Two Georgia Youth Honored for Volunteerism at National Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Two Georgia students, Andrew Mirolli, 18, of Acworth and Tiffani Alexander, 13, of Covington, were honored in the nation’s capital last night for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon at the 16th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Drew and Tiffani were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Georgia last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week’s recognition events.

“The Prudential Spirit of Community honorees have seen problems in their communities and around the world and have taken action,” said Ms. Sarandon. “Their compassion to help others should give us all a lot of hope for the future.”

Drew, a senior at North Paulding High School, launched an educational and fund-raising campaign to fight poverty both locally and internationally, built around an annual “challenge week” during which teens in his community voluntarily experience poverty by living on $2 a day. Three years ago, while listening to a presentation about displaced students in Uganda, “I was personally asked, “How far would you go to help children with no voice?” said Drew. He took the question very seriously. Drew and two friends put away their cell phones and car keys, gathered firewood, and lived in the woods for five nights to see what it’s like to survive on $2 a day – the amount that 60 percent of the world lives on. “I experienced five days of headaches, an empty stomach growling, my mind not being able to concentrate, and a sore body from sleeping on the ground,” he said. Nevertheless, Drew and his friends still attended school every day, while collecting donations for a charity serving children in Uganda.

After the experience, Drew researched poverty in Georgia and, disturbed by what he found, was determined to raise money and awareness to fight poverty both at home and abroad. He formed a leadership team to help plan a second week of self-imposed poverty and fund-raising, and challenged all of the students in his school to take part. Drew and his team found homes to host “ChallengeWeek” participants, created registration and permission forms, shopped for food, and set up a nonprofit organization, Operation Poverty, and a website at www.operationpoverty.com. Forty-seven students signed up, and during the week, Drew coordinated an all-school assembly focusing on poverty in Uganda, and held class competitions for donations. Last year, 97 students from area high schools participated in the challenge and all schools throughout Paulding County collected 32,000 canned food items for a food pantry along with 750 articles of teen clothing. In addition, Drew and his team have raised $12,480, with half going to a local food pantry, and the other half helping to rebuild a girls’ dormitory in Uganda.

Tiffani, a member of the Rockdale County 4-H and a homeschooled eighth-grader, created and presided over a “bug club” for children through Prevent Child Abuse Rockdale (PCAR), a family strengthening and abuse prevention program offered at a local church. Tiffani has been volunteering with PCAR in the church’s nursery since sixth grade. “There were 197 substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in Rockdale County in 2008,” Tiffani said. “I am appalled at the thought of children being abused. I volunteer with PCAR to help combat this vicious abuse.” While she enjoyed being a nursery helper, she wanted to do more. As a teen leader in her local 4-H club, Tiffani has always been interested in entomology. So she decided to share her knowledge and appreciation of bugs with the children at the center in a club she calls “Butterflies, Beetles, and Bees, Oh My!”

After receiving permission for her club, Tiffani had to spend about three hours a week planning and organizing lessons that were age appropriate for children from 6 to 12 years old. She also caught insects in her backyard to share with the children and brought her pet beetles, Jersey and Huron. Some of the club’s activities included designing butterflies to reflect the children’s personalities, creating pictures of insects out of seeds, and learning the process of insect metamorphosis. In addition to learning how bugs affect the world and how to stay safe around them, Tiffani also attempted to teach the children to be more sensitive to one another through their gentle handling of the insects. “It is very rewarding to give back to your community,” said Tiffani. “There is no pay or accolades, just the joy of knowing that you made a difference in someone else’s life.”

“Drew and Tiffani represent young Americans who have a strong sense of community and who are dedicated to improving our neighborhoods, our nation and our world,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “With great anticipation, we look forward to their future achievements as they continue to spread the spirit of community.”

More than 29,000 young people participated in the 2011 awards program last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of the Points of Light Institute’s HandsOn Network. The top middle level and high school applicants in each state were selected in February, and were flown to Washington this week with their parents for four days of special recognition events.

Conducted in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created 16 years ago by Prudential Financial to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models.

“The young women and men in America’s schools are nothing short of amazing, and nowhere is this more evident than amongst this year’s award recipients,” said NASSP President Jana Frieler. “They possess a keen intellect, servant hearts, capable leadership skills, and are filled with energy and ambition. NASSP and Prudential are honored to recognize them.”

More information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year’s honorees can be found at http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.

NASSP is the leading organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and all school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. NASSP provides research-based professional development and resources, networking, and advocacy to build the capacity of middle level and high school leaders to continually improve student performance. Reflecting its longstanding commitment to student leadership development as well, NASSP administers the National Honor Society™, National Junior Honor Society®, National Elementary Honor Society®, and National Association of Student Councils®. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/

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Channel 2 WSB-TV Announces Angel Poventud as Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero

/PRNewswire/ -- Channel 2 WSB-TV and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) have announced that Angel Poventud is Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero. He was nominated for the program, selected as a finalist by local environmental leaders and ultimately named as the Hero after receiving the most votes in an online public poll. Poventud has selected Trees Atlanta to receive the $5,000 award.

He was nominated for his volunteer work within Atlanta's environmental community. Poventud's weekends are spent planting and mulching with Trees Atlanta. He also frequently volunteers for BeltLine clean-up projects and helps the group convert abandoned rail corridors into parks.

