BURBANK, Calif — July 19, 2010 — Disney’s Friends for Change, a movement that encourages kids to help the planet, is launching a new video spot about the oil spill in the Gulf. The program is also donating $100,000 to support clean-up efforts. The new content, premiering MONDAY, JULY 19, will encourage kids to communicate their feelings about the disaster, understand how they are already helping and learn more about how to protect our planet’s natural resources and wildlife.
“It’s important for us to speak to kids about this unprecedented environmental disaster, to acknowledge their emotions about the news we’re all seeing on a daily basis and encourage them to channel their feelings into positive action,” said Beth Stevens, senior vice president, Environmental Affairs for The Walt Disney Company. “Kids want to help and even though the clean-up in the Gulf is a job for trained professionals, all local waterways lead to the ocean so we’re recruiting kids to help keep them clean.”
Included in the effort::
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Messages from kids, for kids: A new video spot features popular Disney Channel stars including Joe Jonas (JONAS L.A.), Brenda Song and Debby Ryan (both from The Suite Life on Deck) and Moises Arias (Hannah Montana). The young stars discuss their own feelings about the disaster and steps kids can take to make positive changes to keep local waterways clean. The new spot will run on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Radio Disney and Disney.com.
Editors please note: To view the interstitial (confirming) and for images please visitwww.disneychannelmedianet.com. Registration Required.
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Charitable Contribution: Kids are also helping make a difference thanks to their support of the Friends for Change song, Make a Wave. A $100,000 donation from the iTunes® proceeds of the song has been directed to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to support habitat, wildlife and community recovery in the region. The fund is donating this contribution to expert environmental organizations responding to the disaster in the Gulf region including $50,000 to the National Audubon Society.
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Online content and resources: A new collection of Disney’s Friends for Change online content (www.Disney.com/ProjectGreen) will provide additional tips, step-by-step tool-kits to organize community waterway clean-ups and resources for kids to learn more about why these actions matter.
ABOUT DISNEY’S FRIENDS FOR CHANGE: PROJECT GREEN
Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green is a multi-platform initiative that empowers kids to help the planet. Through the program, kids learn practical ways to help the environment, get their friends involved, track their collective impact and have the opportunity to help Disney decide how to divide $1 million in annual donations to various environmental causes. Kids can join for free at www.Disney.com/projectgreen.