Country music artist and New York Times bestselling author Jimmy Wayne is joining forces with Coca-Cola to make a positive difference during National Homeless Youth Awareness Month in November. Wayne’s latest book, “Walk To Beautiful” (HarperCollins Christian Publishing), the critically acclaimed memoir that recounts Wayne’s transition from homeless teen to becoming a country music star with a No. 1 song, was released in paperback for the first time this month.
Coca-Cola, which played an inspirational role in Wayne’s story, is helping bring some added visibility to the book in stores to drive awareness for the issue of hunger and homelessness in the U.S. “Walk To Beautiful” is being merchandised alongside 6-packs of Coca-Cola in more than 5,000 retail locations across the country. This promotion marks the first time that a consumer packaged goods company has partnered with a book title to create a shopper marketing program in the grocery channel. In addition, Coca-Cola is making a nearly $50,000 donation to Wayne’s foundation, Project Meet Me Halfway, which helps at-risk youth in foster care and those experiencing homelessness.
Wayne’s “Walk to Beautiful” tells his story of survival being hungry and homeless, bouncing in and out of the foster care system and sleeping in the streets. He was eventually “rescued” by an elderly couple, Bea and Russell Costner, who gave him a stable home and provided a chance for him to complete his education. It was Bea Costner who gave Wayne a job mowing her lawn; once the yard work was complete, she would always offer Jimmy an ice-cold Coca-Cola and have a conversation with him. Coca-Cola plays a prominent role in his book and in his life; it represents the beginning of his relationship with the one person, Bea Costner, who ultimately saved his life and helped him pursue his dreams.
With hits such as “Stay Gone,” “I Love You This Much” and “Paper Angels,” Wayne released “Do You Believe Me Now,” his biggest hit to date for which he earned the millionaire award for having one million radio spins in America. In 2009, Jimmy toured with Brad Paisley and recorded “Sara Smile” with rock ‘n roll Hall of Fame duo Daryl Hall and John Oates.
In 2010, Wayne walked halfway across America to raise awareness for kids aging out of the foster care system. In 2011 he released the novel “Paper Angels,” which became a made-for-TV movie with the same title. In 2012, Wayne helped get the bill passed extending the age of foster care to 21 in both California and Tennessee.
Wayne lives in Nashville and continues to raise awareness for kids by writing, singing and speaking.
Thank you so much for investing your time and writing this wonderful article. Thanks for helping me share the message about this wonderful lady, Bea. #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you for the wonderful article on Jimmy Wayne and Walk to Beautiful. #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you for the amazing article written on Jimmy Wayne and the great book he wrote about his life Walk to Beautiful. This is a very inspiring book! #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank You so much for the Awesome article on Jimmy Wayne, his book “Walk To Beautiful”! He has made such an impact on Fans, Friends , Foster Youth with his Life Story, Singing Ability, & Talents for many years now! This is the Perfect Pairing to make a huge difference for the Homeless & Foster Youth! #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you so much for this wonderful article and for helping spread awareness for Jimmy and meet me halfway
CoThank you for youe article on Jimmy Wayne. Hopefullly I can finally find his book and read it !#walktobeautifulcokemment…
Thank you for writing such a great article on the Coca-Cola/Walk To Beautiful campaign. It’s an amazing book and Jimmy Wayne is amazing human being who is making a real difference in the world. And now with Coca-Cola helping out he can help even more kids. #walktobeautifulcoke
I can’t say enough good things about this book and Jimmy Wayne for all he does to help the foster kids. Wonderful article for a wonderful partnership! Thanks Jimmy Wayne and thanks Coca-Cola. #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you for the beautiful article. Very inspiring book. Thank you Jimmy Wayne for sharing your story. And helping and inspiring so many people.Thank you Jimmy Wayne and thank you Coca-Cola. #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank You for doing this wonderful article , Jimmy Wayne is changing lives through his story Walk To Beautiful, not only the lives of the Foster Children, but all of us, He inspires change and gives hope Thank You Jimmy Wayne, Thank Yiou Coca-Cola. #walktobeautifulcoke
Kristen, thanks for providing a great article on Coca-Cola’s support for the paperback release of Walk to Beautiful! #walktobeautifulcoke
Amazing article. Amazing Book. Amazing Man of God, Jimmy Wayne. Amazing Inspiration. Amazing “All God’s Children”. Amazing God we serve!!! Sincerely Humbled and Thankful for everyone involved! Coke/book campaign with #walktobeautifulcoke
An awesome article! Walk To Beautiful is such a beautiful, yet heartbreaking, story of love and perseverance. 🙂
An amazing book!! An emotional roller coaster ride! Hope, Love and the Power of One #BEA somebody!! Thank you for for the support!! It is greatly appreciated by MANY!!! #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you for writing about this exciting Coca Cola/Walk To Beautiful promotion and helping get the word out about what Jimmy is doing through his Project Meet Me Halfway. Stories like this are key in raising awareness and getting people involved in helping foster youth and those facing homelessness. Also, thanks for mentioning November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month! #walktobeautifulcoke
What a great partnership! Jimmy Wayne’s book is amazing…one of my all time favorites! Jimmy devotes his life to help raise awareness for foster kids aging out of the system and other issues these kids have. So it’s wonderful to see Coca-Cola stand alongside with him, especially this month. Thank you Coca-Cola and Jimmy Wayne! Well played! ????
