SWEET TALKIN’ WITH AMERICA
Tom Joyner Teams With Ben & Jerry’s® To Help Deliver Dreams!

Burlington, VT -- He’s hip, high-energy, and hilarious. Little wonder that Radio Hall of Fame-er Tom Joyner captivates some 7 million listeners each week on his nationally-syndicated ABC Radio Network talk show. But Joyner recently turned the tables -- asking his listeners to do the talking instead!

In collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s, Joyner launched a create-your-own ice-cream promotion. “We challenged our radio audience to come up with fun and funky new flavors they would create if they could make up their very own ice cream,” says Joyner. The result? Everything from “James BrownSugar and Cinnamon Raisin Crunch” to “Pizza Lovers Pepperoni and Pistachio Swirl.” “People really put their imaginations in high gear!” he laughs.

The crew at Vermont-based ice cream innovator Ben & Jerry’s helped narrow the list to a few of the most promising flavors, then jumped in to help make those ice cream dreams come true. Meanwhile, Joyner went back to his fans for names for the new creations. “It was great -- listeners loved the opportunity to brainstorm. We had over 2,000 name suggestions,” he says. “How often do you tell a company exactly what you want -- and suggest the product name, too?"

There’s more to this taste-tickling tale. Thanks to flavors suggested by Tom Joyner’s radio audience, Ben & Jerry’s 2001 flavor line-up features two new inspirations: “Island Paradise” , a luscious blend of pineapple ice cream and passion fruit swirl with a hint of coconut, and “Apple Crumble” , brown sugar ice cream with cinnamon streusel, apples and a caramel swirl.

And sweetest of all: a portion of every sale of these two exciting new flavors will help benefit the Tom Joyner Foundation -- a non-profit organization that provides assistance to students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). “Too often, students get accepted into college, only to run out of money before getting the chance to graduate,” explains Joyner. “If it were up to me, every high school graduate would have the opportunity to attend college. I can’t make sure that happens, but I can at least try to help those who are attending college already. They should never have to drop out of school due to lack of money and that’s what the Tom Joyner Foundation is all about. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised by the foundation goes to Historically Black Colleges and Universities to be awarded to students who are facing tough financial times."

The program is a great fit with Ben & Jerry’s longstanding philosophy of giving back to the community, notes Ben & Jerry’s spokesperson Kathleen Shaffer. “We’re thrilled to be a part of making so many sweet dreams come true!"

For more information about Ben & Jerry’s Island Paradise, Apple Crumble, and other fabulous new flavors, and its programs supporting important community causes, visit us on-line at www.benjerry.com. And to learn more about the Tom Joyner Foundation, check out www.tomjoyner.com.

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