Dis Co and McDonald House Charities Join with Points of Light Foundation for USA Initiative

The Walt Disney Company and Ronald McDonald House Charities Join with Points of Light Foundation for Unity in the Spirit of America (USA) Initiative
Volunteer Groups and Corporate Foundations Urged to Coordinate Projects Paying Tribute to Those Lost on September 11th

The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network today announced that DisneyHAND, the worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, and Ronald McDonald House Charities, a non-profit that creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children, have signed on as lead partners of the Unity in the Spirit of America (USA) initiative. At last night's second session of the 2002 National Conference on Community Volunteering and National Service, both Charities called on the nation's volunteer and corporate communities to coordinate volunteer projects in the names of those who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11th

Sponsored into legislation by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Kyle (R-AZ) and signed into law by President Bush on January 10, 2002, the USA initiative urges Americans to pledge and conduct volunteer projects in their communities as "living memorials" to those lost on September 11th. The Points of Light Foundation and its national network of nearly 500 Volunteer Centers will oversee the initiative, in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service.

"An appropriate outstanding way to remember those who lost their lives is through acts of community service performed in their memory. This is what the USA initiative is all about and we at The Walt Disney Company feel privileged to participate," said Jody Dreyer, SVP, Disney Worldwide Outreach.

Both DisneyHAND, worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, and Ronald McDonald House Charities have committed financial support to the initiative, as well as use of their marketing resources and channels for raising national visibility of the USA. DisneyHAND will coordinate the company's efforts, which will be supported by its many properties, including ABC-TV.

"Ronald McDonald House Charities is so pleased and proud to be a lead partner of the Unity in the Spirit of America initiative," said Ken Barun, president and chief executive officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities. "In addition to the $1 million committed by our Board of Trustees to support this initiative, through our local RMHC Chapters and Ronald McDonald Houses we are in a unique position to help bring USA to life in local communities. Together, we will make a difference in the lives of many as a fitting memorial to those who lost their lives on September 11th."

The USA initiative officially kicks off on June 20, with simultaneous volunteer events taking place in NYC, Washington, D.C., and eleven other major cities across the U.S. The NYC and D.C. events will feature surprise celebrities and dignitaries participating in a volunteer project to rally individuals, non-profits and corporations to pledge their support for the initiative.

"The USA initiative allows corporate America to embrace volunteerism in their corporate culture to memorialize those lost on September 11th. We applaud DisneyHAND and the Ronald McDonald House Charities' commitment to this important effort and hope that other companies follow suit," said Robert K. Goodwin, president and chief executive officer of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network. "More and more companies are allowing their employees to perform volunteer activities on company time, and the USA initiative provides many opportunities for worthwhile projects and causes to choose from -- all sanctioned by the families of those lost on September 11th."

The Unity in the Spirit of America Web site, http://www.usa.pointsoflight.org will enable visitors to search biographical data of those lost on September 11th (provided by participating families), explore volunteer project ideas, and register their volunteer projects for consideration as official USA projects. The Points of Light Foundation will approve all projects before a name is officially assigned. A Web-based scrapbook, including project photos and highlights, will be updated regularly and serve as an online living memorial.

DisneyHAND, the worldwide outreach program for The Walt Disney Company, is dedicated to making the dreams of families and children a reality through focused public service initiatives, community outreach and volunteerism in areas such as learning, compassion, the arts and the environment, and administers the Disney VoluntEARS program. Since its inception in 1992, the Disney VoluntEARS program, which develops opportunities for Disney employees to contribute their personal time, expertise and effort to make a positive impact on the community, has served more than 200 cities, 47 states, and 24 countries on six continents.

The Walt Disney Company, with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a diversified, international family entertainment and media enterprise which includes Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, The Walt Disney Studios, ABC, Inc., ESPN, Disney Channel, Disney Stores,television and radio stations and Internet web sites. For more information on Disney's corporate public service efforts, please visit our Web site at http://www.disneyhand.com.

Ronald McDonald House Charities, a non-profit, 501(c)3, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children through its network of 171 local Chapters currently serving in 44 countries. Named one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine, the Charity makes grants to not-for-profit organizations and provides support to Ronald McDonald Houses and Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles worldwide. To date, Ronald McDonald House Charities' national body and global network of local Chapters have awarded more than $320 million to children's programs.

The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network engages and mobilizes millions of volunteers who are helping to solve serious social problems in thousands of communities. Through a variety of programs and services, the Foundation encourages people from all walks of life -- corporations, faith-based organizations, low-income communities, families, youth, and older adults -- to volunteer. By calling 1-800-VOLUNTEER, or visiting http://www.1800volunteer.org, interested persons can get connected to volunteer opportunities within their communities.

The Corporation for National and Community Service was established in 1993 to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to their communities. The Corporation oversees AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America and Senior Corps, engaging more than two million Americans in service to their communities and country each year. For more information, call 1-202-606-5000 or visit http://www.nationalservice.org.

--Posted June 11, 2002
Source: Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network