LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2010) -Against the backdrop of a world-record sculpture of canned goods destined for food banks, Disney Parks officials on Thursday announced a major milestone with the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program, a first-of-its-kind effort to help inspire 1 million people to perform volunteer service.

Since the program’s launch only six weeks ago, more than 600,000 people in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada have volunteered or signed up for volunteer projects in their communities, announced Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

“With the launch of our ‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ program, we hoped to spark something truly special,” Staggs said. “But even we have been overwhelmed with the response.”

To recognize their good deeds, in 2010 Disney Parks is celebrating those who volunteer through the program by giving them a free one-day admission to either a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park. Volunteers can start the search and sign-up process by going to www.disneyparks.com.

HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute and the largest volunteer network in the nation, is supporting the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program by connecting volunteers with projects.

According to Michelle Nunn, co-founder of HandsOn Network and CEO of Points of Light Institute, 10,000 community organizations, through the Disney Parks program, are getting the volunteers they need to meet important community challenges.

“The level of volunteerism we have seen in the first weeks of 2010 is tracking to new highs,” she said. “Our dream at HandsOn Network is for everyone to recognize their power to make a difference. Disney is helping us make that dream a reality, a million times over.”

Since the launch of the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program on Jan. 1, 2010, volunteers have trekked through wetlands near Long Beach, Calif., and through mountain preserves in Phoenix, Ariz., clearing away non-native vegetation. A continent away, volunteers have whisked away trash on Atlantic Coast beaches in Brevard County and Dade County, Fla. In Port Huron, Mich., “soccer families” have picked up paint brushes to help spruce up a community center. In Atlanta, Ga., volunteers have assisted hospitalized children as they create arts and crafts projects. And with the forecast for a cold night ahead, the homeless in Central Florida were handed blankets by caring volunteers.

In addition to celebrating the “Give A Day, Get a Disney Day” program, Disney Parks welcomed to Walt Disney World Resort Thursday other outstanding volunteer families from the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada who gave back to their communities in special ways, as part of Disney’s celebration of family volunteerism in 2010.

“Today we are here to celebrate you,” Staggs told the families. “With each of your efforts, you make a difference.”

Volunteering: A Snapshot

PEOPLE WANT TO VOLUNTEER
Organizations have seen a dramatic increase in volunteer efforts during the past few years. People of all ages have made a conscious effort to get out and do more, especially intheir local area.

* Since 2007, the number of people working to fix a community problem has risen 31 percent – a substantial amount – further benefitting local communities especially during the current economy, according to Volunteering in America 2009.

A FAMILY THAT VOLUNTEERS TOGETHER
Spending time together is usually always a priority for families – and many parents are using this time to set an example for their children.

* More parents than single adults (68 percent vs. 55 percent) plan to volunteer in some way in 2010, according to a survey conducted by New York-based Kelton Research in November 2009.
* Approximately five out of six (84 percent) moms surveyed would like their children involved in youth volunteer activities, according to the 2008 Quaker Youth Volunteerism Report.
* In fact, Just Kid. Inc. reports 37 percent of kids, 44 percent of tweens and 46 percent of teens would volunteer more if given the opportunity.
* Young adults (ages 16-24) are helping lead the way in volunteerism – with more than 441,000 young volunteers in 2008 versus 2007, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Youth today believe it is essential and “very important” to help others in need, the report also found.

WHO BENEFITS FROM VOLUNTEER EFFORTS?
Nonprofits were especially helped by those who contributed their efforts in 2008, and planned to increase their reliance on volunteers in 2009. Additionally, local communities are reaping the ongoing benefits of these added helping hands.

* Between September 2008 and March 2009, more than a third (37 percent) of nonprofit organizations planned to increase the number of volunteers they used, and almost half (48 percent) expected an increase in 2009, according to a national survey of nonprofit organizations.
* Parents also are noticing the benefits of volunteering at home. Family volunteerism is a hands-on way to teach children the values of kindness, compassion, tolerance, community responsibility and good citizenship. Additionally, family volunteerism helps mobilize thousands of new volunteers and instills the next generation with a lifelong commitment to volunteering.
* Moms have identified respect (88 percent), teamwork (87 percent) and compassion (85 percent) as the positive traits that a young volunteer develops when helping others, according to the 2008 Quaker Youth Volunteerism Report.

AMERICANS’ GOALS FOR 2010
Volunteerism has seen a surge of interest in recent years – in fact, almost 60 percent of all Americans would rather resolve to give back by volunteering in 2010, according to the New York-based Kelton Research survey from November 2009.

* More women than men (62 percent vs. 54 percent) include volunteering as a 2010 goal.
* When asked what Americans anticipate they could accomplish in 2010, 30 percent selected volunteering as a foreseeable goal.

HANDSON NETWORK’S VOLUNTEERISM EFFORTS
HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute, is an international nonprofit organization whose core mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world.

* The organization has more than 250 Action Centers (local affiliates) serving 83 percent of the American population and 12 international communities.
* HandsOn reported a 43 percent increase in volunteers registering in 2009 and a 58 percent increase in people signing up for new volunteer opportunities.
* The first six months of 2009 saw a 29 percent increase in the unique opportunities available for volunteers, compared to the same period in 2008.
* Collectively, it is estimated that 30.4 million total service hours were completed by volunteers engaged by HandsOn Network in 2008, according to findings from the 2008 Annual Affiliate Report.

POPULAR WAYS TO LEND A HAND
Through HandsOn Network affiliates, those looking to donate their time have a variety of unique volunteer service opportunities to choose from – whether it’s disaster relief and environmental causes to seniors, children/youth and community enrichment programs. Below are examples of opportunities available through the HandsOn Network affiliates located throughout the country:

* Help package donations at a food pantry
* Plant, weed and tend a community garden
* Participate in a local community clothing or toy drive
* Visit nursing homes to play games, make crafts or share talents with senior residents
* Read books to children at a local daycare center
* Assemble backpacks with school supplies for under-resourced schools

DISNEY’S VOLUNTEARS ‘SPREAD THE MAGIC’
Volunteerism has been a part of the Disney culture for more than a quarter century, encouraging cast members to dedicate their time through Disney Parks’ VoluntEARS program.

* Launched in 1983, Disney VoluntEARS have donated 5.5 million+ hours of service.

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