Club Penguin – Inspiring kids to help children in Haiti

Young fans of the virtual world of Club Penguin (www.clubpenguin.com) recently got the opportunity to share the joy of play and creativity, and help build a new school for children whose lives were devastated by the earthquake in Haiti.

The Art for Haiti initiative encouraged kids around the world who play Club Penguin to submit drawings of what fun means to them and vote on their favorite entry. A Club Penguin artist then travelled to Haiti to paint the top choice, which showed three colorful penguins playing soccer, on a wall at the Marie Educatrice Terre Casse Elementary School. The school, which is being rehabilitated by Free The Children houses more than 450 children from preschool to grade six, and has been overwhelmed with large numbers of new students displaced by last January’s earthquake.

Thanks in large part to the support of the kids who play Club Penguin, Disney Online Studios donated $100,000 to help Free The Children (www.freethechildren.com) complete the rehabilitation project so children can safely return to the school this fall. The donation also paid for the construction of additional buildings, the creation of the mural and a new playground, which is coming soon.

“The kids who play Club Penguin continue to show us how passionate they are about helping others, and their enthusiasm for giving kids in Haiti a place to play and a place to learn is just one more example of their commitment,” says Lane Merrifield, executive vice president of Disney Online Studios and co-founder of Club Penguin.”

“It’s been a difficult year for the children of Haiti; but we know it is the children that will craft the future of the country. Club Penguin’s mural and the energy of the kids from around the world who submitted artwork has served as an inspiration, encouraging the Haitian children to dream and be creative, and to celebrate education and play,” says Erin Barton-Chéry, Haiti Programming Director for Free The Children. “One of the grade 5 children, Cindy, said it best: ‘The beautiful painting has encouraged us, especially kids like me, who have come from other places after the earthquake. It makes our school special!’

Club Penguin is a snow-covered virtual playground that’s enjoyed in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese by children and families in more than 190 countries. Word filters and live moderators monitor chat and activity on the site and work to prevent the sharing of inappropriate or personally identifiable information. Club Penguin is free to play, however paying members receive special features such as front-of-the-line access to game features, exclusive parties and opportunities to customize their penguin and igloo.

Art for Haiti is just one example of Club Penguin’s ongoing efforts to empower its players to help change the world. A portion of the proceeds from each Club Penguin membership purchase supports organizations working to improve the lives of children and families around the globe. The annual Coins for Change online giving campaign each December lets players vote on where some of those donations go.

Club Penguin also supports kids or schools that want to help a village in one of the world’s poorest regions with a matching gift program, and sponsors a free speaking tour and leadership program to empower elementary school students. For more information on these and other initiatives, visit http://www.clubpenguin.com/global-citizenship/.

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