CMT News

NASHVILLE -- June 7, 2010 -- Furthering CMT's commitment to the Nashville community after the recent flooding, the network will use its biggest show of the year, the 2010 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, as a platform for helping those affected in Tennessee. CMT will be making a $40,000 donation to the local affiliate of CMT ONE COUNTRY non-profit partner, Feeding America, to assist children who suffer hunger insecurity. The donation will provide 160,000 meals for over 400 school-aged children during the entire 2010-2011 school year through the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee's BackPack Program, which will in turn help children whose families' have been affected by the recent flood.

This donation will be in lieu of celebrity gift bags, a long-time tradition of award shows. Superstar Trisha Yearwood, who is a presenter at the ninth-annual awards show, will serve as a spokesperson for this initiative on the 2010 CMT MUSIC AWARDS red carpet as well as at an event marking this donation on Thursday, June 10.

"I am proud of CMT for coming up with a wonderful way to contribute to the Nashville community of flood victims," said Yearwood. "Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee does so much to help our community on a daily basis. It's a great partnership and I'm honored to be a part of it."

"Nashville is home to CMT and through CMT ONE COUNTRY, we are fortunate to be able to honor the artists who treasure this community with this donation to the Second Harvest Foodbank of Middle Tennessee," says Lucia Folk, senior director of public affairs, CMT. "Recovering from the recent floods is something that has hit close to home for the country music industry and we hope that our contribution can help the ongoing rebuilding efforts."

"We have distributed more than 450,000 meals since the flooding recovery began in Middle Tennessee," said Jaynee Day, President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. "Because of this increased demand, continued support like that of CMT ONE COUNTRY's is critical to fulfill our mission. This donation will help feed at risk children through our BackPack program as we continue to address childhood hunger in our community."

CMT ONE COUNTRY will present this donation, along with backpacks signed by celebrities from the CMT AWARDS for auction, to the Second Harvest Foodbank of Middle Tennessee at an event on Thursday, June 10 attended by presenters Trisha Yearwood and Paula Deen. Since 2008, CMT ONE COUNTRY has donated over $170,000 to charities in honor of the CMT MUSIC AWARDS.

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.