Local Evansville Woman to Appear on MONTEL for Making a Difference in the Community

Local Evansville Woman to Appear on MONTEL for Making a Difference in the Community

National Specialty Apparel Retailer Honors Evansville's Kathryn Martin with a $20,000 Charitable Grant on MONTEL Airing February 22nd

EVANSVILLE, Ind., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Charming Shoppes, Inc., a leading multi-channel specialty apparel retailer and parent company of Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines Plus Sizes, and Petite Sophisticate, is proud to honor Kathryn Martin of Evansville, Indiana for her efforts in serving her community. Ms. Martin is one of five finalists who are eligible to receive a $20,000 charitable grant to be used towards her organization, The CJ's Bus Foundation, from Charming Shoppes' Voices. One voice can lead to a chorus for change.(R) Campaign. Ms. Martin will also receive a "Dream Come True" vacation for four to Walt Disney World(R) Resort during the Year of a Million Dreams celebration. Finalists will be featured on MONTEL on Friday, February 22nd, 2008 during the one-hour Voices Winner's Finale.

"I am honored and humbled to be recognized by the Charming Shoppes' Voices Campaign," said Martin. "I was in shock initially when I got the call because I saw the show on MONTEL last year and never imagined in a million years that I would be one of the five finalists."

Voices is an annual campaign sponsored by Charming Shoppes that honors women across America for their passion, leadership and achievements as everyday women who raise their voice to create positive change. Martin was selected from thousands of women from across the country who were nominated with essays describing the difference they have made in their communities. This year's nominations recognized women championing causes from natural disaster relief and medical research, to working with seniors and disabled persons.

Kathryn Martin's organization, The CJ's Bus Foundation (www.CJsBus.org), is a non-profit organization that provides a safe, mobile childcare facility in the immediate aftermath of disasters. In 2005, an F3 tornado destroyed Martin's community and took the lives of her son, mother and grandmother, along with another 22 people in Southwestern Indiana. This inspired Martin to found CJ's Bus, devoting herself to raising funds for its creation and operation. Martin proudly unveiled CJ's Bus on August 11, 2007 and the bus was deployed on October 21, 2007 in response to an EF-2 tornado in Western Kentucky to provide support and disaster relief to local families.

"We are honored to recognize women such as Kathryn Martin, who demonstrate their abilities and capacity to give back to their communities for the better," says Dorrit Bern, CEO of Charming Shoppes, Inc. "Ms. Martin serves as an inspiration to women across the country by showing them that one voice can make a difference."

Charming Shoppes, Inc. is a leading multi-channel specialty apparel retailer.

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines Plus Sizes, and Petite Sophisticate,

provide plus-size and petite women with the latest in apparel, accessories,

shoes and intimate apparel. For more information about Voices, visit

www.charmingshoppes.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Charming Shoppes, Inc.

CONTACT: Kim Hong, Publicist, Charming Shoppes, Inc., +1-212-279-2183

Web site:

http://www.charmingshoppes.com/
http://www.cjsbus.org/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Please contact Kim Hong at kim.hong@charming.com for Hi-Res photo of Kathryn Martin

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