Usher Headlines Project Restart

NEW YORK, NY (Project Restart) - Grammy Award winning superstar Usher announced that he will headline Project Restart - a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on October 9 in Atlanta, GA at Philips Arena. Project Restart is Usher's concept and vision for Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief efforts. Usher will perform several songs at the concert and some of his celebrity friends will make special guest appearances. A list of confirmed talent will be announced shortly.

With the help of corporate sponsors such as Hibernia Bank, Visa and SunTrust Bank and civil leaders like Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Usher is inviting 5000 Katrina and Rita evacuees who were relocated to Georgia to attend the concert for free. The remaining tickets for the concert will go on sale to the general public Friday, September 30th at 10:00 AM via Ticketmaster. A limited number of corporate suites and VIP seats will be available. All proceeds will benefit the Project Restart objective, which is to provide a temporary solution to the homelessness crisis that arose due to the tragedy.

Says Usher, "When I thought about what I could do to help, I decided that I wanted to do something direct and personal for the evacuees. Their lives have been affected in a major way, so I want to leverage my talents and resources to help bring a sense of joy to those who are in need of a fresh start. This isn't just another concert to benefit the victims ... this is a movement to uplift the survivors and give them hope."

As part of the Project Restart initiative, Usher's New Look Foundation (https://www.ushersnewlook.org) will team up with Freddie Mac with the goal of placing 1000 families in homes in 13 different states. The proceeds from the benefit concert will be used to help Katrina victims settle into their permanent or semi-permanent homes. One of the first states that will benefit from Project Restart will be Houston, TX, where Usher will make a personal visit and work with Hibernia Bank and Freddie Mac to award the first home to a Katrina victim.