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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 21, 2008 -- ATLANTA (Nov. 20, 2008) – 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 Nov. 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’s 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.

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