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Hands on Network Among Nation's Top Social Entrepeneurs; Honored for Excellence in Building and Sustaining Partnerships

Hands on Network Among Nation's Top Social Entrepeneurs; Honored for Excellence in Building and Sustaining Partnerships

Published 11-20-06

Submitted by Points of Light

ATLANTA GA, November 20, 2006 -- Hands On Network, a national nonprofit committed to strengthening communities through meaningful volunteer action, has been named a winner of the 2007 Social Capitalist Award by Fast Company® magazine and the Monitor GroupSM. Hands On Network is one of 43 nonprofit organizations selected for the 2007 award and one of five profiled as "prime partners."

The Social Capitalist Awards program honors nonprofits, or "social entrepreneurs," using tools of business to solve the world's most pressing social problems. The program measures each nominated organization's work in five categories - social impact, entrepreneurship, innovation, aspiration and growth, and sustainability - and assigns a grade based on the evaluation.

Hands On Network received an "A" from Fast Company/Monitor Group, and will be featured with the other Social Capitalist Award winners in Fast Company's December 2006/January 2007 cover story, on newsstands beginning November 21, 2006.

Hands On Network is being recognized as a Social Capitalist Award winner for creating both business and social impact, particularly through powerful corporate partnerships. The magazine specifically recognizes The Home Depot® as well as other members of the Hands On Network Corporate Service Council. Co-chaired by The Home Depot Chairman, President & CEO Bob Nardelli and Hands On Network co-founder and CEO Michelle Nunn, the Corporate Service Council is comprised of more than 60 CEOs of corporations and civic organizations committed to changing the face and impact of corporate volunteerism in America.

"Through our terrific partnership with The Home Depot, Hands On Network and our affiliates have been able to mobilize thousands of volunteers from around the world - and particularly the corporate sector - to address local communities' most critical needs and create positive change," Nunn said. "Bob Nardelli's leadership and The Home Depot's commitment to communities are a tremendous testament to what's possible when leaders unleash the power of their employees to make a difference. A shining example of the tremendous impact of our work with The Home Depot is our disaster relief and recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region. Together, our organizations established two volunteer action centers in Biloxi and New Orleans, which have housed and managed more than 4,000 volunteers contributing more than 400,000 hours of service since Hurricane Katrina."

"The Home Depot is proud to connect with communities in a meaningful way and build on what is already a fundamental part of our culture - giving back," said Brad Shaw, senior vice president, Corporate Communications and External Affairs, The Home Depot. "We take great pride in seeing our nonprofit partner, Hands On Network, recognized for its tremendous contributions to society."

Fast Company partners with the Monitor Group, a global strategy-consulting firm, to select the Social Capitalist Award winners. Monitor Group created the methodology used to compare nonprofits of different sizes and ages across social sectors.

"Prior to the Social Capitalist Awards, no ranking process or seal of approval existed as an authoritative standard for achievement among social entrepreneurs," said Mark Fuller, chairman and CEO of Monitor Group. "Our evaluation measures the impact and effectiveness of these non-profits, making it, among other things, an ideal investor's guide for those who want their charitable dollars to get the highest social return possible."
Nominees were evaluated based on an application that included two years of operating and financial data, a statement of mission and objectives, and answers to a survey to assess strategy and activities. Winners were selected by an independent board.

Hands On Network and the other Social Capitalist Award winners will be recognized at a ceremony in New York City on January 9, 2007.

About Hands On Network

Hands On Network brings people together to strengthen communities through meaningful volunteer action. Hands On Network is a growing network of 64 volunteer organizations and more than a half million volunteers changing communities in and outside the United States. Hands On Network creates and manages nearly 50,000 projects a year - from building wheelchair ramps in San Francisco to teaching reading in Atlanta, to rebuilding homes and lives in the Gulf Coast communities. The Hands On approach equips volunteers, creates leaders and changes lives. For more information about Hands On Network, please visit www.handsonnetwork.org or call (404) 979-2900.

About The Home Depot

The Home Depot® is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,114 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. Through its HD SupplySM businesses, The Home Depot is also one of the largest diversified wholesale distributors in the United States, with nearly 1,000 locations in the United States and Canada offering products and services for building, improving and maintaining homes, businesses and municipal infrastructures. In fiscal 2005, The Home Depot had sales of $81.5 billion and earnings of $5.8 billion. The Company employs approximately 355,000 associates and has been recognized by FORTUNE magazine as the No. 1 Most Admired Specialty Retailer and the No. 13 Most Admired Corporation in America for 2006. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index.

About Fast Company and Monitor Group

Fast Company, founded in 1996, is a magazine for and about the creative class. It is a journal of change and changemakers - dynamic and compelling leaders in both the for-profit and nonprofit spheres who are making dramatic innovations to shape the future. Visit www.fastcompany.com for more information. The Monitor Group is a family of professional services firms, linked by shared ownership, management philosophy and knowledge assets. Each entity in Monitor's global network is dedicated to providing products and services that fundamentally enhance the competitiveness of its clients. Visit www.monitor.com for more information.

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Points of Light is a global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. We envision a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies. Through 145 affiliates across 39 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 3.7 million volunteers in 16.7 million hours of service each year, contributing $498.7 million of value in people power into communities around the world. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. To learn more about Points of Light visit pointsoflight.org

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