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Theatre Development Fund, the not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts announced today that it has received a $10,000 grant from the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, the private foundation created by CVS Caremark Corporation.

Access for Young Audiences is a program for elementary and secondary school students in the tri-state area, offering them the opportunity to attend accessible Broadway performances. These young people have either mild to severe hearing loss, or are blind or have low vision and are mostly first-time theatregoers.

For students who are hard of hearing or deaf, TDF simultaneously provides sign language interpreting and open captioning. For students with low vision or who are blind, TDF provides live audio description during the performance. These services are scheduled during select Wednesday matinees during the school year.

Prior to attending the Broadway show, TDF sends a teaching artist to meet and work with the students in their classrooms for a special pre-performance workshop. Access for Young Audiences is provided by TDF at no cost to the schools or students.

“We’re very grateful that CVS Caremark Charitable Trust has chosen to support our Access for Young Audiences program,” said TDF’s Executive Director, Victoria Bailey.  “Their generous support will help us to continue to serve a population of students with diminished hearing or sight, by making the magic of theatre available to them through special open captioned, sign language interpreted and audio described performances.”
 
“In today’s challenging economy, it’s more important than ever to support organizations that can have a positive impact on children with disabilities,” said Eileen Howard Dunn, Vice President, CVS Caremark Charitable Trust. “We’re proud to support TDF and the wonderful services provided by their Access for Young Audiences program, and we wish them continued success in 2010.”

The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust’s grant to Theatre Development Fund is part of $6.3 million in grants given to nonprofit organizations across the country in 2009. A number of these grants align with CVS Caremark All Kids Can, the company’s signature philanthropic program focused on supporting children with disabilities by raising awareness about inclusion, creating greater opportunities for physical activity and play, and providing access to medical rehabilitation and related services.

Other CVS Caremark Charitable Trust grants provide support for medical services for the uninsured, grants to pharmacy schools, scholarships for the children of CVS Caremark colleagues and funding for community organizations for which CVS Caremark colleagues act as volunteers.

About TDF:

Theatre Development Fund, the largest not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts in the United States, was established in 1968 to foster works of artistic merit by supporting new productions and to broaden the audience for live theatre and dance. TDF has played a unique role in strengthening live theatre and dance in New York City for the past 42 years. The largest not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts in the United States, TDF’s programs have filled over 76 million seats at discount prices (with theatre lovers who would normally not be able to attend live performance) and returned nearly 2 billion dollars in revenue to thousands of theatre, dance and music productions. Best known for its TKTS Discount Booths, TDF’s membership, voucher, access and education programs, as well as its Costume Collection, help to make the unique experience of theatre available to everyone. TDF has recently published their first book, “Outrageous Fortune: The Life and Times of the New American Play” by Todd London with Ben Pesner and Zannie Giraud Voss. For more information about TDF and its programs, go to www.tdf.org

About the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust:

The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, Inc. is a private foundation created by CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE:  CVS), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States and the market leader in mail order pharmacy, retail pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, and retail clinics.  The mission of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust is to provide funding for programs serving children with disabilities as well as nonprofits that provide health care services to the uninsured and medically at-risk populations.  Learn more about the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust annual call for applications at www.cvs.com/community. General information about CVS Caremark is available through the Company’s Web site at http://info.cvscaremark.com.