Houston Charities in ‘Cadillac Cares’ Houston Challenge Linked by Desire to Help Children

The three Houston charities competing in the “Cadillac Cares” Houston Challenge sponsored by Houston Area Cadillac Dealers are a diverse group, but a common thread linking them is the desire to help children.

The charities – Children’s Museum of Houston, Houston Food Bank and the YMCA of Greater Houston – are competing for an award of $50,000 in advertising in the “Cadillac Cares” Houston Challenge.

Each charity has its biography and a voting button on the Cadillac Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HoustonAreaCadillacDealers. Each fan can cast a ballot for their favorite charity every day. The promotion began May 9 and runs through June 6, 2011. The charity with the most votes on June 6 will receive $50,000 in advertising.

Through the efforts of these participating charities, children and their families have access to creative learning, food assistance and character-building programs. 

The Children’s Museum of Houston is A Playground for Your Mind™  It offers a multitude of exhibits that engage kids in the ultimate learning experience. Founded in 1980 by a group of Houston parents who hoped to elevate early childhood development to a community-wide priority, the museum now serves more than 1,100,000 people annually.

The focus is on bilingual (Spanish/English) learning programs for kids ages birth to 12 years and workshops in literacy, science, math, health, engineering, civic engagement, culture and social studies, all housed in a whimsically Robert Venturi-designed building.

Named “America’s No. 1 Children’s Museum” by Parents magazine, winner of Nickelodeon Parents’ Picks “Best Museum in Houston 2009 & 2010,” Click2Houston’s Best “Best Museum 2010,” the Children’s Museum of Houston is a Citysearch.com’s nationwide 5-star children’s museum.  Can your mind come out to play?™

The Houston Food Bank is the largest source of food for hunger relief charities in 18 southeast Texas counties. A network of nearly 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies, feeding a total of 137,000 people each week, provides more than 65 million pounds of food and prepared meals annually.

Fresh produce, meat and non-perishables are distributed from Herzstein Center, a 73,000 square-foot warehouse, and hot meals are prepared and distributed from Keegan Center, a 15,000 square-foot industrial kitchen. Additional community services range from nutrition education to assistance with food stamp applications and hands-on job training. Red Barrels offer a convenient way for grocery shoppers to donate non-perishables for their neighbors in need.

The Houston Food Bank, founded in 1982, is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network. The organization plans to grow to an annual distribution of 120 million pounds of food by 2018.

The YMCA of Greater Houston is committed to putting Judeo-Christian principles into practice. YMCA programs, activities and relationships teach and model Judeo-Christian values in order to strengthen kids, families and communities. Caring, honesty, respect, responsibility and faith are core values evident in all the Y does.

The Y makes accessible the support and opportunities that empower people and communities to learn, grow and thrive – regardless of age, income or background. With a focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y nurtures the potential of every youth and teen, improves the nation’s health and well-being, and provides opportunities to give back and support neighbors.

One of the nation’s oldest non-profits, the Y has been serving the Houston area for 125 years. Contributions have been both far-reaching and intimate – from influencing the nation’s culture during times of profound social change to individual support for an adult learning to read.

The $50,000 media award in the “Cadillac Cares" Houston Challenge includes television, radio and print advertising.

The other two charities will receive a $1000 cash donation as well as public relations exposure during the challenge.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Houstonians to participate in choosing the charity for Cadillac to honor. All three charities are worthy of recognition for all the great work they do to help kids in Houston. This is a small way for Cadillac to give back to the community and recognize those who make Houston a great place to raise families,” states Tom D’Angelo, regional marketing manager for Cadillac in the South Central Region. “If we can get just one additional volunteer or one additional donation through this initiative, it will make a difference. If we can reach even more through an awareness campaign, it will make a huge impact. That’s our goal."

Charities will encourage their donors, employees, friends and fans to “like” the Houston Area Cadillac Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/HoustonAreaCadillacDealers. After liking the page, fans can access the VOTE FOR Cadillac Cares Challenge tab on the left hand side of their screen. This will take voters to the voting app where they will like their charity. Voters can like a charity once a day every day throughout the challenge.

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/HoustonAreaCadillacDealers.

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ABOUT CADILLAC

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and global expansion. The Houston Area Cadillac Dealers are comprised of seven dealerships throughout the Houston area, pledging their commitment to the community through various philanthropic initiatives. Cadillac remains committed to the community in acknowledging those whose contributions have impacted the lives of others and have enhanced the local community overall.  More information on Cadillac and their charity affiliations can be found at www.houstonareacadillac.com.

Visit your local Cadillac dealer

Tom Peacock Cadillac – 15480 North Freeway, Houston, Texas 77090 (281) 443-7700

David Taylor Cadillac – 9120 SW Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074 (888) 221-6110

Sewell Cadillac of Houston – 12221 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77079 (281) 496-8700

Stewart Cadillac, L.P. – 2520 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 874-0900

Ron Carter Cadillac – 18100 Gulf Freeway, Friendswood, TX 77546 (832) 369-8331

Ron Craft Cadillac – 4114 Interstate 10 East, Baytown, TX 77521(832) 514-4146

Sand Dollar Autoplex – 8020 Broadway, Galveston, TX  77554 (409) 877-4140

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