MUSIC ICON REBA JOINS THE FIGHT TO “OUTNUMBER HUNGER”   Big Machine Label Group, General Mills and Feeding America kick off year four of campaign aimed at fighting hunger in America Photo Courtesy of Big Machine Label Group Nashville, TN  – Big Machine Label Group, General Mills and Feeding America® today announced the launch of its fourth annual Outnumber Hunger campaign, which has helped secure more than 35 million meals to people facing hunger in America. This spring, superstar entertainer Reba will be the face of the initiative to help raise awareness of the 49 million individuals struggling with hunger in America and will kick off the campaign with a special concert event, “Reba and Friends Outnumber Hunger,” featuring songs from her forthcoming album LOVE SOMEBODY. “I was raised to treat others with compassion. Knowing that one in six Americans struggle with hunger means my fans and people I see every day need help,” said Reba. “The Outnumber Hunger campaign is such a simple way to help your neighbors, so how could you not? I’m so proud to lead the charge with Big Machine Label Group, General Mills and Feeding America.” Starting in April, Reba and other talented BMLG artists will be featured on more than 60 million General Mills packages, including Cheerios, Pillsbury, Yoplait and Nature Valley. Through Jan. 31, 2016, individuals can help Feeding America secure five meals for their local food bank, for each General Mills product code entered at OutnumberHunger.com. “As a leading food company in the United States, we have a responsibility to do what we can to support the one in six Americans who may not know where their next meal is going to come from,” said Shawn O’Grady, senior vice president, General Mills.  “We are excited to partner with Reba, Big Machine Label Group and Feeding America to bring attention to the issue of hunger in America and provide meals to those who turn to their local food bank for help.” General Mills is a Feeding America Leadership Partner and has worked with its network of food banks for more than 30 years. Over the last ten years, General Mills has donated nearly 230 million pounds of food to Feeding America. “Many people do not know that hunger exists in America, but there are people struggling with hunger in every single county in our country. Food insecure people do not have regular access to enough food for a healthy, active life. These families, employees, veterans and seniors are the people Feeding America serves. Programs like Outnumber Hunger are shining a light on this issue and giving us the support we need to serve people in need in communities across the country,” said Bob Aiken, CEO, Feeding America. In conjunction with the 2015 program launch, Reba will headline a special “Reba and Friends Outnumber Hunger” concert event with music from her new album LOVE SOMEBODY, due out April 14 on Nash Icon Records and marking her first new music in five years. Music fans nationwide can experience the concert—which also includes performances by Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Florida Georgia Line, Eli Young Band and Maddie & Tae—beginning with televised broadcasts on local Gannett affiliates starting April 17. The concert will also air April 18 on CMT, as well as through an exclusive radio broadcast featured on iHeartMedia Country stations across the nation and via the iHeartRadio app. Visit OutnumberHunger.com for local listings. “The Big Machine Label Group and our artists are honored to join General Mills and Feeding America for the fourth year of the Outnumber Hunger campaign,” said Scott Borchetta, president & CEO, BMLG. “We are passionate about fighting hunger across the U.S. and making a difference in the lives of the 49 million people who struggle with getting access to enough food.” For more information and to enter codes visit OutnumberHunger.com. # # #    About Big Machine Label Group The Big Machine Label Group is led by President and CEO Scott Borchetta and encompasses Big Machine Records, The Valory Music Co., Republic Nashville, Dot Records, NASH Icon Records and publishing company Big Machine Music. BMLG’s current artist roster includes superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Reba, The Band Perry, Florida Georgia Line, Martina McBride and Ronnie Dunn; chart-topping acts Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, Thomas Rhett and Eli Young Band; legendary group The Mavericks as well as hot newcomers Maddie & Tae, Cassadee Pope, RaeLynn, The Cadillac Three, Danielle Bradbery, Laura Bell Bundy, Lauren Jenkins, A Thousand Horses, Levi Hummon, Drake White and Seth Alley, in addition to a Country tribute to rockers Mötley Crüe, soundtracks for ABC’s hit drama “NASHVILLE,” and the soundtrack for Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me. BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, American Music Awards, CMT Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and People’s Choice Awards accolades as well as Oscar, Brit Award and JUNO Award nominations. In 2012 BMLG rejuvenated its publishing arm with Big Machine Music, which has created a joint venture with Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald’s Prescription Songs, allowing the two companies to co-publish songwriters and artists whose unique talents translate across genres. Big Machine was also the first-ever label to align with terrestrial radio for performance royalty rights. BMLG continues to have a strong presence in auto racing as the secondary sponsor of NASCAR's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, powered by BigMachineRecords.com as well as the 2014 12 Hours of Sebring winner Marino Franchitti and back to back Indy 500 wins with Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti in 2011 & 2012, respectively. Current Big Machine racing drivers also include 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan and 2013 Indy Light champion Sage Karam. www.bigmachinelabelgroup.com.   About General Mills  General Mills is one of the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Häägen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2014 worldwide sales of US $17.9 billion.   About Feeding America  Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate.  Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

