HGTV and DIY Network Host RAISE A ROOF College Challenge to Benefit Rebuilding Together, Now thru 10/31

This fall, students from rivals The Ohio State University and University of Michigan will compete to raise funds for Rebuilding Together during HGTV and DIY Network's Raise A Roof College Challenge. From today, Sept. 24 through Wednesday, Oct. 31, student groups from the two universities can register at HGTV.com/collegechallenge or at an on-campus kick-off event to participate in the competition to earn a $25,000 donation for their local Rebuilding Together affiliate in Central Ohio and Detroit. Each team will have until Friday, Dec. 7, to raise money during the campaign. The students' efforts will also support ongoing outreach to rally volunteers for Rebuilding Together's mission to preserve affordable homeownership.

In addition to scoring bragging rights, the top fundraising team at each university will represent their school in a one-hour HGTV special to compete for the "best makeover" of a Rebuilding Together home in their area. HGTV and DIY Network are also awarding each university's highest individual fundraiser a $10,000 scholarship to put towards tuition and/or paying off part of a student loan. All winners will be announced on Facebook.com/RaiseARoof in mid-December.

"College students who are as passionate about helping the less fortunate in their communities as they are about beating their football rival will want to tackle the Raise A Roof College Challenge," said Denise Conroy-Galley, senior vice president, marketing and creative services, HGTV and DIY Network. "By rallying their fellow students to volunteer or donate money in support of Rebuilding Together, they can be champions in the mission to help low income homeowners live safely and comfortably in their homes."

Individuals may also contribute $10 by texting GOBLUE or GOBUCKS to 80077 or visiting HGTV.com/raisearoof. Fans may also interact with HGTV, DIY Network and Rebuilding Together by using the hash tag #raisearoof and the handles @HGTV, @DIYNetwork and @rebldgtogthr.

As part of the initiative, HGTV and DIY Network are encouraging The Ohio State University and University of Michigan student groups - fraternities, sororities, sports teams, extracurricular and professional student clubs and organizations, etc. - to participate in the Raise A Roof College Challenge kick-off event on each campus in late September. Both events will be hosted by Chris Grundy of DIY Network's Blog Cabin and Cool Tools.

HGTV and DIY Network are Rebuilding Together's national television partners. Last year, the networks launched the "Raise a Roof" campaign to encourage viewers to sign up and volunteer in their local communities and support Rebuilding Together's mission of helping low-income homeowners.

America's leading home and lifestyle brand HGTV features a top-rated cable network that is distributed to more than 99 million U.S. households and the HGTV website, HGTV.com, the nation's leading online home-and-garden destination that attracts an average of four million unique visitors per month. The brand also includes the HGTV HOME consumer products line, which showcases exclusive collections of paint, flooring, lighting, furniture, plants and other home-oriented products, as well as HGTV Magazine, a new home and lifestyle publication published in partnership with Hearst Magazines.

DIY Network, from the makers of HGTV and Food Network, is the go-to destination for rip-up, knock-out home improvement television. One of the fastest growing digital networks and currently in more than 57 million homes, DIY Network's programming covers a broad range of categories, including home improvement and landscaping. The network's award-winning website, DIYNetwork.com, is a leader in the Nielsen Online Home and Garden category and features multiple resources, including thousands of do-it-yourself home improvement projects, expert advice, how-to videos and images, and user-friendly reference guides with step-by-step instructions.

Rebuilding Together believes that everyone deserves to live in a safe and healthy home. Our focus provides critical repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients. Our impact extends beyond the individuals served to revitalize and stabilize vulnerable neighborhoods and communities across the country. Our 200 local affiliates complete 10,000 rebuild projects a year thanks to the efforts of nearly 200,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled trade professionals and everyday good citizens. Join us - visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.

Founded in 1870, The Ohio State University is a world-class public research university and the leading comprehensive teaching and research institution in the state of Ohio. With more than 56,000 students enrolled at its Columbus campus, 14 colleges and 175 majors, the university offers its students exceptional breadth and depth of opportunity in the liberal arts, the sciences and the professions.

The University of Michigan is a public research institution with its main campus located in Ann Arbor, which enrolls about 41,000 students. Research is central to the university's mission and permeates its 19 schools and colleges. Most recently, university research expenditures reached more than $1 billion each year. Arts and culture, global collaborations and technology/innovation are also key initiatives.

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