America Online supports non-profits through its ‘Make a Difference’ module

The protected areas will be a refuge for Jaguars  © Pond5

50¢ protects an acre of rainforest © D. Perez

Rainforest Trust featured on AOL.com ‘Make a Difference’ module to raise funds for Sierra del Divisor Project in the Peruvian Amazon

WARRENTON, VA – JULY 2, 2014 – On Friday, June 27, 2014, AOL.com featured Rainforest Trust as their ‘Make a Difference’ module on their homepage in an effort to help increase awareness of Rainforest Trust’s mission to save rainforests and endangered species, spark dialogue and raise funds to protect one of the world’s most bio-diverse ecosystems. This partnership is part of AOL.com’s on-going effort to highlight the cause-related work of non-profits.

“AOL is thrilled to support Rainforest Trust because as a company, ‘We are in the business of helping people. Period.’ Through our pro bono media, AOL empowers its clients, consumers and employees to learn, share and connect with causes in an effort to make them part of our everyday lives,” said Joey Blumenfeld, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at AOL.

Launched in 2013, Rainforest Trust’s Sierra del Divisor Project will save 5.9 million acres of the Peruvian Amazon through the creation of protected areas and indigenous land titling. The area to be protected – nearly eight times the size of Yosemite National Park – will preserve critical habitat for jaguars and other endangered species. The Sierra del Divisor is also home to several indigenous communities, including 300-400 people living in voluntary isolation.

Working with Peruvian conservation partner CEDIA (Center for the Development of an Indigenous Amazon), Rainforest Trust is offering supporters the opportunity to protect rainforest acres for only 50 cents.

“Our four-year project in the Sierra del Divisor offers incredible benefits in terms of preserving ecosystems, protecting wildlife, and fighting climate change. We are naturally excited to share such important work with an audience of AOL.com’s size,” said Joe Lowe, Communications Director for Rainforest Trust.

The Sierra del Divisor project has already raised over $700,000 to save nearly 1.5 million acres of the rainforest in just the last nine months.

To donate or learn more about this project, visit legacy.rainforesttrust.org/acres-for-50cents.

Rainforest Trust, formerly World Land Trust-US, is a nonprofit conservation organization focused on saving rainforest and endangered species. Since its founding in 1988, Rainforest Trust has saved nearly 8 million acres of rainforests and other tropical habitats in 67 projects across 17 tropical countries. The nonprofit purchases and protects threatened land in partnership with local conservation leaders and indigenous communities.

AOL Inc. is a brand company, committed to continuously innovating, growing, and investing in brands and experiences that inform, entertain, and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.

Media contact:
Marc Ford, Rainforest Trust
info@rainforesttrust.org
1-800-456-4930