JCPenney Partners with the NFL for ''Take a Player to School'' Contest; Promotion Features Sale of NFL Team Wrist Bands to Support The JCPenney Afterschool Fund

Business Wire, July 25, 2005

PLANO, Texas -- JCPenney and the National Football League launch the second annual "Take a Player to School" contest to promote the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting afterschool programs and raising awareness of the need for more programs that keep kids safely and constructively engaged during out-of-school hours.

The partnership centers on a national in-store sweepstakes that encourages children between the ages of six and 13 to register for a chance to win the ultimate 'show and tell' opportunity for their classmates. The contest culminates in October when 34 winners will be drawn to take an NFL player to their own school. Registration ends Sept. 22, 2005 and no purchase is required to enter. More contest details may be obtained at www.NFLYouthFootball.com.

As part of the promotion, all JCPenney stores will sell NFL team wrist bands for $2.99, with all net profits and NFL royalties being donated to the JCPenney Afterschool Fund.

Donovan McNabb, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles and national spokesperson for the "Take a Player to School" program, said, "There is nothing more important in America than our youth, and we are excited to build on last year's success in working with the JCPenney Afterschool Fund to provide young people with every opportunity and inspiration to succeed."

A recent study funded by JCPenney and published by the Afterschool Alliance, "America After 3 p.m.," indicates that 25 percent of America's youth between kindergarten and high school are home alone after school. In single-parent households, or those in which both parents work, the percentage is even higher, at 31 percent.

According to the study, quality afterschool programs benefit students by raising math and reading performance, improving attendance, decreasing involvement in crime and reducing dropout rates.

"Through the generous support of JCPenney customers across the country and our partnership with the NFL, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund is able to contribute to our country's leading afterschool providers and advocates -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Afterschool Alliance, YMCA of the USA, 4-H and Junior Achievement," said Ken Hicks, president and chief merchandising officer for J. C. Penney Company, Inc. "Together, we can ensure that afterschool programs are available to families who need them and help children power their potential."

Since 1999, JCPenney and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund have contributed more than $40 million to support programs that promote the academic, physical and social development of children in afterschool centers nationwide.

About JCPenney

J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc., the wholly owned operating subsidiary of J. C. Penney Company, Inc., is one of America's largest department store, catalog, and e-commerce retailers, employing approximately 150,000 associates. As of April 30, 2005, J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc. operated 1,017 JCPenney department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. JCPenney is the nation's largest catalog merchant of general merchandise, and jcpenney.com is one of the largest apparel and home furnishings sites on the Internet.

About JCPenney Afterschool

The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports programs designed to keep kids safely and constructively engaged during out-of-school time. The Fund's contributions allow for the creation and continuance of afterschool programs aimed at the academic, physical, and social development of children throughout the U.S. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund also works to raise awareness of the benefits of afterschool programming, and is committed to ensuring that every child has access to the world of opportunities that awaits them after school.