CMT JOINS FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER IN AMERICA
05/09/07
With Hunger Awareness Day one month away, Viacom’s country music media channel helps build greater awareness, encourage volunteerism as official cable media partner
CHICAGO, May 8, 2007 — America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network today announced Country Music Television (CMT) has signed on as the official cable media partner of Hunger Awareness Day 2007. The tremendous visibility and support provided though this partnership is expected to drive hundreds to action in local communities across America to combat one of the most solvable problems facing the United States. Themed “The Face of Hunger Will Surprise You,” the sixth annual Hunger Awareness Day is set for June 5.
“As we count down the final month to Hunger Awareness Day, we are truly grateful to have CMT as our media partner,” said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of the America's Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network. “One in ten people face hunger in this country and CMT’s commitment to help build awareness and encourage volunteerism sets a great example for how national media outlets can be a part of the solution to a hunger free America.”
Through CMT’s partnership with America’s Second Harvest, Hunger Awareness Day is being promoted on all of its media channels – cable, online, radio and print. Online banners and stories, radio spots on “Lon Helton’s Country USA Countdown,” on-air mentions during programming and screen crawls are just a few of the ways in which CMT is getting the word out about the surprising face of hunger in America and encouraging them to get involved by visiting CMTONECOUNTRY.com. The Web site has partnered with VolunteerMatch, a current online partner of the America’s Second Harvest Network, to drive website visitors to local volunteer opportunities.
More than 35 million people in the United States, including nearly 12 million children, are living on the brink of hunger, uncertain where their next meal will come from. Unfortunately, more and more America’s Second Harvest members are serving employed mothers and fathers whose monthly food stamps run out after two and a half weeks, children seeking an after-school meal to ensure they don’t go to bed hungry at night or a grandmother who must choose between dinner and medical care.
“Hunger is a problem that affects those in every community across the country” said Lucia Folk, director of public affairs, CMT. “CMT is honored be a media sponsor for Hunger Awareness Day, encouraging every American to make a difference by becoming a CMT One Country volunteer and finding philanthropic opportunities with organizations like America’s Second Harvest in their community.”
The Hunger Awareness Day partnership expands upon Second Harvest’s current relationship with CMT’s pro-social initiative, CMT One Country. CMT One Country was launched in the fall of 2005 to promote civic participation and inspire CMT viewers to take action and bring about important change in their communities. America’s Second Harvest is a CMT One Country partner. Led by Advisory Board members President Jimmy Carter, Maya Angelou and General Colin Powell, whose combined service to America is legendary, CMTONECOUNTRY.com aims to offer tools to help anyone start making a difference immediately.
For more information on Hunger Awareness Day or America’s Second Harvest-The Nation’s Food Bank Network, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
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CMT, America’s No. 1 country music network, carries original programming, specials, and live concerts and events, as well as a mix of videos by established country music artists and new cutting-edge acts, including world premiere exclusive videos. Founded March 6, 1983, CMT, owned and operated by MTV Networks, reaches 84 million households in the United States. Go to country music’s biggest web site at www.cmt.com.
America's Second Harvest–The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food-rescue organizations serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 25 million low-income hungry people in the United States, including 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors. For more on the America's Second Harvest Network, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
