The Inspiration Networks to Air Live 'Concert of Hope' on September 3 to Aid Victims of Katrina

The Inspiration Networks to Air Live 'Concert of Hope' on September 3 to Aid Victims of Katrina

Programming Pre-empted on Three Networks to Provide Awareness, Hope and Healing in Support of Their Relief Efforts

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Inspiration Networks today announced it will pre-empt regular programming across three of its cable networks the evening of Saturday, Sept. 3 to broadcast "A Concert of Hope," a live television event to generate critically needed relief supplies and hope for victims of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

The Inspiration Networks and Convoy of Hope have been on the scene in the impacted areas since Sunday, August 28. More than 30 truckloads of ice, water and food are already in the region or en route. The Inspiration Networks and Convoy of Hope are preparing for a response that will require hundreds of additional loads of supplies in the weeks ahead.

"In the face of Katrina's devastation -- which has reached biblical proportions across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama -- we wanted to mobilize all of our networks' resources in order to challenge and provide our viewers with a channel to reach out with compassion to the victims of this terrible tragedy," said David Cerullo, President and CEO of The Inspiration Networks. "We have a unique opportunity to minister the love of Christ to individuals whose lives have been completely destroyed. In the face of tremendous despair, we want to encourage and remind them that there is hope."

The three-hour telethon, to be broadcast across INSP, i-Lifetv and Inspiration Network International to 80 million households in 38 different nations, will be anchored by David and Barbara Cerullo, hosts of the daily "Inspiration Today" program. The telecast will feature musical performances by Christian artists and special messages from major Christian leaders, national ministries and political leaders.

Donations will be designated towards Convoy of Hope, (http://www.convoyofhope.org/ ), the humanitarian outreach of the ministry, which established distribution points in affected areas within hours of the disaster.

The Inspiration Networks is donating airtime and staff members are volunteering their own efforts towards this important project. In addition, INSP welcomes local volunteers to help staff the phone lines. "This is a moment for the church to stand up and be Christ's hands extended to others at this time of critical need," Mr. Cerullo concluded. Additional information on this event is available at http://www.insp.com/ .

The Inspiration Networks includes cable television networks INSP-The Inspiration Network, Inspirational Life Television (i-Lifetv), La Familia Cosmovision (LFC) and INI-Inspiration Network International. INSP is carried on more than 2,500 U.S. cable systems serving 22 million households.

For more than ten years, Convoy of Hope(TM), a nonprofit organization, has provided resources to organizations and churches to meet physical and spiritual needs for the purpose of making the community a better place. This is accomplished through domestic and international outreaches, supply lines, and disaster response.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Brown 972/267-1111-O 972/762-9696-M

Source: The Inspiration Networks

CONTACT: Mark Brown, +1-972-267-1111, or mobile, +1-972-762-9696, for The Inspiration Networks

Web site: http://www.insp.com/ http://www.convoyofhope.org/

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