Founder Of Reality Television, Mark Burnett, To Receive “Philanthropist of the Year” Award
May 12, 2004 - The Reality
Cares Foundation and The Giving Back Fund (www.realitycares.org),
an organization created to inspire a new spirit of philanthropy among
a younger group of television stars and viewers, today announced they
will be honoring Mark Burnett with the "Philanthropist of the Year" award
at the Kenneth Cole flagship store in Rockefeller Center on May 20, 2004;
In Touch Weekly will co-sponsor the event. Mark Burnett, the reality show
producer and mogul behind the mega-hits "Survivor," "The Apprentice" and
"The Restaurant" has raised more than $1 million for the Elizabeth Glaser
Pediatric AIDS Foundation. He is the first recipient of the award.
Ethan Zohn, winner of Survivor: Africa, will be presenting the award
to Burnett. Ethan is the co-founder of Grassroot Soccer, an international
AIDS awareness organization composed of former and current professional
soccer players who have played around the world including Zimbabwe. Additional
reality star attendees for the evening's event include Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth,
Ereka Vetrini, Heidi Bressler and Sam Solovey of "The Apprentice", Jenna
Morasca of "Survivor", Dr. Will Kirby of "Big Brother 2", Rachel Goetz
of "Average Joe", Joanne Newborn of "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?" and several
"Real World" cast members including Norman Korpi, Chris Beckman, Tonya
Cooley, Leah Gillingwater and Simon Sherry-Wood.
"Mark Burnett gave me the unique opportunity to compete in Survivor Africa
and in turn, I have been able to use the money I won to start my own foundation,
Grassroot Soccer," said Ethan Zohn, winner of Survivor Africa. "Creating
real happiness for others is truly the greatest gift - and it is the one
thing I can do by giving back and helping to save lives through Aids education
in Africa."
Ethan Zohn is a contestant for the "Twist" - the second million dollars
awarded by America's choice. If voted as America's choice, Ethan has promised
to divide the money equally into eighteen (18) parts and donate each sum
to each of the All Star's favorite charity.
"We cannot think of a more deserving person to receive our Philanthropist
of the Year award than Mark Burnett," said Todd Michael Krim, founder
of the Reality Cares Foundation. "We are deeply honored and grateful that
Mr. Burnett has agreed to participate in our event and accept his award
in-person."
"The Reality Cares Foundation is directing a powerful, positive message
to a younger generation in a way that stimulates the philanthropic spirit,"
said Marc Pollick, President and CEO of The Giving Back Fund, the event's
fiscal sponsor. "The enormous popularity of Reality Shows with the American
public affords a unique opportunity for its stars to leverage their celebrity
on behalf of the common good."
Event sponsors include: In Touch Weekly, Kenneth Cole, Orbitz, Paint
the Town Red, Buzz Marketing, 5W PR, The Advocate, Grey Goose Vodka, Chef
& Company, AM New York, Shecky's, B Productions, i.d. Talent Agency and
Silent Partners.
Hosted at the Kenneth Cole store in Rockefeller Center, tickets run $75
for general, $125 for VIP and $150 at the door, and include food, drinks
and music. Tickets can be purchased online at www.realitycares.org/burnettevent.html.
Proceeds from the Reality Cares Foundation's Tribute to Mark Burnett will
primarily support the Reality Cares Foundation in its early efforts to
advance philanthropy among reality television stars and their viewers;
an additional amount from the proceeds will support Zohn's Grassroot Soccer
(www.grassrootsoccer.org).
ABOUT REALITY CARES FOUNDATION
The Reality Cares Foundation was founded at The Giving Back Fund to help
change the face of philanthropy by leveraging the popularity of reality
television stars on behalf of the causes that matter most to them. Through
publicity-driven events such as "The Real Deal" Chicago and our upcoming
Kenneth Cole NYC event, Reality Cares strives to find vehicles for young
television stars and viewers to be involved in philanthropy. For more
information, please visit www.realitycares.org.
ABOUT THE GIVING BACK FUND
The Giving Back Fund is a national nonprofit organization with offices
in Boston and Los Angeles. GBF's strategic philanthropic consulting and
advisory services are designed to nurture the interests of a new group
of potential donors, professional athletes and entertainers, thereby increasing
and diversifying the philanthropic community. Donors with whom GBF has
worked include Doug Flutie, Jalen Rose, Elton Brand, Nancy Kerrigan, Britney
Spears, Coach John Thompson, Justin Timberlake and Magic Johnson, among
many others (www.givingback.org).
EVENT DETAILS
The Reality Cares Foundation Special Tribute to Mark Burnett
Thursday, May 20, 2004
7 PM to 10 PM
The Kenneth Cole Rockefeller Center Store
610 Fifth Avenue (49th St and 5th Avenue)
New York, NY
www.realitycares.org/burnettevent
Food, Drinks, Music & Shopping. Fashionable Attire.
ABOUT BUZZ MARKETING GROUP
Buzz MG serves as a liaison between youth and companies that target them.
Our proprietary peer-to-peer network of 9,000+ youth provides us with
a plethora of information and resources for targeting youth better. Our
unique group of youth consultants brings added value to every client we
serve. The foundation of Buzz MG has always been a research-based corporation,
and we utilize that knowledge to benefit all of our clients. For more
information on Buzz Marketing Group, visit the website at www.buzzmg.com.
CONTACT
Tina Wells
tina@buzzmg.com
tel: 646 792 2174