CHARLOTTE, N.C. (August 18, 2020) — Seven-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson will wear the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope, which honors five charities working to improve K-12 public education, during the NASCAR Cup races at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

“The events of the past few months have been challenging for everyone including non-profits raising funds for programs and services that assist students and schools,” Johnson said. “For the past nine years, the focus of the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program has been providing grants and visibility for non-profits that directly support K-12 public education. Chani (wife) and I are grateful for our partnership with Blue Bunny, and the incredible generosity of Mike and Cheryl Wells. We hope these grants help ease some of the burden these organizations are facing, and I’m pretty sure there are a lot of happy kids looking forward to some ice cream soon.”

The Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program allows fans and consumers across the country to nominate and vote on not-for-profit (501c3) organizations that support K-12 public education. This year the program was expanded to allow non-profits that provide services to school-age students who have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis to participate. In addition to being featured on Jimmie’s helmet, each of the recipients is also awarded a $25,000 grant and a Blue Bunny Ice Cream party.

This year’s grant recipients are:

  • DMF Youth, Inc. (New York, N.Y.) teaches underserved youth the life skills needed to thrive in and out of the classroom by providing free afterschool and summer programming to youth attending Title 1 Schools and youth living in homeless shelters.
  • Foodbank of Siouxland (Sioux City, Iowa) ensures that food is easily accessible to students and families in need through their BackPack Program: Food for Kids, and their Mobile School Pantry: Food for Families.
  • National Mental Health Association of Georgia (Atlanta, Ga.) Kids on the Block (KOTB) is an educational puppetry program that uses life-sized, multicultural puppets to promote mental wellness for children.
  • TABLE, Inc. (Carrboro, N.C.) is committed to delivering healthy food and providing nutrition education to food-insecure children living in Orange County, N.C.
  • Working in the Schools (Chicago, Ill.) sets students on a trajectory for long-term success by building critical literacy skills and developing positive self-identity through volunteer-powered mentorship programs and teacher-led literacy professional development.

To date, the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program has contributed more than $1.3 million to 121 different charities.  For additional information about the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program, visit helmetofhope.org.

About the Jimmie Johnson Foundation
Chandra and Jimmie Johnson launched the Jimmie Johnson Foundation in February 2006. Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup champion, drives the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in NASCAR’s top series. The mission of the Foundation is to assist children, families, and communities in need throughout the United States. The Foundation has committed more than $12 million to various charities. The Foundation currently focuses on K-12 public education.  For additional information on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, please visit jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org.

About Blue Bunny®
For more than 80 years, Blue Bunny has been bringing delicious ice cream made with fun, fresh ingredients to families and freezers across the country—adding a little playfulness to any occasion. Blue Bunny is available in grocery and convenience stores nationwide. For more information, visit BlueBunny.com.