SEASON OF GIVING BEGINS WITH FAMILIES

Thousands Work Together on National Family Volunteer Day, November 20, 2004

WASHINGTON, DC (November 08, 2004) — Families across the nation will join together to kick off a holiday tradition of giving and volunteering as part of National Family Volunteer Day, on Saturday, November 20, 2004. Celebrated the Saturday before Thanksgiving, this national day of service is sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network.

Since it's inception in 1999, over 120,000 volunteers have participated in National Family Volunteer Day. Spearheading this effort are individual families, family volunteers organized by local agencies and Volunteer Centers, and employees and their families of corporations and businesses around the globe.

According to Independent Sector, a lmost 45% of family volunteers volunteer at regularly scheduled times throughout the year, compared to 33% of those who volunteer alone, proof that families are an important resource for volunteer agencies and grassroots organizations. And, while family volunteering is common to all communities, in some areas it is identified by other terms such as neighboring and giving back.

The benefits of family volunteering are numerous. Volunteering as a family encourages communication and shared time among family members while addressing key issues in the community. Family volunteering also reduces the sense of isolation and powerlessness shared by many during the holiday season.

“We partner with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to make a difference in the lives of children and families, especially those living in tough communities," said Robert K. Goodwin, president and CEO of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network. "Through this partnership we have learned that children do well when families do well, and families do better when they live in supportive neighborhoods."

As part of its Youth & Family Outreach initiative, the Foundation encourages families to help strengthen their communities by linking them with local organizations involved in volunteer service activities. Families can also create activities on their own, like coordinating food drives, visiting residents of a nursing home, cleaning an area park or helping clean, paint and repair the home of a neighborhood family in need.

To support families and organizations in the development of National Family Volunteer Day activities, the Points of Light Foundation maintains FamilyCares.org, an online resource for volunteering families. FamilyCares.org features project ideas, educational materials, games for children, and other useful materials for families and individuals interested in learning more about the dramatic positive impact family volunteering has on those who choose to serve together.

Each year, the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network honors families, Volunteer Centers, nonprofit agencies, and businesses with the National Family Volunteer Award. The award recognizes significant family volunteering activities that have taken place over the previous year, and is based on five categories: achievement, community needs, innovation, mobilization and ongoing commitment. Applications are available at http://www.pointsoflight.org/awards/nfva/ or by emailing YouthandFamily@pointsoflight.org and will be accepted through March 4, 2005.

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The Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network engage and mobilize millions of volunteers to help 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 www.1-800-VOLUNTEER.org, interested persons can get connected to volunteer opportunities within their communities.