Dreams Work, Inc. & United Way of the National Capital Area Kick Off Anti-Bullying Campaign

March 24,2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Dreams Work, Inc.	United Way of the National Capital Area
Patrice Cameau patrice@communpr.com 571-228-7582	Kerry Morgan kmorgan@uwnca.org 202-488-2108

Dreams Work, Inc. & United Way of the National Capital Area Kick Off Anti-Bullying Campaign, "Don't Bully; B.U.L.L.Y.", with Celebrity Movie Premiere

WASHINGTON March 24, 2011 -Dreams Work, Inc. and United Way of the National Capital Area (NCA) have partnered to launch "Don't Bully; B.U.L.L.Y. (Be yoU, Learn 2 Love Yourself)", a year-long anti-bullying campaign that uses the arts to actively engage area youth to understand the causes and effects of bullying and stress the importance of self-love. The "Don't Bully; B.U.L.L.Y." campaign spans the DC/Maryland/Virginia region, and includes features a short film, "Strings Dream", that examines the bully and the person being bullied; "Strings Dream" screenings and youth led, peer-to-peer discussions at area schools; community town hall meetings; videography training classes; and public service announcements featuring prominent local figures. "Strings Dream premieres on March 25, 2011, which was also proclaimed as "Don't Bully Day" by DC Mayor Vincent Gray.

"A lack of understanding differences and low self-esteem are common reasons for bullying," said Anwan "Big G" Glover, actor, musician and co-founder of Dreams Work, Inc., a Washington based nonprofit organization that uses the arts to teach social issues to youth and their surrounding communities. "The B.U.L.L.Y. campaign encourages youth to use their emotional and social toolboxes - parents, teachers, conversations and talents - as resources to make better decisions and increase their self-esteem and self-confidence."

"We are proud to launch the B.U.L.L.Y. campaign in conjunction with our Youth Violence Prevention and Gang Intervention initiative", said Leslie W. Graves, SVP of Community Impact for United Way NCA. "B.U.L.L.Y. allows youth to be part of the solution to end bullying, teaching them how to research and express important social issues and use arts to communicate what they learned to their peers." United Way NCA will also help identify schools and community partners that can further facilitate participation and results in the B.U.L.L.Y. program.

"Strings Dream" features appearances by recording artists, Raheem DeVaughn and Byron Cage; and nationally syndicated radio personality, Russ Parr, and was directed by Jamal Spratley, co-founder of The Circle of H.O.P.E. (Healing Our Personal Environment). "Strings Dream" premiere will be held at Community of Hope A.M.E. Church in Hillcrest Heights, Md. For more information, visit www.wemakedreamswork.org/BULLY.

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The Capital Area Food Bank reports more than 641,000 residents of the Washington region are experiencing or at risk of hunger, including more than 100,000 in Fairfax County alone.

Residents in Ward 8 have to travel far to gain access to a public library. This distance can make it hard for residents to continue to succeed in their education.

Residents in Ward 7 have to travel far to gain access to a public library. This distance can make it hard for residents to continue to succeed in their education.

Residents in Ward 5 have to travel far to gain access to a public library. This distance can make it hard for residents to continue to succeed in their education.

In Ward 8, over 40% of single-family home and condominium sales resulted from foreclosure completions or owners selling under distress.

45.0% of residents living in Ward 8 receive food stamps.

In Ward 7, over 40% of single-family home and condominium sales resulted from foreclosure completions or owners selling under distress.

35.0% of residents living in Ward 7 receive food stamps.

5.0% of residents living in Ward 2 receive food stamps.

9.8% of residents in Ward 4 are unemployed.

3.2% of residents in Ward 3 are unemployed.

6.0% of residents in Ward 2 are unemployed.

In Ward 1, over 40% of single-family home and condominium sales resulted from foreclosure completions or owners selling under distress.

12.0% of people living in Ward 1 receive food stamps.

6.0% of people live below the poverty level in Prince William County.

9.4% of students in Prince William County drop out of high school.

More than 130,000 residents in Prince William County do not have health insurance.

8.9% of students in Montgomery County do not graduate high school.

In Montgomery County, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

6.7% of people live below the poverty level in Montgomery County.

13.9% of students in Prince George's County do not graduate high school.

7.8% of people live below the poverty level in Prince George’s County.

In Prince George's County, approximately 1 in 4 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

30,000 children in Northern Virginia live in poverty.

In Northern Virginia, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In seven out of the eight wards in the city, residents are closer to fast food restaurants than large grocery stores, which could have a negative impact on residents’ health.

17.2% of residents in the District of Columbia live below the poverty level.

19.0% of residents in the District of Columbia receive food stamps.

11.9% of residents in the District of Columbia are unemployed.

22.0% of students in the District of Columbia do not graduate high school.

32% of children live below the poverty level in the District of Columbia.

In the District of Columbia, nearly 1 in 2 children under 18 is at the risk of hunger.

12.5% of residents living in Maryland do not graduate high school.

9.2% of people live below the poverty level in Maryland.

Last year 2-1-1 Maryland answered 240,000 calls around basic needs such as food, shelter, eviction prevention and financial assistance for prescriptions

Ward 8 public schools have the lowest average share of students testing at required standards, only 33% in reading and 32% in math.

Over 28% of residents living in Ward 8 are unemployed.

Nearly 20% of people living in Ward 7 are unemployed.

67% of children living in Ward 6 are below the poverty level.

15.8% of people living in Ward 5 are unemployed.

There are more than 40,000 uninsured residents living in Loudoun County.

6.1% of students living in Loudoun County drop out of high school.

Nearly 8,000 people in Loudoun County live on an income of $20,000 to support a family of four.

10.6% of people in Fairfax County do not have health insurance.

5.6% of people live below the poverty level in Fairfax County.

7.9% of students living in Fairfax County drop out of high school.

10.5% of children in Arlington County live below the poverty level.

9.4% of students in Arlington County drop out of high school.

More than 3,000 people in Northern Virginia are homeless, 10% of these live in Alexandria, Virginia.

In the past year, 2-1-1 has answered approximately 632,000 calls from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia from residents seeking services.

Last year 2-1-1 Maryland answered 240,000 calls around basic needs such as food, shelter, eviction prevention and financial assistance for prescriptions.

In Northern Virginia, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In Prince George's County, approximately 1 in 4 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In Montgomery County, 1 in 6 children under 18 is at risk of hunger.

In the District of Columbia, nearly 1 in 2 children under 18 is at the risk of hunger.

Kids who attend a high quality preschool are more likely to graduate from high school and have higher lifetime earnings.

Every $1 invested in high quality early childhood education saves taxpayers $7.

Upon entering first grade, the average middle-class child has spent 1,000 to 1,700 hours of reading time with picture books; a low-income child averages just 25 hours.

Food stamps last an average of 2 1/2 weeks.

By age three, middle-class children have a vocabulary of about 1,100 words compared to 525 words for low-income children.

According to the Partnership for America's Economic Success, if 50 first graders enter school with reading problems, 44 of them will still have difficulties reading in the fourth grade.

The 2009/2010 official federal poverty level for a family of four is an annual household income of $22,050. 185% of poverty is $40,792, a level at which people still struggle with hunger.

The Rand Corporation states that 90% of a person's brain growth happens before the age of 3.

More than 130,000 residents in Prince William County do not have health insurance.

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