The Beyonce Experience Tour Offers Food Drives in Five Cities in Conjunction With Pastor Rudy Rasmus, America's Second Harvest and the Survivor Foundation

The Beyonce Experience Tour Offers Food Drives in Five Cities in Conjunction With Pastor Rudy Rasmus, America's Second Harvest and the Survivor Foundation

Food Drives Held prior to Beyonce's Concerts

HOUSTON, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Singer, songwriter and actress Beyonce has teamed up with her minister and friend Pastor Rudy Rasmus and America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network to sponsor pre- concert food donation drives in Houston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles as part of her Beyonce Experience Tour.

(Photo:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070809/DCTH027 )

The first 1,000 fans in each of the five cities to drop off non-perishable food items receive an autographed photo of Beyonce. Ticket holders that bring items as they enter the venues will be given a raffle ticket for a chance to have their seats upgraded.

Beyonce says, "Hunger affects every community in the United States. So I'm using my Tour and Survivor Foundation to bring attention to domestic hunger. I'm joining forces with Pastor Rudy and America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network to fight hunger."

Statistics show that hunger hits families where both parents are working but struggle to make ends meet; hunger affects seniors who find themselves with limited access to transportation and food; and hunger affects more than 12 million children who may not know where they will find their next meal.

Beyonce grew up attending St. John's Church with Pastor Rudy, where she learned at a young age the importance of reaching out and helping those who are less fortunate. It's that upbringing that spurred the birth of her Survivor Foundation.

Pastor Rudy is an urban prophet. He is the author of a new book titled "Touch: The Power of Touch in Transforming Lives" which profiles his unique brand of faith sharing and radical hospitality and a new music project (the book's sound track) titled "The Pastor Rudy Experience." "I am committed to touching and changing the world... one life at time," Pastor Rudy says.

"Reaching out and touching lives is incredibly empowering. That's why I want my fans to experience more than my music this summer. I want them to experience the joy of making a difference by helping someone else," said Beyonce.

More than 35 million Americans are struggling with limited access to food, and the problem of hunger in the United States is growing.

Any help -- donating time, money or food -- will make an enormous difference. You can find out more at http://www.beyonce.com/, http://www.survivorfoundationofhouston.org/, http://www.spiritrisingmusic.com/, or http://www.secondharvest.org/.

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 hungry people in the United States, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. For more on the America's Second Harvest Network, please visit http://www.secondharvest.org/.

Photo: NewsCom:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070809/DCTH027
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: America's Second Harvest

CONTACT: Priscilla Clarke of America's Second Harvest, +1-202-723-2200,
Cell: +1-240-476-9643, pclarkepr@aol.com

Web site: http://www.beyonce.com/,
http://www.survivorfoundationofhouston.org/
http://www.spiritrisingmusic.com/
http://www.secondharvest.org/

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