Celebrate Family Community and the Spirit of Service on Family Volunteer Day



With the approaching holiday season, families are getting creative when it comes to giving, and spending time together. In fact, thousands are planning to give the gift of their time by volunteering as a family, and many are starting this weekend on Family Volunteer Day.

On November 22, families throughout the world will unite in service as part of Family Volunteer Day, a signature program of HandsOn Network, sponsored by The Walt Disney Company. Observed annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Family Volunteer Day demonstrates the power of families who choose to give back in support of the communities where they live.

In a day when it'ss difficult for families to find time to eat dinner together, volunteering as a family can bring parents and children together to accomplish a goal and help reinforce how valuable each family member is in supporting their community, said Amy Smith, president, HandsOn Network. Throughout the country, HandsOn Network provides local opportunities for families of any size to volunteer.

A recent survey of moms indicated that more than 80 percent are interested in getting their children involved in youth volunteer activities and 91 percent of moms who volunteer at least once a year proactively seek to engage their children in volunteer activities at least annually. Family Volunteer Day provides a great opportunity for parents, children and extended families to volunteer in their communities.

As a company devoted to families, Disney is a perfect match to support Family Volunteer Day. Families and children make an important contribution to their local communities through various charitable and civic initiatives. Disney is proud to support Family Volunteer Day to put a spotlight on amazing stories of family involvement and to encourage others to participate and learn that collectively we can make an important impact in the world in which we live, said Jeff Hoffman, vice president, Disney Worldwide Outreach.

For more information on how families can get involved with Family Volunteer Day in their local communities, please visit www.FamilyVolunteerDay.org. The Web site is packed with tips on project planning, project ideas and more, including a search tool, powered by HandsOn Network, that will give families a chance to find volunteer projects already planned in their community. There also is a special section for kids with games, puzzles and free downloads around the day.

About HandsOn Network

HandsOn Network equips, mobilizes and inspires people to take action that changes the world. Our Network, now the largest in the nation, is leading people from impulse to action, turning their ideas for change into real projects like building wheel chair ramps, watershed protection projects and tutoring programs - action that addresses critical issues facing our communities, our nation and our world. The Network includes over 250 affiliates--that serve in all 50 states and in 9 countries. In 2007 alone, these HandsOn Action Centers helped to deliver more than 33 million hours of volunteer service valued at $1.2 billion dollars. For more information, please visit www.handsonnetwork.org.

About Disney Worldwide Outreach

Disney brightens the lives of children in need around the world through global outreach programs, local community initiatives and the Disney VoluntEARS program. Last year, Disney donated $177 million in cash and in-kind support to various charities around the world. Disney VoluntEARS contributed 466,000 hours of service and the Company drew upon its unique magic to make wishes come true for children and families. The Disney VoluntEARS program provides opportunities for Disney employees to contribute their time and expertise towards making a positive impact in the communities they serve while furthering the traditions and ideals of The Walt Disney Company. For more information on Disney'ss outreach efforts, please visit www.disneyoutreach.com.





Celebrate Family Community and the Spirit of Service on Family Volunteer Day