Newman's Own, Inc.(R) Awards $100,000 to Recognize and Encourage Volunteerism

- Company Continues Commitment to USA WEEKEND Magazine's 'Make A Difference
Day'; 15 Years of Partnership -

WESTPORT, Conn., April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- On Sunday, April 19, 2009, to
coincide with the first day of National Volunteer Week, Newman's Own, Inc.
will proudly recognize 10 USA WEEKENDMagazineMake ADifference Day volunteer
initiatives with a $10,000 award each, totaling $100,000. Since 1994, Paul
Newman, Newman's Own, Inc. and the Newman's Own Foundation have been leading
supporters of Make A Difference Day and together have contributed $1.5 million
to Make A Difference Day projects. The 10 award-winning and inspirational
volunteer projects that took place in October 2008 during the nation's largest
single day of volunteering, USA WEEKEND Make a Difference Day, will be
profiled in heart-warming, moving stories in the April 19th issue of the
magazine.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click
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Currently, President Obama supports it, Congress seeks funding for it, teens
are doing it, and a growing number of the retired are gravitating toward it:
volunteerism. According to Mike Havard, vice president of marketing at
Newman's Own, "Now more than ever, we need Make A Difference Day volunteers to
continue their grassroots work helping people in need in thousands of
communities. Newman's Own is very proud to help expand the impact of these 10
outstanding initiatives."

Since 1992, USA WEEKEND has conducted the nationwide initiative, Make
ADifference Day, held every fourth Saturday in October, to encourage citizens
of communities nationwide to help their neighbors. More than three million
volunteers participated in the event last October; even more are expected to
join in the 2009 event on Saturday, October 24th. During the past 16 years,
the day has empowered tens of millions of volunteers to bring about change in
their own neighborhoods via their altruistic efforts.

Hundreds of grassroots volunteers have been recognized since 1994 with the
Newman's Own Make A Difference Day Award, each receiving $10,000 of seed money
to sustain and build upon their efforts into the next year. According to
Havard, "Make a Difference Day volunteers are creative, resourceful do-ers who
inspire us all."

The poignant stories of individuals and groups affecting change in the
communities that surround them run an extensive range. There is the
97-year-old Mississippi woman who has organized a Free Flee Market for the
poor in Yazoo City for the last 12 years because she can "help so many people
on just one day." And then there is the Marine Corps major who found his
mission to honor fallen soldiers by holding a black-tie event for their
families and presenting them the soldiers' medals of recognition. In
Michigan, an elementary school teacher created "The Governors' Cookbook,"
recipes solicited by his students of the nation's governors. The school's
cookbook and bake sale proceeds exceeded $1,500 for a local food pantry and
other charities.

For more details on all 10 projects, see the attached PDF that outlines the
stories and a PDF of the April 19th USA WEEKEND cover.

Company Background:

Newman's Own(R), Inc., founded on a lark by Paul Newman and his buddy A.E.
Hotchner in 1982, is now a leading (and growing!) premium food company that
offers more than 175 varieties of delicious all-natural food and beverage
products, including marinades; Thin & Crispy Crust frozen pizza and Sweet
Enough breakfast cereals. Based in Westport, CT, the charitable mission of
Newman's Own is expressed in its Company motto: "Shameless exploitation in
pursuit of the Common Good." Newman's Own Foundation continues Paul Newman's
commitment to donate all profits to charity. More than $260 million has been
given to thousands of charities since 1982. Visit www.newmansown.com for the
nearest retailer/s that carry Newman's Own products and for recipe suggestions
using Newman's Own products. Newman's Own(R) Organics, founded by Paul's
daughter Nell Newman, offers a wide array of delicious organic products,
www.newmansownorganics.com.

Contact: Kate Nolan Clemens
KDN Communications
860/657-0600; kclemens@snet.net

SOURCE Newman's Own

Kate Nolan Clemens of KDN Communications, +1-860-657-0600, kclemens@snet.net