MUMBAI: Cartoon Network will expand its comprehensive healthy lifestyles, pro-social initiative, Get Animated, this year with celebrity endorsements and multiple new national child advocacy group partnerships to dramatically extend Get Animated's outreach to children and families across the US.

The announcement was made by Cartoon Network executive vice president and general manager Jim Samples.

Get Animated will now serve as the network's overall umbrella to three specific areas targeted to educate and inspire kids ages 6 to 14 to enjoy a fully balanced, healthy lifestyle: "Get Active"- by participating in outdoor and sports activities, "Get Healthy"-by making smart choices and practicing good eating habits, and "Get Involved"-by helping others through community service and volunteerism.

"We are deeply committed to our kids audience. Both on and off the air, we know that we have a tremendous influence on kids and we take that responsibility very seriously. "Get Animated" is one way we plan to encourage all kids to get active, healthy and involved," said Samples.

"With kids bombarded with all kinds of information throughout their day, we also saw that in order to be heard, our Get Animated messages needed to be presented in fun and entertaining ways that are relevant with what kids see on our air. So we met with and enlisted many of our key partners to help us reach these kids with a variety of health, nutrition and service programs that suit a wide range of interests and available resources. When combined, these programs provide a fresh, balanced approach that covers all aspects to developing a truly healthy lifestyle," added Cartoon Network senior vice president consumer marketing Dennis Adamovich.

Helping to provide a recognisable "face" to the Get Animated program, professional tennis star Anna Kournikova and skateboarding pioneer Tony Hawk have each agreed to appear in new PSAs this year speaking directly to Cartoon Network's primary kids audiences.

They join Atlanta Falcons superstar quarterback Michael Vick as well as cartoon luminaries such as characters from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Teen Titans, The Powerpuff Girls and Codename: Kids Next Door in daily messages promoting activity, fun exercise and healthy living.

Directly on the heels of the PSA campaign, Cartoon Network will launch a series of new Get Animated programs to complement its current ongoing campaigns with the following non-profit organisations and for-profit companies:

US Fund for Unicef: KidsHelpOut.org, an independent website for kids designed to highlight ways they themselves can contribute to relief efforts for natural disasters such as the 2004 Asian Tsunami and 2005's Hurricane Katrina. The site also documents the positive impact of actions kids can take to help. Last year, KidsHelpOut.org helped to raise more than $5 million toward worldwide relief.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA): Now available in 3,800 clubs nationwide, Get Animated's Animate Your World program will appear online this year, using the latest in computer animation technology to give kids the tools to create their own animation while learning about nutrition, physical activity and even good character traits in a fun, interactive way.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) "Walk for the Cure": With customised PSAs featuring Scooby-Doo and other animation superstars, Cartoon Network will team with cable affiliate partners for the third consecutive year to promote kids and families helping to raise funds to fin a cure for type one diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Scooby-Doo will make personal appearances at select local walks, and Cartoon Network giveaways are offered to all participating affiliates running through 2006.

Trick-or-Treat for Unicef: For the fifth year in a row, Cartoon Network will partner with the US Fund for Unicef in October to encourage kids to Trick-or-Treat for Unicef to help make the world a better place for kids. Creating all-new PSAs featuring cartoon characters supporting the drive, Cartoon Network will inspire kids to help children in need worldwide. This fall's event marks the 55th annual fundraising drive and the longest-running international youth volunteer activity in the country.

Get Animated Tour: Get Animated will hit the road in May 2006, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, as part of a 30-market tour featuring active stations where kids will engage in physical activity while interacting with Cartoon Network's characters. Transported in a customised mobile unit, the Get Animated Tour is presented in partnership with Turner Network Sales and local cable affiliates.

Later this year, Cartoon Network will announce details of additional partnerships with the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the American Youth Soccer Organisation (AYSO).