World's Largest Youth Empowerment Event - We Day - Comes to Illinois

CHICAGO, Oct. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Free The Children in conjunction with Allstate announced its expansion into Illinois beginning with the 2014-2015 school year.  International charity and educational partner, Free The Children, has two signature programs, We Act and We Day, which provide a blueprint for building the next generation of global citizens. We Act is expected to support over 100,000 students throughout Illinois in engaging in community service during the year. To celebrate this service 15,000 students and teachers will be brought together on April 30, 2015 for the global youth empowerment event, We Day, where chart-topping performers, world leaders and social activists will help inspire and recognize their accomplishments. 

To celebrate the launch today, We Day Illinois Co-Chair and Allstate Chief Executive Officer Tom Wilson and Free The Children co-founder Craig Kielburger, will join more than 700 students from 15 schools across Chicagoland at Farragut Career Academy to encourage middle and high schools to take advantage of the yearlong educational program. Students at the event will hear from Martin Luther King III, human rights advocate and son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Kweku Mandela, a filmmaker and grandson of Nelson Mandela, Spencer West, a motivational speaker who inspired the world by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in his wheelchair and on his hands and Michael Ola, offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears.

"Throughout history youth movements have driven change and made the world a better place. These programs will empower and reward students for strengthening communities throughout Illinois. Helping students rise up is just the right thing to do," said Tom Wilson, Allstate chairman, president, and chief executive officer. "You can't buy a ticket to We Day, you earn it by helping others. Free The Children has had fabulous success with these programs and we are excited about helping them expand throughout the Untied States as well. It helps Allstate live into our purpose of being a force for good. "

Allstate is the National Co-Title Sponsor of We Day and We Act across the United States, and will be helping empower 1.4 million youth through the partnership. Allstate's support is bringing 12 We Day events to the United States by 2016 and is making We Act's service learning program available across the United States to youth and teachers at no cost.

You can't buy a ticket to We Day—students from across the state will earn their way by taking action on one local and one global cause of their choice through the We Act program. The program provides educational resources and campaigns to help young people turn the day's inspiration into sustained action.

"We believe today's young people—what we call the Me to We generation—have the power to change the world," said Craig Kielburger, co-founder of We Day. "Thanks to the support of Allstate and others we are so thrilled to bring We Day and year-long service program We Act to Illinois and have the opportunity to celebrate the incredible achievements that students across the state are making on causes they care about. By bringing this group of change-makers together, they realize that they are not alone in their desire to make a difference and that together they can move the needle on local and global issues."

Academy® and GRAMMY® Award-winning actress and musician and co-founder of the Julian D. King Gift Foundation, Jennifer Hudson, Emmy® and We Day Illinois co-host, actress from the hit television series Pretty Little Liars Shay Mitchell, along with players from the Chicago Bears, Martin Luther King III and Kweku Mandela are amongst the first group of renowned speakers and chart-topping performers announced to take the We Day stage on April 30. The full lineup of distinguished leaders and A-list entertainers who will add their voices to the We Day movement; coming together to address pressing world issues while igniting the students' passion to be a part of the solution, will be revealed closer to the event date.

In Illinois, the We Day and the We Act program is free of charge to the thousands of students and educators in attendance at the event and statewide. There are currently over 100 schools in Illinois signed up for the program. Students and teachers can learn more about We Day and We Act and how they can get involved and earn a ticket to the world's largest youth empowerment event by visiting www.weday.com/illinois. Farragut Career Academy is one of the schools participating by working with  the Community Peacemakers program at DePaul University. They organize a Teens for Jeans event where they collect jeans for homeless youth, and raise funds to support a local animal shelter.

Stay connected:
-       Like We Day on Facebook: facebook.com/WeDay
-       Twitter/Instagram: @weday @CraigKielburger
-       Official Hashtag: #WeDay
-       Visit www.weday.com

About We Day
www.weday.com

About Allstate
www.allstate.com

Alison Clarke
Associate Director PR & Publicity, We Day
416-706-3652
[email protected]

Kyle Donash
Allstate Media Relations
847-402-5600
[email protected]

SOURCE Free The Children