BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA RELEASES NEW NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN STARRING DENZEL WASHINGTON

"COLLEGE DREAMS" SPEAKS TO HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR DESERVING KIDS

ATLANTA, MARCH 31, 2005 - Academy Award-winning actor, director, and current Broadway star Denzel Washington returns to television this week in a dramatic role he says he's trained for all his life: the lead in a public service campaign for Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).

For Washington, who credits his early years spent at the Boys & Girls Club in Mount Vernon, N.Y., with changing the direction of his life, the latest effort marks thirteen years since he "starred" in his first ad spot for the national youth development organization.

The new campaign, "College Dreams," depicts the stark contrast between a child merely dreaming about a hopeful future, and that same child having an opportunity to achieve her dreams - the way Washington and millions of other kids have - thanks to the guidance of caring adult mentors at the Clubs.

Washington's motivation for supporting Boys & Girls Clubs is clear. At the age of six, he joined the Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club and remained an active member for the next 12 years. He credits the Club with giving him the confidence to succeed and changing his life.

"The Club was my home away from home," says Washington. "We need more Clubs like the one I grew up with. It gave me hope."

In addition to the campaign's TV and radio spots, Washington also appears in print PSA ads available to all magazines and newspapers nationwide.

Washington's decade-plus tenure as national spokesperson marks a period of tremendous growth for BGCA. Today the organization's 3,700 locations serve more than four million young people, including those living on U.S. military bases in Europe and Asia.

"We credit Boys & Girls Clubs of America's growth over the last decade in no small part to Denzel Washington's staunch support," says Roxanne Spillett, president of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Denzel's four national PSA campaigns have built more brand recognition and awareness of Boys & Girls Clubs than anything else we have done."

The Wall Street Journal recognized the campaigns with Denzel for their ability to "stand out in all the clutter…grabbing unusually high exposure with a mix of star power and Madison Avenue savvy."

The new campaign's launch coincides with National Boys & Girls Club Week, April 3-9. The annual observance gives local Clubs an opportunity to open their doors to the broader community, inviting parents, community leaders, donors and alumni to take a closer look at the Clubs' programs, professional staff and facilities. The PSAs are designed to run throughout the remainder of 2005.

The "College Dreams" spots were created, on a pro bono basis, by Publicis New York, and directed by Marcus Raboy. The print ads were produced in-house at BGCA national headquarters in Atlanta. The Atlanta office of Mindshare is helping BGCA, on a pro bono basis, with media placement of the new campaign in broadcast and print. MultiVu is assisting with PSA distribution.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of some 3,700 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving more than four million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. 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 character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation. The organization will celebrate its Centennial year in 2006.

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