Roosevelt used his position as president to appeal to the public for help. In his addresses, he was sure to mention the importance of fighting polio. Celebrity singer Eddie Cantor jokingly urged people to send dimes to the president to help him with the cause. The public took Cantor’s and Roosevelt’s words seriously and began to pledge their support. Despite the ongoing depression, more than 2.68 million dimes were sent to the White House. The estimated $270,000 would be worth nearly $5 million today. This deluge of dimes lead to the NFIP’s new name, and how we know it today, the March of Dimes.
Why Is FDR On the Dime? | Passport Health Travel Clinics














