Club Penguin Empowers Players to Turn Online Play into Real World Change

KELOWNA, British Columbia, Canada, Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of Club Penguin (clubpenguin.com) can unite this holiday season to use online play to enact real-world social change as part of the fifth annual Coins For Change event.  Coins For Change allows children who visit the snow-covered virtual world to donate virtual coins they earn playing games online to real world causes that matter to them.  This year, kids will be challenged to fill the island lighthouse with donated coins. If this goal is reached, Club Penguin has committed to doubling its overall cash donation to $2M US.

Coins For Change is designed to inspire, encourage, and enable kids to make a positive difference in the lives of families around the world.  Players can direct their virtual donations to provide medical help, build safe places and protect the earth.  At the end of the event, which runs from December 15 to 27 2011, the players' virtual donations will serve as votes to determine how the contribution from Disney Online Studios will be divided among pre-selected charitable projects aimed at helping children, families and the planet.

"I am continuously amazed by the commitment and passion our players have for helping improve the lives of others," says Lane Merrifield, one of Club Penguin's co-founders and executive vice president of Disney Online Studios. "The Club Penguin community has already helped more than a million people all over the world through Coins for Change and I hope by doubling the donation, they can help even more."

As a result of the generous in-world contributions kids have made to Coins For Change, Club Penguin has helped in excess of a million people in more than 40 countries by funding schools, libraries, health clinics, clean water programs and more.  To find out more, visit clubpenguin.com/global-citizenship/.

The results of Coins for Change 2011 will be announced on January 1, 2012.

About Club Penguin

Club Penguin (www.clubpenguin.com), a product of Disney Online Studios, is the #1 virtual world for children. Club Penguin works to maintain a fun and safe online entertainment experience by using filtering technology and live moderators. The award-winning virtual world of Club Penguin contains no third-party advertising and is free to use and enjoy, however a subscription membership provides access to additional features that enhance the play experience. Club Penguin, headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, is enjoyed by children around the world, and can be played in English, German, Portuguese, French and Spanish.

For more information contact:
Brian Nelson
650-963-8051
[email protected]

SOURCE Club Penguin