ATLANTA (May 22, 2010) - Later today more than 100 UnitedHealthcare employees will rally around the company's mission of helping people live healthier lives by organizing a community health fair and building a playground at Venetian Hills Elementary School. 

The event is the latest in UnitedHealthcare's national "Do Good. Live Well." campaign that encourages volunteerism as a way to improve health and well-being by helping local communities.  The event will include building a playground and outdoor classroom; health screenings and informational booths; Zumba®, a Latin-infused fitness program tailored for the entire family; planting a community garden; and other fun and family-friendly activities. 

UnitedHealthcare and KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit organization that has helped build more than 1,700 playgrounds in communities throughout the country, are rallying the community behind building Venetian Hills Elementary School's first playground in 15 years. The playground design is based on drawings students created during a "design day" in March. Representatives and volunteers from several community organizations, including AARP Georgia, West End Medical Centers, the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA, and Venetian Hills Elementary School, also participated.

"Venetian Hills Elementary is excited to have UnitedHealthcare, KaBOOM! and other community partners and volunteers come together and help our students' parents, grandparents, teachers and staff with this event," said Clarietta Davis, principal of Venetian Hills Elementary School. "The playground will give students the opportunity to meet and interact with other boys and girls in the neighborhood and help them develop physically and socially. Having a safe area for physical activity and play wouldn't be possible without the support of these hard-working volunteers."

UnitedHealthcare's involvement at the Atlanta school is one in a series of volunteering events the company is incorporating into the "Do Good. Live Well." initiative - a collaboration with the Entertainment Industry Foundation's iParticipate campaign to inspire a new level of service and volunteerism in America. Additional events in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Minneapolis involve community-based partners and a chance for UnitedHealthcare employees to contribute meaningfully to their communities.

 
According to a recently released survey by UnitedHealthcare and VolunteerMatch, a national nonprofit that helps connect people with volunteering opportunities, four in 10 Americans have volunteered in the past year. Eighty-four percent of survey respondents agreed that volunteering improves physical health, and 95 percent agreed that volunteering improves emotional health. Eighty-nine percent of volunteers reported an actual improvement in their sense of well-being, and 68 percent reported an actual improvement in physical health.

In addition, the survey showed that corporations play a key role in promoting volunteerism - 25 percent of those who volunteer do so through their place of work. Of those, 76 percent agreed that they feel better about their employers because of their involvement in volunteer activities.  The complete survey is viewable here. 

"More and more evidence suggests volunteering and community service can be a powerful force for improving both our communities and our own well-being. Serving others can give greater meaning to life, stimulate and motivate healthy behaviors, and decrease stress and tension," said Tom Paul, chief operating officer of UnitedHealthcare's Medicare business. "Last year, 73 percent of UnitedHealthcare's employees volunteered in the communities where we live and work. Today's event is another opportunity for our employees to show their support of volunteerism and community involvement - and to live our company's mission."

UnitedHealthcare's commitment to its communities extends beyond the "Do Good. Live Well." events. A multiyear grant from the company supports the YMCA's Activate America campaign that is dedicated to obesity prevention for children, families and adults at risk of developing chronic diseases. In addition, the UnitedHealth HEROES program awards grants to schools and community-based organizations focused on obesity prevention.  The company's 2009 Social Responsibility Report, "Healthy Living. Healthy Communities." is viewable here.

About KaBOOM!
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! is a national non-profit organization dedicated to saving play. Through community building, the company is focused on giving every child in America a great place to play within walking distance. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct more than 1,700 new playgrounds, skate parks, sports fields and ice rinks across North America. KaBOOM! also offers a variety of resources, including an online community, free online trainings, grants, publications and the KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play, which includes Playful City USA and Playmakers - a national network of individual advocates for play. KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago and San Mateo, Calif. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org.

About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 75 million individuals worldwide.