 

 

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE HELPS FIGHT HUNGER NATIONWIDE

Record-breaking duo joins General Mills, Big Machine Label Group and Feeding America to launch third Outnumber Hunger™ campaign supporting local food banks

 

NASHVILLE, TN  – General Mills today announced the launch of its third annual Outnumber Hunger campaign, which has provided more than 25 million meals to Americans in need as part of a partnership with Feeding America and Big Machine Label Group. Each year a talented roster of popular music artists join the initiative to raise awareness for the hunger issue, which affects 49 million Americas, according to the USDA. The Outnumber Hunger campaign officially kicks off today with Country sensation Florida Georgia Line as the face of the 2014 campaign.

 

"Through our experiences with Outnumber Hunger, we have learned the far reach of hunger in America, affecting people from all different backgrounds," said Tyler Hubbard, the Georgia half of Florida Georgia Line. "This year, we're proud to take an even bigger role in the fight against hunger and rally the nation to help those in need."   

Florida Georgia Line and additional Big Machine Label Group artists will be featured on boxes for more than 90 popular General Mills' products, from Cheerios and Betty Crocker to Yoplait and Nature Valley. By entering a code from these specially marked boxes online, Americans can help Feeding America secure five meals on behalf of a local food bank based upon the ZIP code entered.

"Our artists are proud to raise their voices with General Mills and Feeding America to highlight the troubling hunger issues that so many Americans face day-to-day," said Scott Borchetta, president and CEO of Big Machine Label Group. "This powerful group of partners is using its collective voice to rally Americans and help the 49 million people across our country who struggle with hunger."

For every code entered by Jan. 31, 2015 at outnumberhunger.com, General Mills will donate 55.5 cents to Feeding America, with a maximum total donation of $1.2 million. General Mills has already donated $600,000 and will donate up to an additional $600,000 based on online code entry.

Outnumber Hunger's 2014 campaign is marked with a special live concert on Friday, April 4, at The LINQ in Las Vegas, featuring reigning ACM New Artist of the Year Florida Georgia Line, Superstar group Rascal Flatts, ACM New Artist nominee Justin Moore and hot newcomers Thomas Rhett, The Cadillac Three, Cassadee Pope and Danielle Bradbery.  Outnumber Hunger Live! is part of The Academy of Country Music's ACM EXPERIENCE, a three-day music event leading up to the 49th Annual ACM Awards on April 6. Concert attendees will have the opportunity to help Feeding America secure meals through special on-site activities.

"Innovative programs like Outnumber Hunger help us provide critical support nationwide to our neighbors and community members, in our work to solve hunger in America," said Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief organization.

Outnumber Hunger comes as part of a more than 30-year relationship between General Mills and Feeding America's network of food banks.

"For us, the decision to confront the hunger epidemic in America is a simple one," said Cheryl Welch, director, Outnumber Hunger at General Mills. "As a leading food company in the United States, we feel a responsibility to help address the issue and give people an easy way to support the one in six Americans struggling with hunger." 

About General Mills 
General Mills is one the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2013 worldwide sales of US $17.8 billion.

About Big Machine Label Group
At the helm of the independent Big Machine Label Group is industry veteran Scott Borchetta, who serves as President and CEO. The conglomerate encompasses Big Machine Records (founded in 2005), The Valory Music Co. (founded in 2007) and Republic Nashville (a partnership with Universal Republic founded in 2009 with Jimmy Harnen serving as President). The Big Machine Label Group's current artist roster includes Multi-Platinum superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Reba; Platinum sensations The Band Perry and Florida Georgia Line; Legendary group The Mavericks; Gold-selling artistsBrantley Gilbert and Justin Moore; Chart-topping act Eli Young Band as well as Hot newcomers Thomas Rhett, Cassadee Pope, RaeLynn, Laura Bell Bundy, The Cadillac Three and Danielle Bradbery, in addition to a Country tribute to Well-known rockers Motley Crue and soundtracks for ABC's hit drama "NASHVILLE." BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, American Music Awards, CMT Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Award and People's Choice Award accolades as well as Brit Award and JUNO Award nominations. In 2012 BMLG rejuvenated its publishing arm with Big Machine Music, which has created a joint venture with Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald's Prescription Songs, allowing the two companies to co-publish songwriters and artists whose unique talents translate across genres. Big Machine was also the first-ever label to align with terrestrial radio for performance royalty rights. The label group has also forayed into the racing world, sponsoring the Brickyard 400 as well as back-to-back Indy500 drivers.

About Feeding America 
Feeding America is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 37 million people through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit feedingamerica.org/. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.