Press release from WhyHunger.....

February 4, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Abbott (678) 883-6510
Sue Leventhal, WhyHunger (212) 629-3224

JIM ABBOTT WALK ACROSS AMERICA

WhyHunger and Jim Abbott are pleased to announce a grand adventure that aims to both commemorate the life and legacy of WhyHunger co-founder Harry Chapin on this, the 30th anniversary of his death, and to also raise money for the charity to further their mission of connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment.
Toward that end, Mr. Abbott, a lifelong fan of Harry’s music who was fortunate enough to have seen Harry perform half a dozen times, (all benefits, it should be known) will set out from the east coast of the United States, on or about March 15th. He will walk approximately 3000 miles westward, ending up at the Pacific Ocean, if all goes as planned, on July 16, the exact date of Harry’s passing. His goal: to raise $30,000 dollars through donations, from everyday Americans.
In explaining his mission Jim Abbott recalled that in President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address last week, the President told the nation that America is great because we aim high and “do big things.” “Harry Chapin used to say, ‘Do something’.” Jim is pleased to announce something BIG that he is doing and issues a personal challenge to other Chapin fans. “Do something”, said Abbott. “Remember Harry Chapin and do something that helps feed those of our neighbors who are in need. Help me by donating money to WhyHunger in Harry’s name. Raise money for a local food bank. Walk with me. The boundaries of your imagination are the only limits.”
According to Abbott, “In these times of economic turmoil, too many people go to bed hungry each night, and as Harry used to say, in a world with enough food to feed every single person on the planet three times over, that is a crime. If Chapin fans each gave a nickel for every time they have sang along with Cat’s in the Cradle, or Circle, or Taxi, we could raise a lot of money for WhyHunger.
So to quote Bruce Springsteen at the tribute concert to Harry that was held at Carnegie Hall in 1987: “Do something, and may his song be sung.”
Follow Jim on his walk at his blog created especially for this occasion: http://walktofighthunger.blogspot.com/
About Jim Abbott: Jim hails from upstate New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley. He is a writer, musician, and former teacher, among other endeavors, and is currently a small business owner in Jackson, Georgia, where he also writes a weekly (more or less) column for the Jackson Progress-Argus. In the spirit of helping people, Jim notably found and rescued the late Jackson C. Frank, a folk music cult legend who was living on the streets of New York City in the 1990’s. Jim got him off the streets, into the mental health system, re-connected him with his royalties, and eventually got him back to writing and performing music again, until his death in March, 1999.
About WhyHunger: Founded in 1975 as World Hunger Year by Harry Chapin and current executive director Bill Ayres, WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment.