CMT ONE COUNTRY REPLACES GIFT BAGS WITH SCHOOL BAGS AT THE “2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS”
06/09/09
Donation to Feeding America Will Feed 130 Children In Middle Tennessee During the 2009-2010 School Year
NASHVILLE – June 9, 2009 – In lieu of the traditional artist gift bags given to celebrities, the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS will be gifting a $20,000 donation to the local affiliate of CMT ONE COUNTRY non-profit partner, Feeding America. With this donation, CMT ONE COUNTRY will be providing meals for 130 school aged children during the entire 2009-2010 school year through the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee’s BackPack Program. In addition, first time 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS sponsor, Sears, along with Land’s End, donated backpacks that will serve as visual representations of this donation which artists will be asked to autograph for a future CMT ONE COUNTRY online auction.
“CMT ONE COUNTRY is thrilled to participate in the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS by honoring the artists with a donation on their behalf to the Second Harvest Foodbank of Middle Tennessee,” says Lucia Folk, director of public affairs, CMT. “Taking something that is normally an extravagant gift and turning it into one that makes a direct impact to people in need is what CMT ONE COUNTRY is all about, especially in these tight economic times.”
“CMT has been a great supporter of Feeding America for the past several years,” said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America. “We deeply appreciate this latest and very thoughtful donation to us. Schools are out for the summer now, meaning that millions of kids no longer get free or reduced price lunches during the day – so we need lots of help getting enough food to help all these children at risk of hunger.”
“One in five children in Tennessee are at risk of hunger,” said Jaynee Day, President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. “CMT ONE COUNTRY’s continued support of Second Harvest Food Bank and Feeding America makes a tremendous impact in the lives of hungry men, women and children in our community and across America. This donation will help feed at risk children through our BackPack program as we continue to address childhood hunger in our community.”
The mission of the BackPack program is to meet the needs of chronically hungry children by providing them with nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to take home on weekends and school vacations when other resources are not available. Second Harvest BackPack programs are located at schools and after school programs that have a high incidence of children in need. Each BackPack site distributes a pack of food to each participating child on Fridays. Each BackPack includes small pop top entrees, such as beans and franks and chili, cereal, applesauce, a fruit cup, 100% fruit juice, shelf stable chocolate milk, and snacks, such as peanut butter crackers.
Hosted by actor/comedian Bill Engvall, the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS premiere on Tuesday, June 16 at 8:00 p.m, ET/PT.* and include performances by Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and British rockers Def Leppard. Fans can now vote online at CMT.com through Sunday, June 14 to determine the night’s winners. The final nominees for VIDEO OF THE YEAR will be announced at the beginning of the live show and fans can vote at CMT.com and via text on their Verizon Wireless phones throughout the live broadcast (ET/CT only) to determine the night’s big winner.
Visit CMT's press-only web site www.cmtmusicawardspress.com for more information about the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS and media credentialing
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit www.feedingamerica.org.
CMT, a unit of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 88 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.
CMT One Country, CMT's pro-social initiative, 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. CMT One Country partners include Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest), Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Habitat for Humanity, Hands On Network and the USO (United Service Organizations), along with new partner Children’s Miracle Network. 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 visit CMTONECOUNTRY.com.
*EDITORS: The 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS will premiere LIVE on Tuesday, June 16 at 8:00 PM, Eastern and 7:00 PM, Central; and at 9:00 PM, Mountain and 8:00 PM, Pacific (tape delayed).
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PRESS CONTACT:
Natasha Powell 615.335.8412 natasha.powell@cmt.com
