Participant, Lionsgate and City of Kindness Launch #ChooseKind City Initiative in Celebration of upcoming film, Wonder

LOS ANGELES (October 10, 2017) – Participant Media, Lionsgate, and City of Kindness today announced the launch of the #ChooseKind initiative — a campaign that invites people in cities across the country to participate in kind acts leading up to World Kindness Day on November 13.

The program — which is inspired by the upcoming film Wonder, set for release by Lionsgate on November 17, in association with Participant Media and Walden Media — will partner with local cities to deliver messages of kindness in their own communities, culminating in a special screening for each participating city. Kind activities, such as volunteering at your local homeless shelter or sharing something as simple as a smile, will take place at various community events planned by city leadership, and through programs in local libraries. Program partners General Mills’ Cheerios and Procter & Gamble’s Crest will provide rewards for volunteers and/or donate product to local charities in select areas. Special Wonder posters also will be given away at screenings and events during the campaign while supplies last. At the end of the program on World Kindness Day, those cities will be designated a #ChooseKind City.

To date, participating cities include:

Philadelphia, Pa.
Nashville, Tenn.
Birmingham, Ala.
Minneapolis, Minn.
Arlington, Texas
Anaheim, Calif.

City of Kindness is a nationwide initiative to work with kindness organizations and leverage the outreach strategies of brands and organizations that espouse kindness. By working together, City of Kindness aims to inspire people to think about what kindness means to them, adopt kindness as a daily ritual for living and use the City of Kindness “Kindness Counter,” an online aggregator of acts of kindness.

“Wonder demonstrates just how powerful one small act of kindness can be for an entire family, school, community or the world at large,” said Participant Media CEO David Linde. “We are excited to partner with City of Kindness in bringing this simple, yet profound message to communities across the country, helping them embrace kindness in a fun and engaging way. Now more than ever, it is important that we all unite around these essential values in order to create lasting and meaningful change.”

“As a City of Kindness, we are excited about partnering with Participant Media, Lionsgate, and cities across the country to spread the #ChooseKind message,” said Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait. “With over 1 million acts of kindness completed in our city, we have witnessed the power of kindness in our community and hope to see this initiative and others like it take off in cities across the U.S.”

“Wonder continues to inspire us with its hopeful and aspirational message,” said Paula Kupfer, SVP Global Partnerships and Promotions at Lionsgate. “It’s an honor to partner with City of Kindness to help inspire and encourage tangible acts of kindness in these communities.”

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by author R.J. Palacio and starring Academy Award®-winner Julia Roberts, Jacob Tremblay and Owen Wilson, Wonder tells the heartwarming story of Auggie Pullman, a boy born with facial differences who enters fifth grade and attends a mainstream school for the first time.

As part of the program, mayors will receive #ChooseKind resources compiled by City of Kindness in collaboration with Participant Media and Lionsgate. Resources include ways to implement kind activities throughout participating cities, access to local kindness organizations and sample communication tools.

In addition, Wonder-themed toolkits developed in collaboration with The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation will be distributed throughout participating cities. The free resource will include guidelines and activities, along with the necessary supplies meant to inspire acts of kindness inside and outside the home. Toolkits will be made available in libraries and at special events throughout each participating city, and will be accessible as a digital download for families and audiences everywhere.

Participants are encouraged to post their acts of kindness completed in celebration of the #ChooseKind campaign on the official Kindness Counter using #ChooseKind at www.cityofkindness.org. Developed by City of Kindness, the online Kindness Counter aggregates kindness acts performed nationwide.

All cities across the country are invited to pick up the pledge to spread kindness locally. By using #WonderTheMovie and a customized version of #ChooseKind incorporating your own city (for instance, #ChooseKindMiami), communities can share their stories about a local act of kindness for the chance to host a special screening in their hometown.

For more information and to find the digital download toolkit, visit http://www.cityofkindness.org/choosekind.

About City of Kindness
City of Kindness is a grassroots initiative to work with kindness organizations and leverage the outreach strategies of brands that espouse kindness. By working together, City of Kindness aims to inspire people to think about what kindness means to them, adopt kindness as a daily ritual for living and use the Kindness Counter, an online aggregator of acts of kindness. City of Kindness launch partners include Born This Way Foundation, Kind Campaign, KIND Healthy Snacks and Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. Learn more at cityofkindness.org.

About Lionsgate
The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate is a global content platform whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, gaming, virtual reality and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate’s content initiatives are backed by a 16,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global licensing infrastructure. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and ground-breaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the Company’s worldwide consumer base.

About Walden Media
Walden Media specializes in entertainment for the whole family, creating movies, books and television series that spark the imagination and delight all generations. A subsidiary of the Anschutz Film Group, Walden Media movies include adaptations of notable books, compelling biographies and thrilling accounts of historical events. The company’s films are entertaining and commercial, while also telling stories that are inspirational, aspirational and explorational. Past award-winning films include: “The Chronicles of Narnia” series, the “Journey to the Center of the Earth” series, “Nim’s Island,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Bridge to Terabithia,” “Holes,” “Amazing Grace,” and the Sundance Audience Prize Winning documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman.”

Press Contacts:

Amy Glickman – Participant Media
310-623-5870
aglickman@participant.com

Andrew Stewart – Participant Media
310-623-4946
astewart@participant.com

Chad Romiti – City of Kindness
949-293-7781
chad@reveilleinc.com