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McDonald's® National Men of McCafe® Casting Call Heads to CIAA Tournament

OAK BROOK, Ill., March 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald's continues to celebrate the achievements of students and alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with its sponsorship of the 2011 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tournament. This year, McDonald's brings the Men of McCafe Casting Call to the tournament Fan Experience for three days of action-packed activities and appearances by Men of McCafe celebrity ambassadors.

The Men of McCafe Casting Call launched nationwide last September in an effort to identify five community service-minded males between 18-34 years old that will represent as the official Men of McCafe at the 2011 Essence Music Festival. Consumers will be able to log on to http://365Black.com and enter a chance to win until March 15, 2011.

The national search kicked off with a live event at the Atlanta Football Classic featuring an all-star team of celebrity talent including TBS House of Payne actor Lance Gross, former NFL player and inaugural Man of McCafe, Isaac Keys, and actress/television personality, Alesha Renee. Since the launch, actors Hosea Chanchez of BET's The Game and Lamman Rucker from TBS' Meet the Browns have joined as official program celebrity ambassadors.

Most recently, Chanchez, Gross, Keys and Renee surprised families during a special visit to the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House® during NBA All Star Weekend as part of their work with the grassroots initiative. The visit highlighted their ongoing efforts as ambassadors as well as their passion for giving back by serving McDonald's charity of choice - Ronald McDonald House Charities®.

"We're excited about the addition of Hosea Chanchez and Lamman Rucker to the Men of McCafe roster as both of these gentlemen demonstrate what we hope to inspire in the young men we're targeting," said Rob Jackson, Director of U.S. Marketing, McDonald's USA. "Their presence at our CIAA activities will provide a meaningful experience that will directly impact our consumers."

Throughout the entry period, consumers will also have the opportunity to log on to AOL http://BLACKVOICES.com to learn more about the program. As the exclusive digital media partner, AOL BLACKVOICES will feature the launch video as well as feature the winners once announced.

"As a leading online destination for African-American news, culture and community, AOL BLACKVOICES is thrilled to join forces with McDonald's in its celebration of the achievements of students and alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities," said BLACKVOICES' VP, Tariq Muhammad.

For more information about the McDonald's Men of McCafe Casting Call, please visit http://365Black.com for entry details.

About McDonald's

McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business men and women. Customers can now log online for free at any of the 11,000 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit http://www.mcdonalds.com or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds) and Facebook (http://Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

SOURCE McDonald's USA, LLC