The National Climate Assessment: Climate Change Impacts in the United States concludes that warmer and drier conditions have already contributed to increasing wildfire events across the western United States, and future increases are projected in some regions. Already this year, there have been over 44,000 wildfires that have damaged or destroyed almost 8.5 million acres. Long periods of record high temperatures are associated with droughts that contribute to dry conditions and drive wildfires in some areas.
USDA Secretary Vilsack recently stated, “This year, we are experiencing yet another devastating wildfire season, particularly in the drought-ravaged West. Climate change, drought, fuel buildup, insects and disease are increasing the severity of unprecedented wildfire in America's forests and rangelands, which impacts the safety of people, homes and communities. Development close to forests has also increased the threat to property, with more than 46 million homes in the United States, or about 40 percent of our nation's housing, potentially at risk from wildfire.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7607931-fema-national-prepareathon/
In celebration of National Reading Month, CITGO Petroleum Corporation, along with its mobile literacy partner, Bess the Book Bus, is kicking off its second annual literacy campaign to share the excitement of reading with thousands of children in more than 100 schools and Children’s Hospitals across the United States. From Feb. 26 to March 9, CITGO representatives, Miss America 2017-2018 State Titleholders and Bess the Book Bus will deliver brand new, free books to schools in 19 states, while special read-alouds for children will focus on the joy and importance of reading every day.
Founded in 2002 by Jennifer Frances, whose grandmother Bess O'Keefe fueled a love of reading from a young age, Bess the Book Bus aims to bring that same love of reading to children everywhere. Since inception, and with support from sponsors like CITGO, Bess the Book Bus travels nationwide and has visited 48 states, reaching more than 300,000 children in underserved communities and donating more than 650,000 books.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8281251-citgo-literacy-campaign-national-reading-month-fueling-good/
Using an entrepreneurial distribution model, the Natural Light project will now donate a second instalment of 20,000 solar lamps. These will be sold by new sales agents in off-grid communities in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and, for the first time, in Malawi.
The aim of this project, besides bringing a sustainable light source to off-grid communities, was to create a business model for local sales agents to make a living. This has been a great success. Today more than 50 sales agents in three African nations – Zimbabwe, Zambia and Sierra Leone – have their own businesses selling Natural Light solar lamps.
The Natural Light project, in collaboration with social business Little Sun, and NGO Plan International, was created to celebrate the VELUX Group’s 75th anniversary. Following an international design competition last year, which received 172 submissions from all over the world, the winning design was chosen and 14,500 units of the solar lamp were distributed in Africa – one for each employee of the VELUX Group and its sister companies.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8006751-velux-more-natural-light-shine-in-africa/
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) employees across 56 countries have pledged to complete more than 10,000 Hours of Code and lead coding tutorial sessions around the world during Computer Science Education Week, Dec. 4-10, as part of the company’s commitment to helping students around the world build computer and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills.
This year Accenture is leading with the talent and energy of our people, pledging more than 2,000 hours to lead or volunteer at local events in their communities, joining forces with teachers and Code.org to help students learn coding and computer science skills. This follows Accenture’s recently announced pledge of US$10 million to support initiatives to expand STEM and computer science education through Internet Association, a group that represents global internet companies on matters of public policy.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8217751-accenture-hour-of-code/
Many women don't realize aging makes heart disease likelier. To combat this problem, teams from Brookdale senior living communities nationwide are fanning out to personally alert women 65 and over to their increased risk and provide resources to fight it. The company hopes to reach 10,000 older women through “10,000 Heart to Hearts,” beginning Feb. 1.
“Cardiac disease kills more women than all cancers combined,” said Brookdale chief medical officer Kevin O'Neil, M.D., F.A.C.P. “On average, women develop heart disease 10 years later than men, with their first heart attack occurring at age 70.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7087732-brookdale-senior-living/
The Verizon Innovative App Challenge - the no-coding-skills-needed contest that gives middle and high school students a chance to bring their problem-solving app ideas to life - is back! In its fourth year, the App Challenge calls students to gather teams, dream up ideas, and create concepts for mobile apps that could solve problems in their schools and communities.
For the first time, the App Challenge will be open to teams representing non-profit organizations in addition to schools, and even more students will earn free tablets and cash awards for the groups they represent. The deadline for submission is Nov. 24, and the winners will be named in January 2016.
Bill Nye, the Science Guy, is helping Verizon to encourage students nationwide to submit their ideas and to organize their teams now.
Created by the Verizon Foundation in partnership with the Technology Student Association, the App Challenge offers hands-on, experiential learning to ultimately help students envision brighter futures for themselves that they may never have imagined, as business owners, app inventors and professional coders.
