Club Penguin Fans Changing the World Through Online Play
Virtual world celebrates fifth year of ‘Coins For Change’ campaign by doubling donation

Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, January 5, 2012 – Thanks to the generosity of Club Penguin (clubpenguin.com) fans who took part in the fifth annual Coins For Change online giving campaign, more children around the world will soon have safe places to live, learn and play.

Each December, Coins For Change empowers the children who play Club Penguin to help change the world by donating virtual coins they earn playing games online to real world causes that matter to them. Kids can direct donations to provide medical help, build safe places or protect the earth. At the end of the event, the virtual donations to the three cause categories serve as votes to determine how a cash contribution from Disney Online Studios will be divided among charitable projects aimed at helping children, families and the planet.

This year, to mark the fifth anniversary of Coins For Change, Club Penguin doubled its overall cash donation to $2 million USD after players filled the virtual world's lighthouse with more than 10 billion virtual coins.  Players donated to three causes:  medical treatments, protecting the earth and providing safe places for kids.  

“Our players are always looking for ways to make a difference and help others, and over the past five years they’ve embraced the opportunity to give through Coins For Change,” says Lane Merrifield, one of Club Penguin’s co-founders and executive vice president of Disney Online Studios.  “It was especially exciting to see kids from 191 countries participate together to help change the world.”

As a result of Coins For Change 2011, Disney Online Studios will donate

• $640,000 USD to fund medical clinics, health care, surgical treatments and nutrition programs.
• $620,000 USD for schools, libraries, playgrounds, education programs and support, and a group home.
• $740,000 USD to support wetlands, rainforests and wildlife conservation programs.

Club Penguin is the number one virtual world for children with a reputation for providing fun for kids and peace of mind for parents. Millions of children and families play Club Penguin in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German. Word filters and live moderators monitor chat and activity on the site and work to prevent the sharing of inappropriate or personally identifiable information. 

Club Penguin is free to play, however special features require a membership. A portion of Club Penguin's net proceeds support organizations working to improve the lives of children and families around the Globe.  Through Coins For Change alone, Club Penguin has helped in excess of a million people in more than 40 countries. To find out more, visit clubpenguin.com/global-citizenship.