Community Relations

The Internet can play a powerful role in bringing communities together, encouraging giving, helping people find volunteer opportunities, helping improve the safety and health of children. AOL has a long history of leveraging the power of the Internet to benefit those in need and improve communities.

AOL’s Community Relations efforts focus on leveraging the Internet to support the following areas:

• Children’s safety and health
• Citizen philanthropy
• Online public service advertising

Support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

AOL’s principal means of enhancing children’s safety and health is through the company’s commitment to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

In addition to creating opportunities for AOL employees to support the work of the hospital, AOL undertook a comprehensive campaign on behalf of St. Jude’s fifth annual Thanks and Giving Campaign. Among the efforts:

• Nice One! Stories of Thanks and Giving, a site developed in partnership with St. Jude that gathers stories of nice things people have done from the world of entertainment, sports and everyday life, and encourages users to submit their own stories. The site also features original content from St. Jude, including patient stories, videos and other resources, as well as information on how to donate directly to the charity.
   
• Promotions across the AOL Network, including: A “Gifts that Give Back” feature on AOL Shopping; a year-end charitable giving guide and information on giving to St. Jude on AOL Money & Finance; and a St. Jude AIM Buddy icon.
   
• Stories on ParentDish and AOL Health about a St. Jude patient family and that showed users just how far their contributions can go at the hospital; St. Jude PSA spots on holiday-themed AOL Radio stations; St. Jude promotions on  MapQuest's homepage.
   
• AOL also hosted several innovative St. Jude in-kind promotions – homepage takeovers on AOL.com, rich media skins, integrated e-mail promotions and more – that leveraged AOL’s digital advertising business, Platform-A.

In addition to the support for St. Jude, AOL’s other Community Relations efforts include:

Children’s safety and health: AOL is committed to improving Internet safety for children and partners with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). In addition, AOL supports non-profit organizations that promote the health and well-being of children, such as the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Citizen philanthropy: AOL helps to empower consumers and employees to use the Internet to learn, act and build a long-term commitment to philanthropy and volunteerism. AOL is a founding partner of Network for Good, the Internet’s leading charitable resource, which brings together donors, volunteers and charities online. AOL also provides numerous paths to volunteerism in employees’ communities.

Online public service advertising: AOL partners with the Ad Council for their PSA programs and other community outreach programs.

Community Relations contact

Rachel Gross
(212) 206-4466