Studios, Networks, Talent Agencies and Guild Employees Join Forces for a Week of Volunteer Activities in Los Angeles

Studios, Networks, Talent Agencies and Guild Employees Join Forces for a Week
of Volunteer Activities in Los Angeles

Timed with an Unprecedented Block of TV Programming That Promotes Volunteerism
Starting October 19

All Part of New Service Initiative Called iParticipate Led By The
Entertainment Industry Foundation

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Employees from entertainment
companies, including studios, networks, talent agencies and guilds join forces
and participate in a week of volunteer activities scheduled in Los Angeles
starting Tuesday, October 20. This show of support celebrates a new
industry-wide volunteer initiative, iParticipate, led by the Entertainment
Industry Foundation (EIF).

iParticipate is a ground-breaking, multi-year campaign designed to motivate
millions of Americans to volunteer regularly. As a centerpiece, beginning
October 19, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and other broadcast networks will spotlight
service on more than 90 shows through scripted programming, segments and PSAs
during an unprecedented, week-long television event.

To coincide with the week of programming, hundreds of employees working at
entertainment industry companies are answering the call to serve with
organized volunteer projects throughout Los Angeles. Planned projects
include:

Tuesday, October 20
Paramount Pictures, NBC Universal and United Talent Agency (UTA) will team up
to make food packages for families at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

Thursday, October 22
Warner Bros. Entertainment employees will be planting trees in Griffith Park,
which was devastated by fires last year, in partnership with TreePeople.

WME Entertainment will volunteer at the Lowman Special Education Center with
the Art of Elysium, a program that helps children battling serious medical
conditions.

Fox Entertainment Group, International Creative Management (ICM) and Screen
Actors Guild(SAG) will work side-by-side with CITY YEAR corps members to
beautify Carthay Center Elementary School.

Friday October 23
Sony Pictures Entertainment,AEG and Paradigm will build homes for Habitat for
Humanity at the first LEED certified housing development in the city of
Lynwood.

Saturday, October 24
Disney | ABCTelevision Group and Creative Artists Agency(CAA) will assemble
holiday care packages for military troops with Operation Gratitude at the Van
Nuys National Guard Armory.

Other entertainment organizations who will volunteer this week include: CBS,
Directors Guild of America, Nickelodeon, Producers Guild of America and
Writers Guild of America.

EIF has produced a series of public service announcements that highlight key
areas where volunteers are needed most. The First Lady of the United States
Michelle Obama and the wife of the Vice President of the United States Dr.
Jill Biden appear in a PSA asking Americans to assist veterans and military
families who need help. Several celebrities volunteered their support
including: Blythe Danner, Morgan Freeman, Faith Hill, Matthew McConaughey,
Gwyneth Paltrow, Simon Baker (CBS' The Mentalist), Emily Deschanel (FOX's
Bones), Eva Longoria Parker(ABC's Desperate Housewives), Julia Louis-Dreyfus
(CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine), Masi Oka (NBC's Heroes), Michael
Strahan (FOX's Brothers), Kate Walsh (ABC's Private Practice), and Rainn
Wilson (NBC's The Office).

Leading companies and organizations that have joined EIF and industry members
in supporting iParticipate include AARP's Create The Good volunteer network
(www.CreateTheGood.org), Medco Health Solutions and its "Give Health a Hand"
program (www.GiveHealthAHand.org), Major League Baseball and its "Welcome Back
Veterans" initiative (www.WelcomeBackVeterans.org), and UnitedHealthcare
(www.unitedhealthgroup.com/main/SocialResponsibility.aspx). These
organizations will engage their employees all over the country in grassroots
service efforts.

In addition to generating heightened awareness about the value of community
service, EIF has awarded capacity-building grants to The UCLA Foundation, CITY
YEAR Los Angeles and ServiceNation. EIF's grant to UCLA helped bring about
the first-ever, day-long volunteer event with more than 5,000 new UCLA
students participating in service projects spread across Los Angeles on
September 22, 2009. EIF's one million dollar grant to CITY YEAR Los Angeles
will help significantly expand the number of corps members who help at-risk
students stay in school. And EIF's support to ServiceNation will assist in
increasing meaningful service opportunities through its 200-plus member groups
and investing in problem-solving strategies in American society.

The rate at which Americans volunteer regularly has not increased in 40 years
and has generally remained around 26% of the population, according to a survey
conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While volunteerism usually
declines during periods of economic distress, volunteerism is currently on the
rise in America, particularly among young people, according to the Corporation
for National and Community Service.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation
The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) organization, is the
leading charitable organization of entertainment industry, and has distributed
hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical
health, education and social issues. Visit www.eifoundation.org or
www.iParticipate.org.

SOURCE The Entertainment Industry Foundation

Maurine Slutzky, Entertainment Industry Foundation, +1-213-240-3923,
mslutzky@eifoundation.org