New York Times Bestselling Author and Award-Winning Country Music Artist Jimmy Wayne Named 2016 National “Angel in Adoption” By The Congressional Coalition of Adoption Institute

Award honors individuals and organizations that have enriched the
lives of foster and adoptive children in the United States and abroad.

(Washington, D.C.) September 21, 2016 —Jimmy Wayne is an accomplished recording artist, keynote speaker and three-time New York Times bestselling author (Walk To Beautiful, Paper Angels) whose life’s mission is helping youth in Foster care. In recognition of his work, he was honored with an “Angels In Adoption” award by The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) during its 18th annual awards gala at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C..

Jimmy was previously scheduled for another commitment and was unable to accept the honor in person, so he came up with a creative way for him to be in two  places at once.  

“I decided to call upon a partner I’ve trusted throughout my 18-year career. A partner who has helped me stay connected every day I’ve been on the road — including during my 2010 walk halfway across America. That reliable partner is Verizon. ,”  says Jimmy. “Yet again, they delivered for me, this time with  cutting edge technology called VGo that’s a telepresence robot running on the Verizon 4G LTE network! .” 

Through VGo, Jimmy accepted his award by saying,  “No one should receive an award for helping kids; it’s what we’re all supposed to do and not expect anything in return. But what do you do with an award that’s been given to you? Use it to raise awareness for more foster youth.” 

He did just that. He and Verizon’s VGo received a standing ovation, after which he proceeded to prepare for his previously scheduled private event in Alabama this evening. 

More than 415,000 children in America live in foster care today. Nearly 108,000 of those children are eligible for adoption. Children living in orphanages globally are estimated conservatively at eight million, with unknown numbers living on the streets.

Jimmy Wayne founded Project Meet Me Halfway as an awareness campaign during his 1,700 mile walk halfway across America, from Nashville to Phoenix, in 2010.  He continues to work tirelessly on behalf of Foster youth through speaking engagements, music and authoring books.  Earlier this week, Jimmy received the Points of Light Award (Sept. 19) during a private event in Kennebunkport, Maine prior to which he met and sang for President George H. W. Bush at the Bush family residence on Walker’s Point. Visit project http://www.projectmmh.org for ways to get involved in your local community today. 

The Angels in Adoption® program was established in 1999 as a Congressional press conference to honor outstanding individuals. Since then, the program has evolved into a yearlong public awareness campaign that culminates in an annual awards gala and celebration in Washington, D.C.  Nearly 2,500 Angels have come to Washington in celebration of adoption and the families it creates. Past National Angels in Adoption® honorees include Kristin Chenoweth, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Jane Seymour, First Lady Laura Bush, Katherine Heigl, Al Roker and many more.

About VGo:
VGo is a robotic telepresence solution that allows an individual’s presence to be replicated in a distant location such that they can interact and perform tasks in ways not previously possible. Now students, professionals and healthcare providers can see, be seen, hear, be heard and move around in school, the office or the hospital – just as if they were there. VGo is powered by Vecna. Vecna delivers better technology to realize a better world for all. Learn more at Vecna.com 
About Jimmy Wayne:
Jimmy is a former foster kid turned award-winning country music artist whose songs and story highlight his mission to raise awareness for kids in foster care. Jimmy’s hits include “Stay Gone,” “Paper Angels,” “Do You Believe Me Now” — which earned BMI’s prestigious Million-Air Award for receiving one million radio spins in America — and “I Love You This Much.” In 2009, Jimmy toured with Brad Paisley and recorded “Sara Smile” with rock ‘n roll Hall of Fame duo Daryl Hall and John Oates.

In 2010, Jimmy walked halfway across America (from Nashville to Phoenix) to raise awareness for kids aging out of the foster-care system.  In 2011, Jimmy released the novel Paper Angels which became a made-for-TV movie of the same title. In 2012, Jimmy helped get legislative bills passed extending the age of foster care to 21 in both California and Tennessee, and in 2015, he did the same in his home state of North Carolina. In 2014, he released Walk to Beautiful, a three-time New York Times Bestselling memoir. In June of this year, it crossed the 100,000 print sales milestone. 

A supporter of Jimmy’s tireless work is Coca-Cola. When the global brand heard about its role in Jimmy’s story, it commissioned 7,000 displays in grocery stores around America featuring Walk to Beautiful along with its classic Christmas Coca-Cola bottles. This was the first promotion of its kind in Coca-Cola history.  In addition, Jimmy’s song “I Love You This Much” is also currently part of Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke and a Song” campaign that features lyrics on bottles and cans of Coca-Cola nationwide.

Jimmy lives in Nashville and continues to raise awareness for abused and neglected children through performing, writing, speaking and by establishing Project Meet Me Halfway, a resource to those wanting to volunteer as mentors, become foster parents. His ultimate goal is to build transitional homes for youth who age out of foster care without a place to go. For more about Jimmy Wayne, please visit, www.jimmywayne.com. 
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