City of West Hollywood, HANSON and Tom's Shoes Will Join Together to Fight Poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - News Conference to Take Place at West Hollywood City Hall at 10 a.m.

Business Wire - October 19, 2007

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- The City of West Hollywood, recording artists HANSON and TOMS Shoes will join together to help fight poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. The partnership is a component of the City's "Global AIDS Initiative" which was created with the goal of advocating for and supporting education, outreach and funding efforts to combat the AIDS pandemic in Africa. The goal is to raise awareness about the correlation between poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa and to inspire people to look for simple ways to make a difference in their community and the world.

A news conference to discuss the unique partnership will be held on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 10 a.m. at West Hollywood City Hall located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. After the news conference, a one-mile walk to the iconic Sunset Boulevard and a performance by HANSON will take place.

"The partnership between the City of West Hollywood, HANSON and TOMS Shoes is an excellent opportunity to shine a spotlight on global poverty and HIV/AIDS," said West Hollywood Councilmember John Heilman. "It's unfathomable to most Americans that there are millions of people in the world who don't have basic necessities like a pair of shoes. I commend HANSON and TOMS Shoes for their humanitarian efforts," he continued.

Scheduled to participate in the news conference are West Hollywood City Councilmember John Heilman who sponsored the City's "Global AIDS Initiative"; West Hollywood City Councilmembers; Isaac, Taylor and Zac HANSON (of the group HANSON) who will discuss their mission to fight global poverty and HIV/AIDS; Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes will speak about the importance of taking simple action to fight poverty and HIV/AIDS globally.

At approximately 11 a.m., following the news conference, HANSON will lead a one-mile walk to Sunset Boulevard to raise awareness of global poverty and HIV/AIDS as part of the symbolic trek. The route will start at West Hollywood City Hall and proceed west to Holloway Drive up to the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Horn Avenue to the old Tower Records parking lot in West Hollywood. TOMS Shoes will be sold at the Tower Records parking lot, with the pairs donated being delivered by the team as part of TOMS Shoe drop trip to children in South Africa, set for next month. HANSON will also perform a mini-concert at the Tower Records parking lot of songs from their recent album "The Walk."

The City of West Hollywood was established in 1984, almost coinciding with the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and the start of the international pandemic. The City has been a leader in the fight to end the HIV/AIDS crisis since its incorporation. Today, the City of West Hollywood is home to close to 1100 people living with the virus, which is the largest concentration of people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern California.

HANSON's first single, "The Great Divide" from their new album "The Walk," was recorded in Africa during the group's visit there in 2006 to learn more about the AIDS crisis and was released on World AIDS Day, with all proceeds going to the Perinatal HIV Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa.

During their current tour, HANSON have been partnering with TOMS Shoes, a company that donates a pair of shoes for every pair sold to a needy child. HANSON and TOM'S Shoes have staged walks in every tour city to promote its goal of delivering 50,000 pairs of shoes to needy children in Africa next month. TOMS Shoes was created by Blake Mycoskie after a trip to Argentina in which he realized the poverty and health issues the local people were challenged with. TOMS Shoes are inspired by a traditional Argentine shoe.

Contacts:

City of West Hollywood

Tamara White, Public Information Officer

323-848-6431

For inquiries on HANSON:

Ken Phillips Publicity Group, Inc.

Ken Phillips, 323-845-9997

kpgroup@yahoo.com

For more information regarding TOMS Shoes:

Liza De la Torre, 310-566-3174

liza@tomsshoes.com

Heidi Psyk, 310-566-3174

heidi@tomsshoes.com

071019
BW071025

Copyright © 2007 - Business Wire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Business Wire, Permissions Desk, Business Wire, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036; Tel: (212) 575-8822; FAX: (212) 575-1854. http://www.businesswire.com.

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2007. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2007. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .