The Washington Wizards and Wizards Care proudly announced today that they will conduct a Telethon on Wednesday, April 8th during the broadcast of the Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank. The game and Telethon will be carried by Comcast SportsNet, Washington’s television partner and a sponsor of the Telethon.

Hosted by Comcast Sportsnet’s Chris Miller and Ron Thompson and Wizards Official DJ Big Tigger, coverage of the Telethon will begin at 6:30 p.m. during SportsNite and will be shown via cut-ins with live updates throughout the course of the game. The Telethon phones will be manned by the Wizards Wives, who will be auctioning off unique merchandise and memorabilia for fans to bid on. Items will include, but are not limited to, authentic autographed jerseys of Wizards players, including multi-time All-Stars Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. Comcast SportsNet will also continue coverage of the telethon during Wizards Post Game Live at the conclusion of the Wizards and Cavaliers contest.

“When we launched Wizards Care, we pledged to provide assistance to the youth, homeless and underserved” said Wizards Chairman Abe Pollin. “This Telethon, in our partnership with an outstanding organization in the Capital Area Food Bank, will help us do so by addressing and combating the hunger issue in our community.”

With the goal of providing one million meals to the Capital Area Food Bank this year, the Telethon is one of many fundraising activities of Wizards Care. Other programs include “Wizards Assist Envelope Night”, the next of which is scheduled for Saturday, March 28th. Each fan that donates at least $5.00 that night will be entered into a drawing to win a game worn jersey and pair of shoes from the Wizards game that night.

The popular “Baller’s Bowl” (a bowling fundraiser to be held at Lucky Strike at Gallery Place on March 26th, 2009), and the “Wizards Jeans Day” promotion (in which local employers are encouraged to allow their employees to donate $5.00 to wear jeans to work for a day) are also fundraising efforts of Wizards Care. Silent auctions at Wizards games and online auctions through WashingtonWizards.com have also been conducted to raise monies throughout the season.

Wizards Care is inspired by Irene and Abe Pollins’ 44-year legacy of giving. Since their tenure as owners of the Wizards franchise began in 1964, the Pollins have demonstrated a commitment to social responsibility and a passion for giving back to the community. Their philanthropic and humanitarian efforts have created an unparalleled history for Wizards Care to follow.

The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest public, nonprofit food and nutrition education resource in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area. Last year, the CAFB distributed 20 million pounds of food, including six million pounds of fresh produce, to over 700 partner agencies.

Through fundraising and awareness campaigns, Wizards Care and the Capital Area Food Bank have partnered in an effort to address the issue of hunger in the Washington DC metropolitan area.