The No. 18 M&M'S® Toyota Team Pits To Help M'Prove America™

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost daily, Kyle Busch and members of his No. 18 M&M'S® Toyota team practice to improve their efficiency changing tires and pouring gas, to ensure they can save precious seconds necessary to maintain track position. Today, the team banded together with colleagues from Joe Gibbs Racing, NASCAR and M&M'S to make improvements of a different kind.

This unique team, comprised of more than 50 volunteers, is helping build two Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte homes in the Charlotte area, which includes the future homes of Yasin Mohamed and Egland Isak and their three children, as well as Kung Mang and Sung Thluai and their two children. The effort is part of M&M'S M'Prove America™ campaign, a year-long partnership with Habitat designed to fund construction of new Habitat homes across the United States.

Fans can join Busch and M&M'S by pledging to volunteer their time and talents at Habitat for Humanity build sites across the country at www.mproveamerica.com. This year, M&M'S is encouraging its associates and fans to log an ambitious 1.5 million minutes – or 25,000 hours – of volunteer time with Habitat. 

"Charlotte has always been good to the NASCAR community – and especially to me and my teammates," said Kyle Busch. "So it feels great to help two local families fulfill their dreams of homeownership. I encourage all race fans to join M&M'S in the effort to M'Prove America in their own hometowns, as there are few things in life as rewarding as helping a neighbor."

In addition to encouraging fans to volunteer time, M&M'S is also making a donation of $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity to fund the construction of Habitat homes in 2013. Later this month, M&M'S will also introduce specially marked M'Prove America packages of red, white and blue M&M'S® Brand Candies in stores nationwide.

The M&M'S M'Prove America campaign will also be on display during the Coca-Cola 600 on May 26 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway when Busch gets behind the wheel of a special No. 18 M&M'S M'Prove America Toyota.

About Mars Chocolate North America:
Mars Chocolate North America is the North American chocolate operations of Mars, Incorporated.  In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company.  In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar.  In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of  building a business based on the philosophy of a "mutuality of benefits" for all stakeholders – this vision serves as the foundation of the Mars, Incorporated we are today.  Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion and six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience.  More than 65,000 Associates worldwide are putting our Mars Principles in action every day to make a difference for people and the planet through our performance.

Mars brands include: Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Petcare – PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, SHEBA®, CESAR® and ROYAL CANIN®; Wrigley – ORBIT®, EXTRA®, STARBURST®, DOUBLEMINT® and SKITTLES®; Food – UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience –SERAMIS®, CIRKU™ and COCOAVIA™.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to bring God's love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 600,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate, or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat's blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.

About Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte
Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1983, Habitat Charlotte has served more than 1,200 families. Visit www.habitatcharlotte.org or call 704-376-2054 for more information.

About Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR, currently fielding three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, four NASCAR Nationwide Series teams and a driver development program.  Its driver lineup consists of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth in the Sprint Cup Series, while Brian Vickers and Elliott Sadler joins those three in the Nationwide Series along with  Drew Herring and Darrell Wallace, Jr. Wallace will also run a full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by Joe Gibbs – a three-time Super Bowl winner as head coach of the Washington Redskins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame – JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning three Cup Series championships, and four Nationwide Series owner's championships along with more than 175 NASCAR races, including three Brickyard 400s and the 1993 Daytona 500.

SOURCE Mars Chocolate North America

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