To view the multimedia release visit:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7593951-verizon-innovative-app-challenge/
The period between Christmas and New Year’s typically has one of the highest rates of impaired driving fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In an effort to reduce drunk and buzzed driving related incidents during the holidays, NHTSA, the Ad Council and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) launched their 12th annual “Project Roadblock: Local TV Puts the Brakes on Drunk Driving.”
Project Roadblock was created in 2004 in support of NHTSA and the Ad Council’s Buzzed Driving Prevention public service advertising (PSA) campaign. To date, broadcast TV stations across the nation have donated more than $40 million in media to support this effort. The partnership aims to unite local television stations in creating a nationwide advertising roadblock by airing Project Roadblock PSAs (Public Service Announcements) between December 26 and December 31. Local broadcast stations voluntarily participate in the campaign by donating on-air, online and mobile time and space with a special push at 10 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve. In addition, TV stations will be reaching out to their communities on social media to share social graphics and messaging to further reach audiences.
“Drunk driving remains a serious threat on our roads and claims more than 10,000 lives a year,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. ”Local broadcast television is an effective tool in reaching consumers, and we thank the TVB, all the stations, and the Ad Council for their ongoing support of drunk driving prevention, especially during the holiday season.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7701751-ad-council-nhtsa-buzzed-driving-psa/
As National Manufacturing Month begins, Whirlpool Corporation is celebrating its history and embracing progress in the manufacturing industry. Whirlpool Corporation is proud to be a Gold Supporter of Manufacturing Day 2017 and will be marking the day with a series of events in the local communities of its manufacturing plants across the country.
Whirlpool Corporation will invite select groups of high school and college students as well as community leaders to take part in a variety of activities at its U.S. plants. Programming will include: tours of the facilities, video presentations, and question-and-answer sessions. Whirlpool Corporation will also visit area schools, and employees will be involved with collaborative manufacturing-related class projects designed to educate students on the industry. Events are planned in the following cities: Amana, IA; Fall River, MA; Clyde, OH; Greenville, OH; Marion, OH; Ottawa, OH; Findlay, OH; Tulsa, OK; Cleveland, TN.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8182251-whirlpool-national-manufacturing-day-2017/
Atlanta attorney and philanthropist Dan Phelan is leading the charge to bring water and sanitation facilities to impoverished communities in the Dominican Republic by partnering with Children International, a leading child sponsorship organization. Phelan’s passion grows with each successive project as he sees the change in the lives of the people impacted.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/57994-children-international-dan-phelan-water-and-sanitation-dominican-republic
CNA and the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) today announced Antis Roofing & Waterproofing as this year’s winner of the CNA/NRCA Community Involvement Award. The Community Involvement Award honors the outstanding acts of heroism performed by NRCA contractor members for their communities.
As winner, Antis received a $7,500 monetary donation from CNA to be bestowed to its charity of choice. The organization selected OneOC, which supports nonprofits with volunteers, training, consulting and fiscal sponsorship.
“CNA recognizes the value of a strong work ethic – both in the office and in the community, and we’re proud to recognize Antis for doing more than their part to strengthen their Orange County community,” said Aaron Kock, Assistant Vice President and Industry Leader, CNA.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8051651-cna-nrca-community-involvement-award-2017/
Halloween is a holiday filled with traditions, often with candy as the centerpiece of the fun. This Halloween, the National Confectioners Association is sharing five fun facts about the holiday.
“Halloween is a special time in the candy industry,” said NCA President and CEO John Downs. “There are 55,000 confectionery employees in communities across the country who work hard to make special products for everyone to sample at Halloween, and we know that Americans will enjoy in moderation just as they do throughout the year.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7954451-national-confectioners-association-halloween-candy-five-facts/
Today, GENYOUth announced the launch of Fuel Up to Play 60 en español, an evolution of its national flagship program. The program encourages Spanish-speaking communities nationwide to live healthier lifestyles through good nutrition and physical activity. Fuel Up to Play 60 launched a redesigned website (FuelUpToPlay60.com) that provides Spanish-language content and materials, extending the reach and access of the program to students, teachers and families across the country. Several organizations have supported the effort, including the PepsiCo Foundation, which has provided a previously announced grant of $550,000 to develop Spanish-language materials and resources. In addition the PepsiCo Foundation will provide another $100,000 for mini-grants for health and wellness activities and programming within Los Angeles Unified School District and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Fuel Up to Play 60, a program founded by the National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive nutrition and physical activity changes for themselves, their schools and their communities. Studies show that physical fitness may benefit brain health and academic performance, suggesting active kids may do better. However, only 1 in 3 kids are active every day, potentially leaving many at a disadvantage inside and outside of the classroom.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7646551-fuel-up-to-play-60/
