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Denny's and the Tom Joyner Foundation Launch a New Partnership in Support of Higher Education for Single Parents

Free Single Parent Student Summit Kicks Off 2008 Scholarship Program

ATLANTA, Oct 31, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Denny's and the Tom Joyner Foundation will host a Single Parent Student Summit this Friday, November 2 at Spelman College to provide students with resources, insights and advice on thriving as a single parent student. This event will celebrate the launch of a new partnership between Denny's and the Tom Joyner Foundation, one that will provide $1,500 scholarships weekly in 2008 to single parents attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The event will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Donda West, mother of hip-hop artist Kanye West, who will address ways to overcome the challenges faced by single parents pursuing a higher education. Following Dr. West's presentation, a panel discussion will provide audience members with personal perspectives on this critical topic. The moderator for the event will be Tom Joyner Morning Show personality Myra J., noted comedienne and single parent advocate. Panel participants include: the Rev. Charles White, deputy chief of field operations for the NAACP; Debra Smithart-Oglesby, a mentor for single parents and Denny's board chair; Ericka Dunlap, Miss America 2004, who was raised by a single parent; and Raul Magdaleno, one of 10 children raised by a single parent and now head of diversity and community affairs at Southern Methodist University.

"Higher education can be the key to a better career and for many people, a better way of life," said Nelson Marchioli, president and CEO of Denny's Corporation. "Denny's is proud to partner with the Tom Joyner Foundation in support of single parents striving to create new opportunities for themselves and their children."

According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of single-parent families has been on the rise over the past five years. In 2006, there were more than 2,900,000 single-parent, African American families in the United States. In 2004, the National Center for Education Statistics found that 30% of all students currently enrolled in a degree-granting institution were minorities, a 16% increase in the last 30 years.

"Single parents working towards an advanced degree face an entirely different set of challenges than do traditional students," said Thomas Joyner, Jr., president and CEO of the Tom Joyner Foundation. "Our goal is to provide these parents with support so that they do not have to sacrifice their education in order to provide for their families."

Beginning in January 2008, a $1,500 scholarship will be awarded each week to a single parent attending the Tom Joyner Foundation's "School of the Month." This joint partnership is a reflection of Denny's and the Tom Joyner Foundation's shared belief that a commitment to higher education is the key to a better workforce and improved conditions for all communities.

About Denny's:

Denny's (NASDAQ:DENN) is America's largest full-service family restaurant chain. For more than 50 years, Denny's has been committed to providing guests with quality food, abundant value and a great dining atmosphere. From its "always open" service to its famous Grand Slam(R) breakfasts, Denny's provides a variety of flavorful food and beverage choices for guests of all ages. For further information on Denny's, please visit our web site at www.dennys.com.

About the Tom Joyner Foundation:

Founded in 1998, the Tom Joyner Foundation has focused on its primary mission of helping to keep students enrolled in Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). The Foundation has raised more than $55 million to help keep students enrolled in black colleges and has assisted more than 14,000 students and worked with more than 100 HBCUs. Throughout the week, the Foundation announces scholarship winners on the nationally syndicated radio show hosted by its founder, Tom Joyner. On Mondays, financial awards are focused on students who are single parents; on Wednesdays, scholarships are given for general scholarship and on Thursdays, the "Brothers on the Move" scholarship gives black male students at the 'School of the Month', a $2,500 scholarship. The organization's largest annual fundraiser is its "Fantastic Voyage"(TM), which is a seven-day, six-night cruise that raises more than $1 million a year.

SOURCE: Denny's

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