/PRNewswire/ - Discovery Communications today announced the nonprofit organizations that have been selected to take part in the company's newly created pro bono initiative, Discovery Impact: Creating Change. Employees will lend their creative talents in marketing, communications, creative design services, social media and video production to help the organizations with their promotional goals. The 12-hour Creating Change marathon will be held at Discovery's global headquarters in Silver Spring, MD on December 14th.

More than 200 organizations applied to be a part of the inaugural marathon event, from which Discovery has selected 40 that will receive myriad design and communications services. The organizations serve a number of community needs, including helping the area's homeless, tending to the needs of animals, championing HIV/AIDS initiatives and working with disabled children and adults. Inspired by the missions of all of the applicant organizations, Discovery executives have created a series of workshops covering Social Media, Press Strategy and Event Planning to be held on the morning of the marathon. All organizations that applied to the initiative will be invited to attend these workshops.

"We are humbled by the number of organizations that applied to Creating Change and the amazing work that they do to make our world a better place. Discovery's employees are committed to giving back to the communities where we live and work, and this program where we donate our creativity is another example of that good work," said David Leavy, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Global Communications.

Creating Change builds upon Discover Your Impact Day, a global employee volunteerism event that launched in June 2010, when Discovery celebrated its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, more than 3,000 employees in 40 offices around the globe donated their time to more than 150 community projects such as cleaning up parks, working with children, rehabilitating local schools, volunteering at animal shelters and much more.

In addition, key Discovery partners will provide services for the event. Killer Tracks (www.killertracks.com), will provide all music, and Thinkstock (www.thinkstock.com) an image subscription site from Getty Images will participate by donating photography from their library.

Please find the complete list of all selected organizations below. To learn more about these organizations, please view: http://blog.discoverycommunications.com

• 826DC


• Abilities Network


• Alice Ferguson Foundation


• Alliance for Workplace Excellence


• Anacostia Watershed Society


• Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture


• Bikes for the World


• Cheetah Conservation Fund


• Comfort for America's Uniformed Services (Cause)


• Community Connections


• Docs In Progress


• Education Strengthens Families Public Charter School


• Family Services, Inc.


• GlobalGiving


• Great and Small Therapeutic Riding


• Hero Dogs, Inc.


• Housing Opportunities Community Partners, Inc.


• Icing Smiles, Inc.


• KaBoom!


• KEEN Greater DC (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)


• KIPP DC


• love.futbol


• Manna Food Center


• Mentoring to Manhood


• N Street Village


• National Center for Victims of Crime


• National Forest Foundation


• NewSchools Venture Fund


• Next Step (One Love Project)


• People Animals Love


• Polaris


• Pyramid Atlantic Art Center


• Rainbow Place


• Reading Partners


• Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.


• Street Law, Inc.


• Tara's House of Animal Rescue


• The Friends of Patterson Park


• The Washington Animal Rescue League


• Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc.

About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 180 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

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