Irvine, Calif. (Aug. 27, 2014) – Taco Bell Foundation for Teens™ and Celebrity Ambassador Reggie Bush are making touchdowns worth more than seven points this football season. The Foundation and Bush announced yesterday at a local Detroit Taco Bell® restaurant they will be teaming up to give back to Boys & Girls Clubs of America through the “Touchdown for Teens” initiative! For each touchdown Bush scores during the 2014 season, $2,500 will be donated to a Boys & Girls Club. For touchdowns scored during home games, the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan will be the recipient. For any touchdown Bush scores on his eight away games, a club in that city will be awarded the donation.

“Giving back has always been very important to me as well as my partners at the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens,” said Bush. “Knowing that each touchdown I score during the 2014 season will benefit Boys & Girls Club members not only in Detroit, but around the country, really inspires me to go out there, give it my all and have a great year.”

Bush joined the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens as a spokesperson earlier this year and has since made a special appearance at his former high school – Helix High School in San Diego – to reward students for their commitment to graduate and present a $15,000 donation to the athletics program. He also hosted his annual ProCamps in which 15 campers received a scholarship to attend the camp through The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens.

This is not the first collaboration between the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Earlier this year, the two organizations announced a groundbreaking five-year partnership to inspire and enable teens to graduate from high school and reach their full potential. As part of this commitment, the Taco Bell Foundation expects to provide a $30 million, multi-year grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

“Reggie Bush is a wonderful ambassador for the Foundation, and we are honored to support him as well as our partners at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America through this initiative,” said Amy Kavanaugh, Taco Bell’s Chief Public Affairs Officer and Executive Director of the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens. “Reggie knows what it’s like to struggle and have to overcome obstacles, and he is passionate about giving back to his community and teens who aspire to be just like him. We’re confident this campaign will really help deserving Boys & Girls Club members throughout the country!”

The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens was founded in 1992 with a desire to help teens because they are its customers, employees, friends, family, and most importantly – America’s future. With more than 6,000 restaurants across the U.S., Taco Bell is in the very communities where teens live, work and play, and truly understands their hopes, dreams and challenges. In an effort to be the national leader in teen empowerment, the Foundation convenes the right promotional partners – like Reggie Bush - to build the right programs and inspire and enable teens to achieve más.

About Taco Bell Foundation for Teens
Taco Bell Foundation Inc., also known as Taco Bell Foundation for Teens™, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation committed to inspiring and enabling America’s teens to achieve más through its programs, partnerships, and direct financial assistance. Every year, the Foundation serves more than 1 million teens in over 6,000 communities across the country and awards more than 300 grants and scholarships focused on education and career preparedness. Since 1992, the Foundation has served 2 million teens and awarded more than $45 million in support of more than 1,000 teen-serving organizations in the U.S. through customer, franchisee, employee and vendor-partner donations. For more information visit tacobellfoundation.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,000 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.