#walktobeaitifulcoke
Thank you for the amazing article on Jimmy Wayne and thank you for supporting his book “Walk To Beautiful”. I believe in this young man and all he stands for. #WalkToBeautifulCoke
This is an excellent article about Jimmy’s book and the promotion Coca-Cola is doing. Thank you for supporting Jimmy & his campaign to raise awareness for foster youth aging out of the system and becoming homeless. #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank-you for this article to bring awareness to ” Walk to Beautiful” and Jimmy Wayne. Jimmy is the “Bea” for so many others in this world who need to feel the love, hope, and encouragement that Bea Costner gave to Jimmy when she and her husband Russell took him into their home after he lived homeless and lived through so much trauma, abuse, and neglect by sharing his life story through music and this book “Walk to Beautiful.” The voice that speaks often to Jimmy throughout the book is one that brings him closer to his faith and one that places him on his life journey showing him the way…the walk to a beautiful life….
At times, people have shades on, not seeing that there is not always good in this world and that life is not always “beautiful” even to so many beautiful children who deserve so much better, but that with the Bea’s of this world and others, life can be “beautiful.” We have over 400,000 children in foster care with 23,000 of them aging out yearly. Our children are our future and we are failing them. It costs 0-2500 dollars to adopt a child in foster care. I believe Jimmy’s book and him bringing awareness will help many to decide to open their hearts to consider adoption and that many will make a difference in the life of another. I think it will also help stop the stigma attached to mental illness.
Awesome article! Amazing and inspirational book. Thanks Coke-Cola for sponsoring and promoting Jimmy Wayne’s book Walk to Beautiful and helping raise awareness of the foster system and what is needed to help foster kids. It’s a tribute to Bea, what an amazing woman!
Thank you for writing a great Artikel about Country music artist and New York Times bestselling author Jimmy Wayne who is joining forces with Coca-Cola to make a positive difference during National Homeless Youth Awareness Month in November. #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you for this great article about Coca Cola and Walk to Beautiful joining forces to make a difference. This month is National Homeless Youth awareness month. Jimmy knows all to well what that means. He has been dedicating is life’s work so that other youth don’t have to experience homelessness. Walk to Beautiful is an incredible book giving hope to any youth having to deal with foster care and despair. I urge everyone to purchase this New York Times bestseller book and a coca cola. #walktobeautifulcoke
Jimmy Wayne’s life story, journey and amazing purpose in this world is immaculately displayed by his evident compassion, intentional and immeasurable love for all foster children that age out of the system and his persistent promise to raise the age limits in all states so that these kids have the best chance at as wonderful a life as possible. A thousand thank-you’s Coca-Cola and Jay Moye for this BEA-utiful article!
Jimmy Wayne’s life story, journey and amazing purpose in this world is immaculately displayed by his evident compassion, intentional and immeasurable love for all foster children that age out of the system and his persistent promise to raise the age limits in all states so that these kids have the best chance at as wonderful a life as possible. A thousand thank-you’s to The Shelby Report and Kristen Cloud for this BEA-utiful article!
To share one’s gift of life experience and one’s gift of talent as Jimmy Wayne does in life and through his New York Times best selling book *WALK TO BEAUTIFUL*, to bring about positive social change to help and save foster kids and orphans is a truly #BEAutiful thing!!! And now in partnership with the Coca-Cola Co., with all its power and scope and their generous donation to Jimmy’s Project Meet Me Halfway, more much needed awareness of this important cause and thus more help will be forthcoming and available to aid and improve the lives of these (all our) desperate and deserving children and youth. THANK YOU Jimmy and THANK YOU Coca-Cola!!! #walktobeautifulcoke
#walktobeautifulcoke #JIMMYWAYNE
Love that a mega corp Coca Cola has decided to support Jimmy Wayne and his cause to help homeless youth in America. Thanks for having a heart Coke. Looking forward to finding a display like this in my hometown!
As a veteran educator in ATL GA, I have had a wonderful opportunity to not only read Jimmy Wayne’s book, Walk to Beautiful, but to create a book study that gave hundreds of GA school leaders and teachers a new awareness and a more sensitive perspective about many students sitting in our classrooms, today.
I am truly grateful and I applaud the Coca Cola Co who has also taken the opportunity to support, in partnership, such a well deserving author, Jimmy Wayne, and his cause — Our Future… KIDS… who benefit from Mr Wayne’s Project Meet Me Halfway Organization… Now that’s #TheRealThing #walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you, thank you for sharing Jimmy Wayne’s story! Powerful, inspiring and motivating!! Coca-Cola needs to be applauded for their efforts to make a difference in the lives of children in foster care and those aging out!
#walktobeautifulcoke
Thank you doesn’t come close to the appreciation felt by sharing Jimmy Wayne’s heartrending story of his life before Bea and Russell Costner and the promise he made to himself (and kept) to do whatever it takes to spare other children that fate. I’d like to buy the world a coke and keep ‘all’ company. Thank you Coca-Cola, The Shelby Report, Kristen Cloud and especially the BEA-utiful soul of Jimmy Wayne.