Fill the Boot Drive During National Boot Day, the MDA partners with the
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) to launch Fill the Boot fundraising events. These events help support research, care, and advocacy for families affected by muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases in the United States. The partnership between MDA and IAFF dates back to 1954, with IAFF designating MDA as its charity of choice. Firefighters across the country have raised $690 million over nearly seven decades, leading to breakthroughs in research, FDA-approved treatments, and advocacy efforts such as access to care and newborn screening. MDA's annual payments to IAFF, which ranged from $980,000 to $1.4 million between 2015 and 2020 according to U.S. Department of Labor filings, received some scrutiny for their size relative to the charity's expenditures.
Telethon Debuting in 1966 and held annually on Labor Day weekend until 2014, the telethon was originally hosted by veteran film star, comedian and singer
Jerry Lewis, who also served as the MDA's national chairman since its inception in 1950 and hosted the show until 2010. In 2005, the MDA made the unprecedented decision to pledge $1 million of the telethon's money raised to
Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, making the donation specifically to the
Salvation Army (though the telethon also urged viewers to give to the
American Red Cross). In 2008, the annual televised fundraiser raised a record $65,031,393. Originally broadcast for up to 21½ hours from 1966 to 2010, the event was cut back to six hours in 2011. The 2011 edition of the telethon was originally announced to have been Lewis' last as host, with him continuing his role as national chairman; however, on August 3, 2011, the MDA announced that Lewis resigned as host and chairman, due to circumstances not revealed. However, in 2016, one year before his death, Lewis broke a five-year silence in a video endorsing MDA's redesigned web site and brand, declaring that the work to end muscular dystrophy be continued. Additionally, Lewis' support was so ironclad over the years that children and adults assisted by MDA are referred to as ''Jerry's Kids
. From 2012 to 2014, the show was known as the MDA Show of Strength''. In early 2015, the organization announced it was discontinuing the show. On September 9, 2020, MDA executives announced plans to relaunch their annual MDA telethon with a new host, comedian
Kevin Hart. Entitled
The MDA Kevin Hart Kids Telethon, the new two-hour telethon was seen exclusively through participating
social media platforms; the event was broadcast October 24, 2020, at 8 p.m. EDT. The special was a dual-charity event, with proceeds going towards both MDA and "Help From The Hart", an organization founded by the aforementioned new host of the program. Hart's charity announced that it will use its portion of funds raised to "support education, health, and social needs programs targeting underserved communities and servicing youth through education scholarships." The telethon was accompanied by a 10-hour
Let's Play livestream, called Let's Play For A Cure, which featured
DJ and producer
Zedd, gaming personality
missharvey and
esports athletes. The live stream was part of a week-long "streamathon", which featured esports stars playing games including
League of Legends,
Rocket League,
Fortnite,
Call of Duty and
Fall Guys. Following the Kevin Hart Kids Telethon was MDA's 70th Anniversary Show, hosted by entertainment TV
journalists
Nancy O'Dell and
Jann Carl.
Quest Media MDA publishes a quarterly magazine, Quest, catering to people with neuromuscular diseases and their caretakers. Mindy Henderson, diagnosed with type 2 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and a patient advocate, is the editor-in-chief as of 2023 and MDA’s Vice President of Disability Outreach & Empowerment. The magazine, with a circulation of around 100,000, extends its reach through distribution at neurologists' offices and the MDA's network of 150 care centers across the country. Besides focusing on science and research, Quest's coverage includes adaptive lifestyles, travel, medical equipment, accessible fashion, employment, and media representation.
MDA Summer Camp Every summer, for one week, thousands of children from across the country who have been diagnosed with neuromuscular diseases are able to attend a camp designated for only them. MDA Summer Camp offers children and young adults the opportunity to participate in recreational activities that foster independence, self-confidence, skill development, and friendships. There is a one counselor to one camper ratio and the entire week the children, ages 8–17, are paired with an adult volunteer. They participate in activities and games and stay overnight. The camps are set up locally and are different weeks throughout May through August. The entire camp staff are volunteer members and are required to interview and apply with good recommendations. The camp is offered at no cost to campers and their families; the cost of the camp for the campers and volunteers is covered by the many fundraisers the MDA does each year.
Muscle Walk Started in 2010, the
MDA Muscle Walk is an annual 1 to 3.1-mile lap event held in over 150 communities across the United States to raise money for research and patient services. In 2022, MDA resumed in-person Muscle Walks in numerous locations, including Phoenix, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Boston, Twin Cities, Houston, and Dallas, while continuing to offer a virtual Muscle Walk option to enhance participation flexibility.
Shamrocks retail fundraising campaign Throughout February and March, retailers across the US contributed to the MDA Shamrocks campaign, the largest
St. Patrick's Day fundraising initiative in the country. They provide customers with the opportunity to either round up their purchases or donate a specific amount, such as $1, $3, or $5. Customers can write their names on paper shamrocks, which are then displayed in stores to show support for MDA's mission to empower people with neuromuscular diseases to lead longer, more independent lives.
Care Center Network MDA's Care Center Network is recognized as the largest network of multidisciplinary clinics specializing in neuromuscular diseases in the United States, with over 150 clinics distributed throughout the country. In addition to offering specialized care, these centers are also active sites of research. In 2023, MDA expanded its Resource Center by launching the Gene Therapy Support Network. This network provides resources and guidance about approved gene therapies for people living with neuromuscular diseases, aiming to help the community navigate the complexities of emerging gene therapies. Clinical networking through the MDA Care Center Network contributes additional support by facilitating best practice sharing between different care centers. == Diseases targeted ==