CANAAN BAPTIST CHURCH TO SPONSOR
REAL MEN COOK® RECEPTION, 4/30/2009

[Philadelphia, PA] As part of its ongoing effort to recruit cooks and volunteers for the milestone 20th anniversary celebration of Real Men Cook® for Charity, the local Real Men Cook® Organizing Committee, in collaboration with Canaan Baptist Church, will sponsor a recruitment information reception on Thursday, April 30. The time and place are 6:30-8:30 PM at Canaan Baptist Church (lower dining room), located at 5430 Pulaski Avenue in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Professional chefs and men from all walks of life are being sought to participate as event chefs in this year's event. Real Men Cook®, the nation's premier urban Father's Day charity event, will be held from 3:00-6:00 PM on Sunday, June 21, 2009 at the First District Plaza, located at 3801 Market Street in Philadelphia.

Every year, this "party with a purpose" is a fun filled food tasting celebration of families, fathers and REAL MEN not to be missed! Between the food, entertainment, children's activities, health screenings, cooking demonstrations and door prizes, this event has something to offer everyone.

The information reception at Canaan will provide the perfect opportunity for all interested parties to find out what a commitment to cook or volunteer for the Real Men Cook event entails. While all event chefs must be males, men, women and children (10 and older) are welcome as volunteers. As an added attraction, Canaan member Mike Barney will conduct a fried turkey cooking demonstration. As a cook registration incentive, the first three men participating as an event chef for the first time who register at the reception will receive a complimentary copy of "Real Men Cook: 100 Recipes for Family Celebrations," written by event co-founder K. Kofi Moyo and the foreword by President Barack Obama. Registration for the purpose of qualifying for this incentive gift will require submission of a cook registration form and the $35 registration fee. A light repast will be served during the reception to set the tone.

This year is the ninth anniversary of the Real Men Cook Father's Day event being presented in Philly. Local sponsors Splenda®, Lactaid®, State Farm®, Philly Coke, WDAS-FM, NBC10 and Lincoln University, along with community partners National Alliance of Market Developers (NAMD), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (Omega Omega Chapter) and Canaan Baptist Church are creatively working with event organizers to make this year's event befitting of a 20th anniversary celebration.

With a mission to build families and provide the opportunity for non-profits to raise money from event ticket sales, Real Men Cook® for Charity mobilizes and spotlights hundreds of men in urban communities across the country who are willing to donate their time and resources to cook and serve samples of their favorite dishes on Father's Day. The event will be held on Sunday, June 21st in cities coast-to-coast to benefit urban, community-based charitable and nonprofit organizations. In addition to Philadelphia, Real Men Cook will be serving up family fun in Atlanta, Chicago (the founding city), Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, St. Louis (first time) and Washington, DC.

Real Men Cook partners with local non-profits who work to earn proceeds from event ticket sales in each city where the event is held. To date, more than $1 million has been raised for various charities through ticket sale proceeds and donations. Real Men Charities, Inc., whose mission is to create and sustain healthy families, is the national charity partner in each event city. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from the Philly event will benefit Communities in Schools of Philadelphia (CISP). Communities in Schools' calling card is they've been recognized as one of America's Top 100 charities that will save the world by Worth Magazine.

Among the "real men" who will be flexing their culinary muscles at Real Men Cook in Philadelphia are jazz musician and Philly native Norman Connors; "Big George" Wake, a legendary local soul food restaurateur; Joel Austin, the founder of Daddy UniverseCity who has participated for many years with his brother, sons and nephews; Mike Barney, a member of Canaan Baptist Church who has participated for several years with his son; John Walker, a business executive and President of the Philly chapter of 100 Black Men who has participated every year in Philly with his son, and many more.

On the national level, among the celebrity participants who will play an active role in the 20th anniversary celebration are:

• Journalist and returning event participant Roland S. Martin of CNN, TV One & Tom Joyner Morning Show fame

• Returning event participant Chef Jeff Henderson, author of the best selling book "Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras" and star of "The Chef Jeff Project" on the Food Network

•Real estate entrepreneur Kwame Jackson, who recently launched his own line of neckties and gained international fame after appearing on the first season of NBC's "The Apprentice"

Chicago-based marketing firm Resources Associates International (RAI) launched Real Men Cook in 1989 in the "Windy City." RAI is committed to the positive promotion and support of African American history, families, businesses and communities, and those other communities that espouse similar values. Last year's Real Men Cook event provided more than 10,000 attendees the opportunity to taste over 750 different food selections prepared by 600-plus men nationwide. In Philadelphia, the Real Men Cook event is being produced by The Marketing Store, a marketing and PR company that specializes in event and Internet marketing.

This year's Real Men Cook event is poised to take the Real Men Cook crusade and its associated charitable arm, Real Men Charities, to an entirely new level. The food, entertainment, health & wellness focus, and overall festive and family friendly atmosphere are guaranteed to deliver a most memorable Father's Day celebration. Tickets for the event are now on sale at www.ticketannex.com and other locations at a cost of $20 for adults in advance, and $10 for children 12 and under. For more information about participating in Real Men Cook as a cook, volunteer, sponsor or patron, or to purchase tickets, call (215) 924-6263 or go to www.realmencook.com. While the reception on Thursday, April 30 is open to the public, those planning to attend must RSVP to (215) 913-2212 or RMCPhila@aol.com by Wednesday, April 29 to confirm their attendance.