle Walk—or go to nalc.org for a printable form. Mail your donation to Rolando MDA Muscle Walk, National Association of Letter Carriers, 100 Indiana Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001.

Call Geneva Kubal at NALC Headquarters if you have any questions: 202-756-7403.

Deliver the Cure with MDA Guidebook

The updated Deliver the Cure with MDA Guidebook is now available for download.

In it, you’ll find information about:

the longstanding partnership between NALC and MDA
how to get involved and make a difference
keys to a successful fundraiser
partnership guidelines
Combined Federal Campaign opportunities
important information about securing funds

—and a whole lot more.

Click here to download the guidebook (PDF). (updated and fixed)
Click here to download the template for the letter to request a monetary donation (MS Word).
Click here to download the template for the letter to request an in-kind gift item (MS Word).

NALC supports MDA through…

Summer camps: Wonderful opportunities for children living with muscular dystrophy to spend time with kids who are just like them, doing activities adapted to their needs and establishing new friendships. NALC members are proud of the fundraising work we do all year long to support research to one day deliver a cure and to help make camps like these a reality.

Muscle Walks: A series of fun, non-competitive local walks held across the country, funding research and services for people with any of more than 40 muscle-damaging diseases. Muscle Walks provides an opportunity to honor adults and children with any of the more than 40 muscle diseases in MDA’s program, walk to have fun and get some light exercise, and raise funds to help MDA support research and provide vital services to families affected by neuromuscular disease.

Bowlathons: One more way NALC can show how serious we are about our long partnership with MDA. For some branches, it might have been years since they’ve done any sort of MDA fund-raising. Others may never have. An event such as a bowlathon gives branches a project they can plug right into, with a goal of increasing branch and letter carrier participation.

Fill the Satchel: Letter carriers, in uniform and with their postal satchels, set up at various locations around the country, collecting from motorists, pedestrians, shoppers—and even from the crowds heading into sports venues.

Visit the MDA Tool Kit to learn more.

Combined Federal Campaign

The Combined Federal Campaign number for the Muscular Dystrophy Association is 10561.