BET Networks Announces Relief Efforts for the Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan

The needs of Flint children exposed to lead, particularly those most vulnerable – children ages 0-6 – are ongoing and long-term. Today, BET Networks announced relief efforts for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan to help raise awareness and funds for the Flint Child Health & Development Fund by leveraging the power of BET’s brand platforms, employees and audience. BET and its parent company Viacom are making a $50,000 donation to the Flint Child Health & Development Fund. Additionally this partnership will kick-off with an online charitable fundraising campaign with CrowdRise, #BET4Flint that enables and encourages audiences to join in on the fundraising efforts. Donations collected will be used for critical children’s health interventions today and well into the future managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

"At BET Networks, supporting the communities we serve in times of crisis is simply in our DNA, and we strive on good days and bad to support in the best way we can,” said Debra Lee, Chairman and CEO of BET Networks. "We are proud to support the fundraising campaign efforts to rebuild Flint and help those affected most with this devastating crisis."

“We are grateful for the generosity of BET Networks and their viewers for this contribution to the Flint Child Health and Development Fund,” said Kathi Horton, President, Community Foundation of Greater Flint. “The Fund serves the long-term health and development needs of Flint children exposed to lead. We continue to be inspired by the outpouring of support from corporations like BET who are truly making a difference in the lives of our children.”

To get involved in the fundraising campaign log on to www.crowdrise.com/BET4Flint for more information. Join the conversation on social media using the dedicated hashtag #BET4Flint.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; Centric, the first network dedicated to Black women; BET Digital Networks - BET Soul, BET Jams and BETGospel , attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About Community Foundation of Greater Flint

The Community Foundation of Greater Flint serves the common good in Genesee County—building a strong community by engaging people in philanthropy and developing the community’s permanent endowment—now and for generations to come. CFGF helps donors support the causes they care about, today or through their estates. Since 1988 the Community Foundation has granted more than $100 million to nonprofit organizations to build a thriving community. CFGF serves Flint and all of Genesee County including its community funds in Clio, Davison, Fenton, Flushing and Grand Blanc. It also stewards the Flint Child Health and Development Fund in response to the Flint Water Crisis. Visit www.www.cfgf.org to learn more.

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