XM Radio and Jumpstart Challenge D.C. Residents to Help Deliver a New Book to More than 4,000 Underprivileged D.C. Preschoolers
XM Radio and Jumpstart Challenge D.C. Residents to Help Deliver a New Book to More than 4,000 Underprivileged D.C. Preschoolers
D.C.-Based XM Supports Nationwide Early Education Campaign to Get Thousands of Children to Read "The Story of Ferdinand" on September 20
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- D.C.-based XM Satellite Radio is challenging District residents and businesses to help provide books for 4,000 preschoolers in D.C.'s low-income communities.
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XM is partnering with Jumpstart, the national nonprofit organization that provides early education to at-risk children. XM and Jumpstart are seeking donations to purchase copies of the children's book The Story of Ferdinand to be distributed to D.C. preschools.
You can visit www.xmradio.com/jumpstart to make a donation towards the purchase of a book to be delivered to children locally. The Web site also lets children and parents listen to The Story of Ferdinand as read by poet Dr. Maya Angelou, singer-actress Mandy Moore, Indy racecar driver Danica Patrick and XM public radio icon Bob Edwards.
XM has donated 2,000 books to meet this challenge, and is encouraging local residents and businesses, along with XM employees and subscribers, to donate copies of the book. The project is being coordinated by Jumpstart and XM Empowers, the company's corporate giving and community outreach program.
In addition to the local book drive, XM is working with nonprofit Jumpstart on its Read for the Record campaign, a nationwide effort to address the gap in early childhood education. Jumpstart's Read for the Record will take place nationwide on September 20 when hundreds of thousands of children and adults will all read the same book on the same day. The D.C. event will take place at the Smithsonian's Discovery Theater and feature an appearance from U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), among others. Joe Madison, on-air host of XM's The Power (XM Channel 169), will read The Story of Ferdinand to children in attendance.
Jumpstart's year-long mentoring program works to bridge the gap that exists in early childhood education. Approximately one-third of American children enter school unprepared to succeed, with low-income children being particularly at-risk due to lack of one-to-one reading activities.
"XM is proud to join Jumpstart's Read for the Record to help combat the early education gap, particularly among children within the District," said Chance Patterson, VP of corporate affairs, XM Satellite Radio. "XM is committed to improving the quality of life in our community, which is why we set the goal to get a book in the hands of preschoolers that need one most."
Other XM programming dedicated to early education includes: -- Thursday, September 13 at 4 p.m. ET on Take Five (XM 155) -- Rob Zeaske, senior vice president of external relations for Jumpstart, and Mark Nieker, president of the Pearson Foundation, will join XM host and New York Times correspondent Lisa Belkin for a discussion on volunteerism on "Life's Work." -- Saturday, September 15 at 4 p.m. ET on Take Five (XM 155) -- Kim Davenport, senior vice president of education for Jumpstart, and Brenna Hagen, Corps member for Jumpstart, will discuss The Story of Ferdinand on "Fiction Nation," the weekly show hosted by Kim Alexander. -- Sunday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET on XMKiDS (XM 116) -- Mandy Moore can be heard reading The Story of Ferdinand on "Talespinners," the children's show that features celebrities narrating their favorite classic tales. -- Monday, September 17 at 4 p.m. ET on Take Five (XM 155) -- XM on-air host and journalist Judith Warner will talk to Dr. Susan Neuman, Jumpstart board member and professor at the University of Michigan School of Education, about the early education gap on "The Judith Warner Show." About XM Empowers
XM Empowers is a comprehensive corporate giving and community outreach campaign. As part of our commitment to good corporate citizenship, XM is dedicated to supporting improving the quality of life across the XM Nation. To accomplish this mission, we support innovative organizations that have demonstrated, high-impact results in the following areas: Music, Education and Literacy, and Local Organizations in the DC Area.
About Jumpstart's Read for the Record
Jumpstart's Read for the Record is a national campaign to encourage hundreds of thousands of children and adults to read the same book, The Story of Ferdinand, on the same day, September 20, 2007. The expansive shared reading experience will raise public awareness about the early education gap that exists between income levels, as well as raise money to support Jumpstart's national early education programs, which benefit children from low-income communities across 20 states.
Jumpstart's longstanding relationships with its national multi-year partners are a key component of its ongoing efforts to help at-risk children develop their language, literacy, and social skills in preparation for kindergarten -- support of the 2007 campaign by three of these partners, American Eagle Outfitters, Pearson, and Sodexho, is just one of many ways in which these corporations make Jumpstart's work possible. Jumpstart's Read for the Record is further supported by its campaign sponsors: Hanna Andersson, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, NBC, Penguin Young Readers Group (publisher of the custom limited edition of The Story of Ferdinand), Toys "R" Us, and XM Satellite Radio.
About XM
XM (NASDAQ:XMSR) is America's number one satellite radio company with more than 8.2 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2007 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: commercial-free music, premier sports, news, talk radio, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota, is available in 140 different vehicle models for 2007. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com/.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this press release include demand for XM Satellite Radio's service, the Company's dependence on technology and third party vendors, its potential need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 3-1-07. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department. All programming subject to change.
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Source: XM
CONTACT: Marie Farrar of XM Satellite Radio, +1-202-380-4151,
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Web site: http://www.xmradio.com/
http://www.xmradio.com/jumpstart
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