Valspar Hands for Habitat Program, Featuring the Auction of Handprints From Actor Rob Lowe and More Than 25 Celebrity Supporters, Raised $150,000 in Proceeds and In-Kind Donations for Habitat for Humanity

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, actor Rob Lowe, Valspar Paint and Habitat for Humanity International announce the Valspar Hands for Habitat program is contributing $150,000 in proceeds and gifts in-kind to benefit Habitat for Humanity's rebuilding efforts in Haiti. Habitat has set a goal to serve 50,000 families impacted by Haiti's 2010 earthquake, helping move them toward safe, secure and permanent housing.

Valspar Hands for Habitat, launched by Rob Lowe, featured handprints from more than 25 top celebrities and notable personalities in film, television, music, sports, design, and fashion. In a nod to Haiti's historically colorful homes and Valspar's belief in the transformative power in color, the handprints were made using a variety of Valspar Paint colors.

"I am honored to work with Valspar and Habitat for Humanity on this incredible initiative, and I'm amazed at the outpouring of support from my peers and those who placed bids on the handprints," said Valspar Hands for Habitat ambassador Rob Lowe. "Thanks to the success of this program, Habitat will be able to help Haitian families rebuild their lives."

Top selling handprints auctioned through charitybuzz.com included Donnie Wahlberg, which raised $9,500, and Rob Lowe, with a winning bid of $5,000. Other notable personalities who donated their handprints to Valspar Hands for Habitat included Andy Cohen, Angie Harmon, Ashley Greene, Bethenny Frankel, Brittany Snow, Busy Philipps, Calvin Klein, Cyndi Lauper, Cynthia Rowley, Ellen DeGeneres, Emily Bergl, Ethan Hawke, Felicity Huffman, James Earl Jones, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Jason Sehorn, Jonathan Adler, Katie Couric, Kid Rock, Kristen Johnston, Lauren Conrad, Liev Schreiber, Mary McDonald, Melissa Rivers, Miles Redd, Naomi Watts, Nate Berkus, Nathan Turner, Paula Deen, Robert Verdi, Susan Sarandon, Teri Hatcher, Tori Spelling, Tory Burch, Vanessa Williams, Zac Posen and more.

Valspar donated $1,000 for each set of celebrity handprints, as well as 2,000 gallons of paint for Habitat's rebuilding efforts in Haiti, for a total of $150,000 in auction proceeds, cash and in-kind contributions on behalf of the Valspar Hands for Habitat program. The initiative has also raised renewed awareness of the number of families still in need of affordable shelter after the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

"We are overwhelmed and grateful for the incredible response to this initiative," said Howard Heckes, senior vice president, Valspar Global Consumer. "Through the Valspar Hands for Habitat program and our ongoing partnership, we have had the opportunity to further support Habitat for Humanity's mission to help create simple, decent shelter in partnership with Haitian families."

Valspar is also encouraging the general public to support this initiative and "lend a hand" by taking a picture of their own hands and posting it to the Valspar Paint Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/ValsparPaint. For every photo received through September 15, Valspar will donate an additional $1 to Habitat for Humanity.

The Valspar Hands for Habitat program is part of an ongoing partnership between Valspar and Habitat for Humanity International. Valspar Paint has donated more than $40 million in cash and paint to the organization. Valspar and Habitat recently marked their long-standing partnership by celebrating the 1 millionth gallon of Valspar Paint donated to Habitat.

"Habitat is humbled by the generosity of Valspar, the celebrity participants and those who supported the auction," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Valspar and are grateful for the generous proceeds from the Valspar Hands for Habitat program, which will enable us to help more families in Haiti move toward safe and permanent homes."

For additional information and to find out how you too can "lend a hand", visit www.Facebook.com/ValsparPaint.

About The Valspar Corporation

The Valspar Corporation (NYSE: VAL) is a global leader in the paint and coatings industry. Since 1806, Valspar has been dedicated to bringing customers the latest innovations, the finest quality and the best customer service in the coatings industry.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved more than 400,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 2 million people. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit Habitat.org.

SOURCE Valspar Corporation