wfn.org | Lou Rawls Featured in New Church World Service PSAs

["Lesley Crosson" <lcrosson@churchworldservice.org>]

Lou Rawls Featured in New Church World Service Public Service Announcements

NEW YORK, Dec. 22 -- Church World Service will unveil a series of public
service announcements featuring singer Lou Rawls.  The spots are designed
to encourage people to give generously to help victims of disasters in the
United States and globally.

The 30- and 60-second spots are scheduled to run nationally on radio and
television by the end of the year.  They are part of Church World
Service's ongoing campaign to remind current donors and potential new
donors that the agency's work of disaster relief and recovery is a
continuing task in a world where devastating hurricanes, earthquakes,
tsunamis and other disasters can turn people's lives upside down in a
moment.

"We are honored to have a spokesperson who shares so deeply our commitment
to reaching out with care and compassion to people in crisis" said the
Rev. John McCullough, executive director and chief executive officer of
Church World Service CWS).

"It is a measure of his own courage and his commitment to working to help
people who have had their lives changed suddenly by disaster that Mr.
Rawls enthusiastically recorded these appeals for us, even as his own life
is being changed by illness."

It was recently announced that Rawls is being treated for cancer.

McCullough added that he and the people of Church World Service are
holding Rawls "close in our prayers" and asked that others include Rawls
in their prayers as he goes through this difficult time.

The public service announcements featuring the popular singer begin with
images of disaster and later show scenes of recovery, with Rawls reminding
people that Church World Service "helps people to put their lives back
together."  The agency is leading recovery efforts in Indonesia, where one
year ago a tsunami devastated large portions of the region, and in
Pakistan where more than 1.5 million people lost their homes in the
October earthquake.

Church World Service is the relief, development end refugee assistance
agency of 35 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations in the United
States.  With more than 60 years experience in disaster relief, Church
World Service is one of the first agencies called in times of national
disaster.  The agency focuses on establishing and working with community-level long-term recovery organizations to assist vulnerable persons and
communities.

Within the United States, in addition to helping communities respond to
disasters Church World Service resettles refugees, promotes fair national
and international policies, provides educational resources, and offers
opportunities to join a people-to-people network of local and global
caring through participation in CROP WALKS, the TOOLS & BLANKETS Program,
and the "Gift of the Heart" Kit Program.  In addition, the Church World
Service website offers information,interactive games, and alternative
giving opportunities--at www.churchworldservice.org or www.buildavillage.org.

Worldwide, CWS works in partnership with indigenous organizations in some
80 countries, to eradicate poverty and help people and communities become
self-sustaining.

Audio and video copies of the public service announcements will be
distributed to media outlets across the country for initial airing right
after the Christmas holiday.

Media Contacts
Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin - 24/7 - (781) 925-1526, jdragin

Lesley Crosson
Media Relations Officer
Church World Service
(212) 870-2676