PND (4/11/2000) -- Charitable Efforts Honored During National Volunteer Week

As part of National Volunteer Week (April 9-15), ten outstanding volunteer efforts from across the United States were each awarded $10,000 grants at USA Weekend magazine's 9th Annual National Make A Difference Day Awards ceremony on April 11. The award recipients — including an 8-year-old boy who collected toys for young flood victims in North Carolina, a 10-year-old cancer patient who raised money for a cancer treatment center, and a homeless musician who held a concert to benefit a local homeless shelter — were honored for their efforts on Make A Difference Day last October 23. Two million volunteers participated and an estimated 22 million people-in-need benefited from the event.

USA Weekend magazine sponsors the day, which is held on the fourth Saturday of October, in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation. The cash grants to the award winners are provided by actor Paul Newman, who donates all after-tax profits from his food company, Newman's Own, to educational and charitable programs. This is the sixth year the actor has supported the program.

"It's a privilege for Newman's Own to be involved in this program," says Newman. "It's the thousands of people who contribute their time and effort who are the heroes — we just wave the flag."

In addition to the ten national volunteer awards, Make A Difference Day donations included $2.6 million in grants provided by Wal-Mart, the retail supporter of Make A Difference Day. Sunsweet Growers also awarded $20,000 to a hall of fame of volunteers and provided $80,000 in support to community projects last fall.

The 10th Make a Difference Day is scheduled for October 28, 2000. For information on participating, see http://www.usaweekend.com/diffday/index_steps.html

For more information on National Volunteer Week, see the information page at the Points of Light Foundation Web site: http://www.pointsoflight.org/nvw2000/nvw_index.html

"Ten Groups of Caring Americans Honored for Making a Difference." USA Weekend Press Release 4/6/2000.

See also: "Presidential Proclamation of National Volunteer Week." U.S. Newswire 4/7/2000.

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