Hands On Schools - a Two-Year Program to Revitalize 100 Schools Nationwide - Responds to Parents' Needs With Help From The Home Depot

ATLANTA, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hands On Schools, an innovative school revitalization program that will reestablish schools as the focal point of the community, today launches with projects in Atlanta and Denver. With support from founding partner The Home Depot, thousands of volunteers will transform 100 school communities over the next two years.

The program launch today comes on the heels of a survey conducted by Points of Light & Hands On Network indicating that one in four U.S. adult parents (25%) believe that no matter what they do, they cannot make a substantive change in their child's school. In addition, 86 percent of respondents said that they would volunteer in their child's school if provided with access and instruction.

Supported by a $3 million challenge grant from The Home Depot, Hands On Schools aims to provide a replicable model that both parents and community members can use to stimulate positive change through effective volunteer action. The program is based on a model of collective community investment, which channels the core competencies of parents, community members and corporate volunteers to achieve greater impact than any single investor. These parties unite to not only physically improve the school's building and grounds, but goes further and develops programs that seek to improve the educational experience and cultivate sustained community engagement. The challenge grant requires that Points of Light & Hands On Network raise an additional $3 million to support the Hands On Schools initiative.

"The Home Depot's support of our efforts began more than 15 years ago and has been pivotal in achieving our larger objective -- to inspire a civic change movement where communities are inspired and equipped to bring about change," says Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light & Hands On Network. "The responsible citizenship demonstrated by all of our partners multiplies the power of community and corporate investment, and subsequently, will bring about real change in schools nationwide."

In response to the survey, Points of Light & Hands On Network also has developed the Hands On Schools Toolbox and Web site http://www.handsonschools.org/ -- where parents, school administrators and community members can receive resources, instruction and tools necessary to bring about measurable change in their local schools. Communities can also submit their local school to become one of the initial 100 schools transformed by Hands on Schools. Schools will be assessed against a rigorous set of criteria to identify those demonstrating the greatest need and a willingness to engage the broader community.

Once the school has been selected, parents, community volunteers and local businesses begin to work with students as part of a Local Advisory Committee to articulate a shared vision for a renewed school. This approach ensures broad community engagement -- an antidote to the trend of disengaged and less cohesive communities. Students are also given ongoing training to become Youth Volunteer Leaders. In that leadership role, students help to execute all elements of the volunteer projects and initiate a legacy of service to the community.

"Hands On Schools provides a remarkable opportunity for The Home Depot to leverage its expertise in home improvement in order to support our local communities and schools," said Kelly Caffarelli, vice president of The Home Depot Foundation. "We are excited about our partnership with Hands On Network whose experience in managing volunteer projects coupled with our associates' drive to give back uniquely positions us to launch this innovative program."

The Home Depot's significant support of Hands On Schools has helped to attract additional partners, including Behr, The Annenburg Foundation, SAP, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ProLogis and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

About Points of Light & Hands On Network

Points of Light & Hands On Network leads an international movement of people who roll up their sleeves, get hands on, and solve community problems everyday. Through their Volunteer Center National Network and Hands On Action Centers, the organization supports a network of 370 organizations covering 88% of the US market and eight countries. These organizations mobilize millions of volunteers who partner with more than 12,000 nonprofits, schools and community organizations every year. They put people at the center ... repairing homes, ensuring green spaces and partnering with nonprofits, students and faculty to transform schools and communities. Points of Light & Hands On Network encourages people from all walks of life -- businesses, nonprofits, faith- based organizations, low-income communities, families, youth, and older adults -- to volunteer and be the change in their communities. For more information, visit http://www.handsonnetwork.org/ or http://www.pointsoflight.org/.

About The Home Depot

The Home Depot(R) is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,200 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2006, The Home Depot had sales of $90.8 billion and earnings of $5.8 billion. The Company employs approximately 364,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index.