Muscular Dystrophy Association

This week's insider news includes an acquisition, an enhanced MDA file and useful enhancements to a popular fundraising product.

Labor Day Weekend won't be the same.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association said Wednesday that the telethon comedian Jerry Lewis has hosted annually since 1966 will run a scant six hours next September, less than one-third its customary 21 1/2 hour length.

It was a big year for the Gold Awards, folks! 2010 marked the year with the largest number of entries to date. All told, the 108 submissions represented 15 nonprofit organizations and 30 agencies. We're thrilled, and want to say congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who participated.

It was a big year for the Gold Awards, folks! 2010 marked the year with the largest number of entries to date. All told, the 108 submissions represented 15 nonprofit organizations and 30 agencies. We're thrilled, and want to say congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who participated.

A complete list of the 2010 FundRaising Success Gold Awards winners.

Cambridge, Ma, August 17, 2009 — cMarket/BiddingForGood, the leading online auction platform solely for organizations engaged in fundraising for nonprofit causes, will soon launch their new national online auction in conjunction with the 44th Annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. The auction, powered by cMarket, features an array of celebrity packed items and more, with all proceeds benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  The auction will run from Sept. 1-15th and surrounds the Telethon to be broadcasted live from Las Vegas, on Sunday, Sept. 6th and Sept. 7th.

TUCSON, Ariz. June 23, 2009 — Ed McMahon, one of America’s best known television personalities and longtime anchor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, died today at age 86 in Los Angeles.

HOUSTON, June 22, 2009 — At a time when there seems to be no shortage of bad news, CITGO Petroleum Corporation has launched FuelingGood, a program dedicated to local heroes who do good work in their communities. Launched June 1 and extending through the end of the year, the promotion rewards CITGO gift cards to those people who do the most good.

TUCSON, Ariz., April 1, 2009 — The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) today announced the launch of a new initiative, MDA Venture Philanthropy (MVP), which will be a wholly owned subsidiary of MDA. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MVP will break with traditional philanthropy models for funding research by applying the tools of venture capital firms to fast track the development of new therapies and cures for muscular dystrophy and related diseases.

This mailing from the Muscular Dystrophy Association is small in size and in the number of elements it includes, but it sure packs a punch. The outer envelope is a mere 4-inches-by-7.25-inches but is high gloss, and glitzy. It’s a follow-up mailing sent to individuals who already have given to the organization’s 2006 telethon. The back of the outer shows a picture of — you guessed it — Jerry Lewis along with Luke Christie, a 13-year-old boy with spinal muscular atrophy. Behind the two is a backdrop of Broadway-esque glam in full-color, with yellow stars, blue spotlight trails and copy reading “It’s Not Too Late!”