"I started volunteering to plant trees, and I quickly realized it's the most rewarding thing I can do in the city," said Poventud. "It's important to utilize vacant lots. When you do, trees start getting planted and birds start chirping. Before you know it, nature happens."

Poventud was named Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero at a reception held at and sponsored by the Hotel Palomar. Each of the other four finalists received $1,250 to donate to their environmental nonprofits of choice:

* Bryan Holloway (Revive Atlanta)
* James King (Keeping It Wild)
* Bruce Morton (Park Pride)
* Kit Sutherland (Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy)


This is the second year Cox Conserves Heroes has taken place in Atlanta. Don Wells - an advocate for conserving and enjoying the open spaces of the North Georgia Mountains – was named Atlanta's 2009 Cox Conserves Hero. As Wells' environmental nonprofit of choice, Mountain Stewards received $5,000 that was used to build new public trails and connect students with nature through outdoor classrooms.

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Channel 2 WSB-TV, to honor everyday conservationists. The program also runs in New Orleans, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. For more information, visit www.CoxConservesHeroes.com or find us on Facebook.

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Georgia Natural Gas Honored by Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta for Dedication to Community Service

/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Natural Gas (GNG), the state's leading natural gas provider and a nationally recognized leader in corporate volunteerism, is the 2010 recipient of the IMPACT Award for Excellence in Corporate Community Engagement presented by the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta (CVC). The award is in the medium to small category of companies, which includes companies with up to 500 employees. The IMPACT Award is the highest award given by the CVC.

"We are thrilled to honor Georgia Natural Gas as the winner of this year's IMPACT Award for medium to small business. Their exemplary volunteer program is truly part of their business culture and demonstrates their deep dedication to the Atlanta community, their customers and employees," said Lea Rolfes, CVC executive director.

In the eight years since GNG implemented its community service program, the company's employees have made a tremendous difference in the lives of Georgia citizens through volunteerism and philanthropy. In 2009 and 2010 the company's employees volunteered at numerous nonprofits throughout the metro Atlanta area. For the past six years, GNG volunteers have tutored at Centennial Place Elementary School.

In addition to their volunteer efforts, GNG employees have supported nonprofit organizations that offer services and programs to deserving Georgians, particularly children and seniors. For example, the company's employee volunteers, whose motto is "Working Together ... Serving Together," raised funds this summer for local charities such as Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, Senior Connections, and the Centennial Place School Foundation.

"We are so honored to be recognized by the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta for our employees' dedication to giving back to the communities we serve," said Mike Braswell, GNG president and CEO. "All of the credit for this honor goes to our generous volunteers who prove day after day that a relatively small group of people can make a big difference in the community."

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Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Helps Launch New Book for Young Readers With Habitat for Humanity and Candlewick Press

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed copies of a new book for young readers published by Candlewick Press that tells the true-life stories of Habitat for Humanity volunteers and homeowners working to build simple, decent and affordable housing.

If I Had a Hammer: Building Homes and Hope with Habitat for Humanity by David Rubel, with a foreword by Carter and an afterword by Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford, is now available nationally wherever books are sold.

Fans, both young and young at heart, gathered for the book signing at The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum at The Carter Center in Atlanta.

Carter, who is often referred to as Habitat's most famous volunteer, writes in the book's foreword, "There is no question that helping to create a decent home for a partner family is a significant act of giving, but volunteers typically find that they receive something in return that is even more valuable: a feeling of satisfaction and a connection to other people. Knowing that you worked alongside other volunteers to change a family's life is a powerful feeling that you will want to experience again and again."

The 160-page hardcover book is divided into eight chapters featuring stories of Habitat homeowners and volunteers at build sites in the United States and around the world, and is stunningly illustrated with full-color photos. If I Had a Hammer also tells the story of Habitat's early beginnings in rural Georgia and explores topics from interesting home design (like using window bars in India to keep monkeys out of houses) to the emotional rewards of helping to build a house from the ground up.

"We are immensely grateful to President Carter for his dedicated service and the inspiration he and Mrs. Carter have provided to volunteers," said Reckford. "It is our hope that 'If I Had A Hammer' will inspire a new generation of volunteers to get involved and help create better and safer communities."

Rubel, who authored the book, also has written the Scholastic Encyclopedia of the Presidents and Their Times, the Scholastic Atlas of the United States, and The Coming Free, a book for adults about the civil right movement. Rubel is a graduate of Columbia University and lives in Chatham, N.Y.

"At the heart of this book are the stories that people--homeowners, volunteers, staff-- shared with me about their experiences with Habitat for Humanity and, in particular, the Carter Work Projects. I know these stories will move young readers, because they certainly moved me," said Rubel.

"Candlewick Press is so proud to be the publisher of David Rubel's fascinating and moving tribute to the extraordinary accomplishments, history, and people of Habitat for Humanity. We hope the book helps inspire volunteers of all ages for years to come," said Karen Lotz, President and Publisher of Candlewick Press.

Habitat for Humanity's Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project began in 1984 when the former president and former first lady led a work group to New York City to help renovate a six-story building with 19 families in need of decent, affordable shelter. Each year since, the Carters have given a week of their time--along with their construction skills--to build homes and raise awareness of the critical need for affordable housing. The Carter Work Project is held at a different location each year and attracts volunteers from around the world.

This year, from Nov. 15-20, 2009, Habitat's Carter Work Project will take place in the Mekong region of Southeast Asia. Volunteers will build 166 homes in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and China.

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