Greenwich Roundup: 10/30/09 News Release: NBC Nightly News To Do Follow-up Story on Greenwich-based Non-Profit

Friday, October 30, 2009

10/30/09 News Release: NBC Nightly News To Do Follow-up Story on Greenwich-based Non-Profit

Prepared by: ROCKIN’ WATER™
187 Sound Beach Avenue
Old Greenwich, CT 06870
www.rockinwater.com <http://www.rockinwater.com>

Contact: Jenifer Howard For Immediate Release
203-273-4246
jhoward@rockinwater.com

NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS TO FILM FOLLOW-UP STORY
ON ROCKIN’ WATER AND THE “ROCKIN’ APPALACHIAN MOM PROJECT”
Second Time Rockin’ Water Founder Amy Guerrieri to be Profiled for Work in Appalachia

(Old Greenwich, Conn., October 29, 2009) – ROCKIN’ WATER™ is making a difference in kids’ lives. Not just with its great nutritional attributes of having 11 vitamins and minerals, 3 grams of fiber, and an antioxidant level equal to a serving of fruit, but with its work in one of the poorest areas of the United States, the Appalachian region of Martin County, Kentucky.

Amy Guerrieri, founder and CEO of ROCKIN’ WATER, created ROCKIN’ WATER with the goal of making a difference in kids’ lives and ROCKIN’ WATER is “made by Moms who love their kids™.” Last spring Amy was moved by a television segment she saw on the people of Appalachia and their many nutritional, financial and emotional struggles. Amy knew she had to do something to help these families – and this is why she had created ROCKIN’ WATER - to make a difference in kids’ lives. Amy jumped into action and traveled to Kentucky to see first-hand the extreme level of poverty in the area, then immediately founded a non-profit to help the families in Appalachia through R.A.M.P. – the Rockin’ Appalachian Mom Project.

ROCKIN’ WATER, R.A.M.P. and Amy Guerrieri are striving to improve the nutritional well being of the children in Appalachia. For every bottle of ROCKIN’ WATER sold, ROCKIN’ WATER will donate two cents to R.A.M.P. R.A.M.P.’s efforts have been so impressive that NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams originally profiled the story in a “Making A Difference” segment in March. The story was one of the top-viewed online stories for two weeks following the airing. NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams will be going back to Kentucky with Amy and her “Mom Brigade” of volunteers again in November for a follow-up story.

Just this year, Amy has personally been to Kentucky three times bringing thousands of bottles of ROCKIN’ WATER, and generating truckloads of donated items including much needed school supplies, backpacks, diapers, children’s and adult clothing, furniture, beds and anything else that is needed. Amy has also been mentoring Moms in Martin County, Kentucky, the poorest county in the U.S., to help them with nutritional needs of their children, financial resources, and the well being of their family. In recent months, R.A.M.P. has been working one-on-one with the Moms and children, working on nutritional education with the families and the schools, and securing repairs for one family’s home that was in dire need of repair; their home is now livable and safe for their children.

When Amy returns to Kentucky on her next visit, she will be bringing with her a truckload of ROCKIN’ WATER, donated coats and winter outerwear for the children, and close to 100 kerosene heaters R.A.M.P. has raised funds for to help keep 100 families warm during the cold winter months. In addition, another full truckload of medical supplies and hospital equipment worth more than $75,000 will also be shipped to Kentucky. The medical equipment will fill two respite centers in Martin County, which will help families with loved ones that are elderly or have disabilities. R.A.M.P. was able to secure the medical supplies through the generosity of Amy Guerrieri’s childhood friend, Jim Ressler, co-founder of Medical Angels, which is a New Jersey based non-profit that helps get medical equipment to those in desperate need.

“When I saw the story on the poverty in Appalachia, I couldn’t believe that such bad circumstances were here in the United States,” said Amy Guerrieri. “I’m a Mom of four children and I thought it was important for kids to know that poverty existed here in the United States – it wasn’t something that was just in other countries. I wanted my children to know too that there was something that could be done to help, so through R.A.M.P., we are able to work community-to-community, family-to-family, Mom-to-Mom and kid-to-kid to really make a difference in their lives.” Amy is so committed to R.A.M.P. and its efforts in Martin County, Kentucky, that she has told the residents there that she “would be back.” And, she has kept her promise, returning to the area already four times in the past nine months. Amy plans on continuing her visits to Kentucky and mentoring the Moms there, working with the schools and the families on nutritional education and helping make a better life for the children of Appalachia.

“These kids are our future,” said Guerrieri. “Kid need to eat healthy so they can focus in school and grow up and have a better life.” One of the areas where R.A.M.P. hopes to make a difference is through the aspect of “paying it forward.” Each family R.A.M.P. helps is required to then help another family in the area. R.A.M.P.’s goal is to get a family to be self-sustaining and live a healthy life.

Margaret, one of the Moms Amy has been mentoring, lost her husband in February to a heart attack at the young age of 39. Margaret has four children and didn’t know where to turn. Without a job, a husband, and a limited education, Margaret thought her life was over. Then Amy and the Moms of R.A.M.P. showed up on her doorstep and helped guide Margaret and her family. Since that time, Margaret has lost 60 pounds, has changed the way she shops and cooks for her family, has gotten a job and has transformed her life.

If you would like to help R.A.M.P. and its efforts in Appalachia, visit www.rampamerica.org <http://www.rampamerica.org> or call 203-990-0000.