Points of Light Institute Launches Emergency Preparedness Program Good and Ready

Elevates Awareness and Promotes the Importance of Being Prepared for Emergency Situations

ATLANTA, Aug. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Points of Light Institute today launched Good & Ready, a program of the Get HandsOn campaign, a national call to action and part of Points of Light Institute's initiative to demonstrate the impact of volunteer service as a solution to the nation's most pressing challenges related to education, environment, economy, and emergency preparedness and response.

Good & Ready focuses on emergency preparedness education and encourages Americans to create family emergency plans, build emergency preparedness kits and get trained with an emergency response organization. Proper training enables individuals to better assist their community in post-disaster recovery.

"We can't stress enough the importance of being prepared for emergency situations and disasters within your homes and communities," said Amy Smith, president of HandsOn Network, the volunteer activation division of Points of Light Institute. "Good & Ready provides all the information needed to get your loved ones, co-workers and community prepared and trained prior to a disaster striking."

Points of Light Institute is using its expertise in recruitment to connect volunteers with national organizations specializing in emergency response during National Preparedness Month. HandsOn Network affiliates are asking volunteers to pledge their plans to get prepared and work with partners like the American Red Cross, Ready.gov and FLASH (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes)  to create emergency plans, build kits and get trained in emergency response.

"We are extremely pleased that the HandsOn Network has chosen to join our National Preparedness Month Coalition," said Darryl J. Madden, director of FEMA's Ready Campaign.  "Their pledge drive is just the form of grassroots effort that will motivate individuals to engage in meaningful steps to become prepared."

Visit the Good & Ready website – www.gethandson.com – and Facebook page to pledge your plans to get good and ready, enter sweepstakes, donate and take the interactive quiz to test your family's readiness for emergencies and disasters. Pledges include developing an individual or family emergency plan, creating an individual or family emergency kit, hosting a kit building party and seeking training in emergency response.

By pledging your plans to get good and ready, you will be entered for the chance to win a $250 Lowe's gift card in a weekly drawing. Participants will also be entered for the chance to win a $1,000 American Express gift card in the grand prize drawing. Winners are encouraged to donate their gift card to their charity of choice. The initiative runs through Sept. 30.

About Points of Light Institute

Points of Light Institute inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. The Institute has a global focus to redefine volunteerism and civic engagement for the 21st century, putting people at the center of community problem solving. We are organized to innovate, incubate and activate new ideas that help people act upon their power to make a difference. Points of Light Institute operates three divisions that share our mission: HandsOn Network, generationOn and AmeriCorps Alums. For more information, visit www.PointsofLight.org.

About HandsOn Network

The volunteer-activation arm of Points of Light Institute, Hands on Network includes 250 community action centers that deliver 30 million hours of volunteer service each year and extend to 16 countries around the world. These centers focus on helping people plug into volunteer opportunities in their local communities, partnering with more than 70,000 corporate, faith and nonprofit organizations to manage volunteer resources, and developing the leadership capacity of volunteers. Annually, the network delivers approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service valued at $626 million. For more information, please visit www.HandsOnNetwork.org.

Media Contact:
Meghan King
Points of Light Institute
Office: 404-979-2906
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Points of Light Institute