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Volunteers from the Inland Empire and and The Home Depot get 'hands on' at North Tamarind Elementary School

Hands On Schools arrives in Fontana, one of 100 projects nationwide

Fontana, CA (October 1, 2007) – Volunteers will unite to refurbish the North Tamarind Elementary School on Saturday, October 6, as part of Hands On Schools, an innovative new national program that aims to reestablish schools as the focal points of communities. Thanks to a $3 million Challenge Grant from founding sponsor The Home Depot, North Tamarind Elementary is one of 100 schools selected to receive financial and volunteer assistance and demonstrate that communities can bring about positive change in their schools.

Inland Empire United Way’s Hands On Initiative will lead a team of 250 volunteers from The Home Depot, the school and surrounding community as they paint vibrant murals throughout the campus, landscape school grounds, paint new play and learning spaces and set up the school's new library. Research has proven that students in well-designed and equipped schools score 5 - 17 points higher on standardized tests (Lyons, 2001).

Additional support from Hands On Schools national partners BEHR and SAP, as well as contributions from UnitedHealth Group, Fontana Unified School District, Healthy Fontana, 89.7 KSGN and AT&T are part of the collective investment model that Hands On Schools brings to a community—resulting in greater impact than can be achieved through a single investor.

North Tamarind Elementary School is one of twenty-nine elementary schools in the Fontana Unified School District. It is a single-track year-school with approximately 573 students in preschool through grade six. Over the past several years our student population has changed rapidly and today North Tamarind Elementary School is a rich mixture of 89.8% Hispanic, 6.6% Caucasian, 2% African-American, and 1.6% Other ethnic backgrounds. North Tamarind Elementary School has the active support from parents and other community members. Our PTA actively supports and enhances school programs for our students.

WHO: 250 volunteers. Registration is required. Volunteers must sign up on www.HandsOnInlandEmpire.org.

WHEN: Saturday, October 6
8:30 a.m. Volunteers in action
2 p.m. Ribbon-cutting ceremony

Note: On Thursday, October 4, 75 volunteers will be preparing the site by unloading supplies and doing construction projects with The Home Depot.

WHERE: North Tamarind Elementary School
                7961 Tamarind Avenue
                Fontana, CA 92336

CONTACT: Bryant Fairley, Inland Empire United Way
                    (909) 980-2857 ext. 223

                    Virginia Mines, The Home Depot
                    (909) 949-4119 ext. 434

About Hands On Schools
Hands On Schools is a national program of Hands On Network, a nonprofit organization that leads a movement to help people roll up their sleeves, get hands on, and solve community problems everyday…repairing homes, creating green spaces, and partnering to transform schools. Hands On Schools will revolutionize how change is brought about in more than 100 schools across the country by engaging the local community, leveraging corporate resources, and mobilizing teams of volunteers. Founded through the generous support of a $3 million Challenge grant from The Home Depot, this unique collective investment fosters positive community growth through school revitalization and community empowerment.

About Inland Empire United Way’s Hands On Inland Empire Initiative
Inland Empire United Way (IEUW)’s Hands On Inland Empire Initiative empowers people to make volunteering a part of their lives and strengthens volunteer impact in the community. Hands On partners with local corporations, services groups and community volunteers to offer meaningful volunteer opportunities. IEUW helps disadvantaged kids succeed, provides easy access to services, develops volunteer opportunities to create positive change and strengthens financial stability opportunities for low-income families and individuals. Learn more at www.ieuw.org.

About The Home Depot
As the world’s largest home improvement retailer, The Home Depot embraces its role as a leader in social responsibility and celebrates its long-standing commitment to volunteerism. The Home Depot is a founding partner of Hands On Network, which brings people together to strengthen communities through meaningful volunteer action. Hands On Schools utilizes the experience of The Home Depot in volunteer mobilization to draw students and community members into a lifetime of community and civic volunteerism.

www.ieuw.org
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