iParticipate gets Simon Baker, Emily Deschanel and Eva Longoria Involved
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kate Walsh, Rainn Wilson and Masi Oka also take up the community service call as more than 60 network TV shows spotlight the power and joys of volunteerism from October 19 to 25.
September 25, 2009
LOS ANGELES, CA—Eight stars from the four major broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC—join together in new public service announcement that encourages viewers to tune in to an unprecedented week of television, October 19 -25, as part of EIF's iParticipate national initiative to promote service and volunteering.
Simon Baker (CBS's "The Mentalist"), Emily Deschanel (FOX's "Bones"), Eva Longoria Parker(ABC's "Desperate Housewives"), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (CBS's "The New Adventures of Old Christine"), Masi Oka (NBC's "Heroes"), Michael Strahan (FOX's "Brothers"), Kate Walsh (ABC's "Private Practice"), and Rainn Wilson (NBC's "The Office") are featured in the 30-second spot, which reinforces that great change begins with small choices and one decision to change leads to others. The spot ends by encouraging people to tune-in starting October 19 to find out how the networks are participating. The PSA was produced by filmmaker Jesse Dylan, with his agency FreeForm. It begins airing the week of September 28 on all four broadcast networks.
EIF is mobilizing the entire entertainment community around the ground-breaking, multi-year iParticipate campaign, which promotes a new way of thinking about service and seeks to persuade millions more Americans to volunteer regularly. As a centerpiece, the major broadcast networks and others will spotlight service through scripted programming, segments and PSAs with inspirational messages and storylines about volunteerism. More than 60 shows have signed up to participate.
Other elements of EIF's iParticipate initiative include:
The rate at which Americans volunteer regularly has not increased in 40 years and has generally remained around 26%, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly half of all people who currently volunteer started because they were asked by someone they know.
Simon Baker (CBS's "The Mentalist"), Emily Deschanel (FOX's "Bones"), Eva Longoria Parker(ABC's "Desperate Housewives"), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (CBS's "The New Adventures of Old Christine"), Masi Oka (NBC's "Heroes"), Michael Strahan (FOX's "Brothers"), Kate Walsh (ABC's "Private Practice"), and Rainn Wilson (NBC's "The Office") are featured in the 30-second spot, which reinforces that great change begins with small choices and one decision to change leads to others. The spot ends by encouraging people to tune-in starting October 19 to find out how the networks are participating. The PSA was produced by filmmaker Jesse Dylan, with his agency FreeForm. It begins airing the week of September 28 on all four broadcast networks.
EIF is mobilizing the entire entertainment community around the ground-breaking, multi-year iParticipate campaign, which promotes a new way of thinking about service and seeks to persuade millions more Americans to volunteer regularly. As a centerpiece, the major broadcast networks and others will spotlight service through scripted programming, segments and PSAs with inspirational messages and storylines about volunteerism. More than 60 shows have signed up to participate.
Other elements of EIF's iParticipate initiative include:
- A dedicated website iParticipate.org, designed to make it easier than ever before for millions of Americans to find volunteer opportunities in their local communities across five key areas of service: Children and Education, Community Health and Wellness, Financial Security, Environmental Conservation, and Support for Veterans and Military Families. The website features calendars of events, maps, digital tool kits and uses the power of social networking vehicles like Facebook, to make it simple for individuals not only to volunteer, but to recruit friends to join them;
- A series of celebrity-driven public service announcements that will reinforce the importance of volunteerism and supporting causes like Welcome Back Veterans. Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow and Matthew McConaughey are among the performers featured in the PSAs.
- Grants from the Entertainment Industry Foundation to key volunteer organizations to help build capacity to accept, train and deploy volunteers.
The rate at which Americans volunteer regularly has not increased in 40 years and has generally remained around 26%, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly half of all people who currently volunteer started because they were asked by someone they know.