America's Second Harvest to Benefit From 'Idol Gives Back' Fundraiser

America's Second Harvest to Benefit From 'Idol Gives Back' Fundraiser

Nation's Largest Hunger Relief Organization Reaches More Than 25 Million Americans

CHICAGO, April 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network has been chosen as one of four domestic charities that will benefit from "Idol Gives Back," a two-night "American Idol" fundraising special airing April 24 and 25 on FOX.

America's Second Harvest is the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, providing food and grocery products to more than 25 million Americans each year through a Network of more than 200 food banks and 50,000 agencies including soup kitchens, food pantries, emergency shelters and feeding programs for both children and seniors.

"We are extremely pleased to be one of the charities that will benefit from this important fundraiser," said Vicki Escarra, president and Chief Executive Officer of America's Second Harvest. "Not only will the funds we receive help our efforts to provide food to the more than nine million children who rely on our Network, but "Idol Gives Back" is also providing us with a wonderful platform to educate the American public about the pervasiveness of child hunger in our nation."

The fundraiser is under the auspices of The Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF), a new organization established to raise money and awareness for people living in poverty and at risk in the United States and throughout the world. They have partnered with FOX FremantleMedia North America, 19 Entertainment and "American Idol" to present "Idol Gives Back."

The two-night "American Idol" special will raise awareness and funds for organizations that provide relief programs to help young people in the United States and Africa. The funds raised by the event will benefit children and young people living in extreme poverty in the United States and Africa, with half of the funds dedicated to support programs in the United States and half dedicated to programs in Africa.

"I have always been passionate about the issue of eradicating poverty," said Richard Curtis, co-founder of the UK's Red Nose Day charity and renowned writer/director of such films as "Love Actually," "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

"American Idol is the perfect forum to help spread the word about such a noble cause and I am grateful to be working with them on this endeavor."

The CPEF Board will meet shortly after "Idol Gives Back" airs to conduct the first round of grant-making to the selected charities, with the aim of disbursing all grants by the end of 2007. Viewers will have the opportunity to learn about some of the programs they helped to fund through future "American Idol" shows and updates and reports from CPEF. Both the CPEF and "American Idol" web sites (http://www.cpefund.org/ and http://www.americanidol.com/idolgivesback) will also provide details and information to viewers about the progress achieved through Idol Gives Back fundraising efforts.

America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network http://www.secondharvest.org/

America's Second Harvest 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. Each year, the America's Second Harvest Network provides food assistance to more than 25 million people at risk of hunger in the United States, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. For more information, visit http://www.secondharvest.org/.

Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF) http://www.cpefund.org/

CPEF is a new charitable organization established to raise money and awareness to help combat extreme poverty in the U.S. and throughout the world, particularly in Africa. CPEF's mission is to use the power of entertainment to drive positive change to achieve its vision of creating a just world free from poverty. CPEF is inspired and supported by the UK charity that invented Red Nose Day.

Source: America's Second Harvest

CONTACT: Ross Fraser of America's Second Harvest, +1-312-641-6422

Web site:

http://www.secondharvest.org/
http://www.cpefund.org/

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