October 12, 2016 — Good Housekeeping will feature Jimmy Wayne in an inspiring four-page article in its November issue, on sale everywhere October 18th.

The accomplished singer, songwriter, author of three-time New York Times bestseller Walk To Beautiful and unrelenting child advocate, gives Good Housekeeping readers a gritty, first-hand account of his challenged childhood, the people who invested in him and what readers can do right now to help at-risk kids in need. 

Jimmy, abandoned multiple times as a child, was in and out of foster care and survived three years of teen homelessness armed with nothing but his work ethic and unmatched grit. He points to Bea and Russell Costner, then 75 and 79 years old, as the “points of light” who saved his life. They took Jimmy in when he was living outside at 16 years old and, he says, “single handedly changed every cell in my body.” 

“Bea and Russell met me halfway and they asked for nothing in return. They gave me a home and a chance to go to high school and college. Because of them, I was able to pursue and catch my dream of moving to Nashville and becoming a recording artist and now, an author. After walking halfway across America in 2010 to raise awareness for at-risk kids in foster care, my mission is to better the lives of these kids. I will never stop fighting for the many who have it much worse that I did. These are good kids facing terrible circumstances they have no control over. They just need someone to meet them halfway," says Jimmy. 

"I'm grateful to everyone at Good Housekeeping for sharing my story and practical ways their readers can get involved in helping kids, not just during the holiday season, but all year long."

Pick up your copy of the November issue of Good Housekeeping at your favorite newsstand on October 18th and find out more about how you can help at-risk kids in foster care by visiting: http://www.projectmmh.org.

                                                            

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.

On Monday, September 19, Jimmy Wayne was recognized with the esteemed Points of Light Award 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.  

On Wednesday, September 21, 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.

Regularly featured on the Grand Ole Opry — with more than 200 performances to his credit  — Jimmy lives in Nashville and continues to work tirelessly on behalf of at-risk foster youth by performing, writing books, keynote speaking and through Project Meet Me Halfway — an awareness campaign and resource to volunteers, mentors and foster parents — that he established during his 1,700 mile walk halfway across America in 2010.  

Jimmy's ultimate goal is to build transitional homes for youth who age out of foster care without a place to go. Visit project http://www.projectmmh.org for ways to get involved in your local community today. 

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https://www.jimmywayne.com 

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