Viewers Encouraged to Support America's Communities and the Environment with HGTV's 'Change the World. Start at Home' Campaign and Volunteerism Web Site

Viewers Encouraged to Support America's Communities and the Environment with HGTV's 'Change the World. Start at Home' Campaign and Volunteerism Web Site

HGTV Programming Shows Viewers Small Changes Make a Big Difference

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- HGTV today announced the 'Change the World. Start at Home(SM)' community revitalization and environmental cause-related campaign at the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley in Canoga Park, California. HGTV's Carter Oosterhouse, Eric Stromer, Frank Fontana, David Bromstad and Lauren Lake joined campaign partners including Rebuilding Together, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Natural Resources Defense Council to mark the national kickoff, unveiling a newly refurbished Boys & Girls Club.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071109/NYTH002)

"Home is our focus at HGTV and we believe that home is so much more than the houses we live in," said Jim Samples, president of HGTV. "Home also is the broader community, including our workplaces, friends, neighbors and shared spaces. Our campaign will bring together the collective effort of organizations, volunteers and community leaders to help people in need live better lives by building better homes and stronger communities."

HGTV and its non-profit partners selected the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley as the location to launch the 'Change the World. Start at Home' effort because the organization embodies the broader definition of home, offering young people in the community a safe place to learn and play.

As part of the campaign, HGTV and its partners are inviting people across the country to help communities in need become thriving and abundant once again. By visiting http://hgtv.com/changetheworld, consumers can learn more about revitalization projects identified in ten markets: Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Denver; Long Island, NY; New Orleans; Portland; San Francisco; Twin Cities, MN and Washington, DC. The projects in each market consist of a community home, an educational facility and a shared open space, such as a park or garden. Visitors to the site will be able to cast one vote per day for the city they most want to receive this deserving makeover.

Voting will be active from November 8 through December 21. New Orleans, pre-selected by HGTV, will be joined by four additional markets based on the number of votes received. Additionally, http://hgtv.com/changetheworld will be host to a number of volunteer opportunities to help consumers get involved in revitalizing their own communities.

On January 1, 2008, HGTV will announce the four additional city winners during its 2008 Rose Parade coverage. During the inaugural 'Change the World. Start at Home' week, beginning April 28, 2008, the projects in each of the winning markets will be completed through the help of volunteers and HGTV partners.

One project in each community will focus on environmentally friendly improvements while another will have a historical focus to help preserve the fabric of the community. For those markets not selected, HGTV will contribute funding to help support ongoing work in the community and will provide opportunities for volunteers to get involved.

HGTV also will broadcast Public Service Announcements with on-air talent, as well as a special week of programming. From Monday, November 12 to Sunday, November 18, viewers will see special episodes of series including 'Color Splash,' 'Spice Up My Kitchen,' 'Design on a Dime,' 'Carter Can,' 'Divine Design' and 'Hidden Potential' that will feature inspirational room makeovers for people who need a helping hand. Additionally, in a special episode of Over Your Head, viewers will get a glimpse of the transformation of the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley, the site of the campaign launch.

"Our end goal is to bring communities together to make a house, a playground, a neighborhood park or a community center feel more like home," says Carter Oosterhouse, host of HGTV's 'Carter Can' and participant in the 'Change the World. Start at Home' campaign.

For more information on the campaign, voting and non-profit partners, please visit http://hgtv.com/changetheworld.

About HGTV

HGTV, America's leader in home and lifestyle programming, is distributed to more than 93 million U.S. households and is one of cable's top-rated networks. HGTV's website, http://hgtv.com/ is the nation's leading online home and garden destination that attracts an average of 5.4 million unique visitors per month. HGTV owns 33 percent of HGTV Canada and provides much of the Canadian network's daily programming. The network's branded programming also can be seen in 124 territories across all seven continents and its selected programming is available to service men and women on board Navy ships and through American Forces Radio & Television Service (AFRTS) which services more than 1,000 outlets in over 175 countries. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP) , which also operates Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country.

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together is the nation's largest nonprofit organization working to preserve homeownership and neighborhoods by providing rehabilitation services free of charge to those in need. Through the support of corporate sponsors, local businesses, and the hands-on work of a quarter-million volunteers, Rebuilding Together rehabs and repairs more than 9000 homes each year. The market value of this work is in excess of $100 million annually. In addition to its core home repair work, Rebuilding Together rehabs community centers and conducts home modification and repair programs that focus on elder home safety, energy efficiency, veterans housing, and disaster recovery and reconstruction. Rebuilding Together has grown to 225 affiliates nationwide since its founding in 1988, and is now preserving safe and healthy homes in 1800 communities nationwide. Rebuilding Together celebrated the rehabilitation of its 100,000th home in 2006. For details, see www.rebuildingtogether.org or call 1-800-REHAB-9.

About The National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history -- and the important moments of everyday life -- took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, six regional offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America's story. For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.

About The Natural Resources Defense Council

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of more than 4,000 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving some 4.8 million young people, in all 50 states and on U.S. military bases worldwide. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development, education and career exploration, financial literacy, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation, and family outreach. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. The Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley was founded in 1995 as a response to the local need for safe, healthy, productive activities for youths during non-school hours. There are more than 1,500 members of the Club, and approximately 150 youngsters visit the facility each day, in addition to more than 250 children provided after-school activities daily at Blythe and Reseda Elementary Schools, Canoga Park High School and Tierra del Sol. The Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley is located at 7245 Remmet Ave., Canoga Park, CA 91303.

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071109/NYTH002
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN6
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: HGTV

CONTACT: Claire Buxton of Porter Novelli, +1-212-601-8131,
claire.buxton@porternovelli.com; Lynne Davis of HGTV, +1-212-549-8612,
ldavis@hgtv.com

Web site: http://www.hgtv.com/changetheworld
http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/
http://www.nationaltrust.org/
http://www.bgca.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment