Exclusive benefit concert featuring Legend on May 5th will help Tide rebuild 10 devastated homes in St. Bernard Parish

CINCINNATI, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Tide(R), which has been a part of American families for over 60 years, has committed to help rebuild 10 homes for 10 families in need in one of New Orleans' most distressed areas, St. Bernard Parish. Although it has been almost two years since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, many residents are still struggling to rebuild. Together, Tide and five-time Grammy-award winning recording artist John Legend are encouraging people across the nation to join them in making a big difference by donating just $10 to The St. Bernard Project, a non-profit organization that helps families in St. Bernard Parish rebuild their homes and lives.

At 8 PM on Saturday May 5th Legend is teaming up with Tide to perform at a special Loads of Hope (TM) benefit concert to generate awareness of the significant need for continued support of New Orleans' area recovery efforts. The Irvin Mayfield Ensemble, a group that embodies and represents the great New Orleans jazz legacy, will open the concert. Legend will play this exclusive "unplugged" performance in Lafayette Square following his show at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Lafayette Square is bordered by Poydras Street and St. Charles Avenue.

"New Orleans is known as one of the historical and cultural centers of American music. As an artist, I want to do my part to help bring music back to the city, and I also want to remind people everywhere that there are still many families who need our help," said Legend. "I'm extremely proud to join Tide in its efforts to help New Orleans families continue to rebuild their lives."

Since Hurricane Katrina, Tide has helped give "Loads of Hope" to the families of New Orleans through providing free laundry services with the Tide CleanStart (SM) mobile laundromat and lighting up historic Jackson Square for the holidays. This spring, Tide is going beyond providing clean laundry and teaming up with The St. Bernard Project to help rebuild 10 homes. Tide is also encouraging people across the nation to participate and make a difference in lives of the families of St. Bernard Parish.

For a donation of $10 or more, individuals will receive a ticket to the exclusive benefit concert and a limited edition "Loads of Hope" Tide vintage tee. Tickets to the "Loads of Hope" benefit concert will be available at the door in Lafayette Square on Saturday, May 5th at 8PM. Beginning April 27th, "Loads of Hope" tickets and tees will also be available through the Tide CleanStart team, who will be located throughout the New Orleans downtown area.

"Tide is incredibly excited to return to New Orleans and provide 'loads of hope' to the city and specifically the families living in the St. Bernard Parish area," said Suzanne Watson, Tide Brand Manager. "We are delighted to partner with John Legend and demonstrate our continued commitment to this city and its residents. Together with John, we hope to encourage people everywhere to help support the recovery efforts."

People across the country can also show their support for New Orleans by visiting www.TideCleanStart.com and purchasing the limited edition Tide vintage tee online for $10. All proceeds will benefit The St. Bernard Project, a grassroots, nonprofit rebuild organization that provides direct support to families in St. Bernard Parish, one of the most devastated areas by Hurricane Katrina.

Furthermore, the Tide CleanStart mobile laundromat is returning to the Gulf Coast for the third time to provide free laundry services to families in need. The Tide CleanStart truck will be located in St. Bernard Parish at the intersection of West St. Bernard Highway and Center Street from Monday, April 30th through Saturday, May 5th. The truck will be in operation from 7 AM to 9 PM.

About Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG)

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Pringles(R), Folgers(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella(R), Gillette(R), and Braun(R). The P&G community consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Tide(R)

For over 60 years, Tide(R) has been caring for the clothes of American families and helping to provide the everyday miracle of clean clothing. To meet consumers' diverse laundry needs, Tide offers its superior cleaning in a variety of products including Tide Simple Pleasures, Tide with Febreze Freshness, Tide Coldwater, Tide with a Touch of Downy, Tide with Bleach Alternative, Tide High Efficiency and 2X Ultra Tide Liquid. For consumers' on-the-go stain removal needs, Tide to Go helps remove fresh food and drink stains on the spot. Visit www.tide.com for helpful product information, practical tips on laundry care, special offers and promotions and more.

About Tide CleanStart (SM)

Tide's commitment to assisting Gulf Coast residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina began with Tide CleanStart (SM), a mobile laundry program that was created in 2005 to provide much needed free laundry services to families in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Tide CleanStart mobile laundry facility contains 32 high-efficiency washers and dryers and has the capacity to do nearly 1,500 loads of laundry in the five day period the truck will be in the New Orleans area. The truck can do approximately 300 wash and dry cycles a day - equal to one year's worth of laundry for a single family.

Source: Tide

CONTACT: Liza Martindale, , ,
or Jennifer Cornella, , , both of
DeVries Public Relations; or Allison Yang of Procter & Gamble,
, , all for Tide

Web site: http://www.tidecleanstart.com/
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