Montgomery County’s Alcohol Beverage Services Raises $65,000 in Donations for March of Dimes

Per Montgomery County: “Customers of Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) stores contributed more than $65,000 over a recent three-week period to support the “Labor of Love” campaign to benefit March of Dimes and its mission to improve maternal health, help babies be healthy and strong and protect the health of families through programs and advocacy.

ABS and UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO organized the campaign with the support of County Executive Marc Elrich.

ABS will present a check to the March of Dimes at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 19, at its Olney retail store at 17825 Georgia Ave. Officials from ABS, UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO, March of Dimes and Tito’s Handmade Vodka will celebrate the campaign’s success and will recognize the highest fundraising stores, including Olney, which was the top performing store. The ceremony will be open to the public.

During the campaign, employees at the 27 ABS retail stores asked customers at checkout if they wished to round up to the nearest dollar or donate a larger amount to support March of Dimes. The Labor of Love campaign, which ran Oct. 29-Nov. 19, raised $65,443 through in-store donations, exceeding the campaign’s goal of $60,000. In addition to the in-store donations, corporate partner Tito’s Handmade Vodka pledged $10,000 to March of Dimes, bringing the total donation to more than $75,000.

“For more than 80 years, the March of Dimes has been improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature births and lowering infant mortality rates,” said County Executive Elrich. “I want to thank ABS and MCGEO for teaming up to support the March of Dimes through their ‘Labor of Love’ campaign. In addition to the health and safety benefits ABS provides Montgomery County through safe alcohol distribution, we are proud of the contributions of ABS employees through volunteering, fundraising and supporting nonprofit partners like the March of Dimes.”

The March of Dimes approach:

• Fund and support innovative research to solve the biggest problems in maternal and infant health.
• Advocate for prioritization our nation’s moms and babies and action to improve their health.
• Educate and help every family have healthy pregnancies regardless of wealth, race, gender or geography.

“We are so thankful for this partnership and for the unwavering support of the entire Montgomery County community,” said Tina Cavucci, senior executive director of the local March of Dimes DMV Market. “Together, we are creating a stronger, more resilient community as we prioritize maternal and infant health and are making an impact on families who need us now more than ever.”

The U.S. remains one of the most dangerous developed countries to give birth. Two women die from pregnancy related issues each day, two babies die every hour in the U.S. and one in 10 is born too soon. Learn more about March of Dimes at www.marchofdimes.org.

“Supporting March of Dimes is a great way for us all to give back to our local community,” said ABS Director Kathie Durbin. “ABS has always been committed to public health and safety, and this campaign is a natural extension of that commitment. Together we can help ensure that every mom and every baby have the best possible start.”

ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine and spirits for Montgomery County and operates 27 retail stores throughout the County. In addition, ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Generating more than $35 million in net income annually, its profits are used to pay down County debt with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that would otherwise be funded by County tax dollars. Follow ABS on Facebook and Twitter.