NEW YORK, NY (March 18, 2013) – American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) today announced that the National Parks of New York Harbor (NY and NJ) have won the "We Donate. You Decide." contest. For the first time in their six-year partnership, AEO and SCA created a special team of volunteers and let online voters determine where the crew will conduct a week-long summer service project. By a narrow margin, voters decided to send the SCA team to restore areas of the National Parks of New York Harbor damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
With all three parks – including Olympic National Park (WA) and Yosemite National Park (CA) – separated by only a few percentage points when the nationwide contest closed March 11, SCA and American Eagle Outfitters have agreed to provide volunteer support and host one-day conservation service projects at both runner-up parks this summer.
"We're very excited to be bringing our team to the National Parks of New York Harbor because we know the need there is so critical," says American Eagle Outfitters Foundation Director Marcie Eberhart. "The close contest reflects our voters' passion for national parks and their firm belief that service makes a powerful difference. It's a great example by which to Live Your Life®, and we're delighted to follow the voters' lead by holding service projects in all three parks."
The contest is part of an expanded partnership between AEO and SCA that encourages youth to embrace the outdoors and explore volunteer and career opportunities in conservation and the growing "green" economy. This month alone, college students from across the U.S. are helping to protect national parks on Alternative Spring Breaks, and thousands of other young adults have benefitted from similar opportunities through the ongoing AEO-SCA partnership. SCA develops conservation leaders by providing college and high school students with service opportunities in all 50 states, from urban communities to national parks and forests.
Elements of the partnership, in addition to the online contest, include in-store promotion of SCA activities in more than 800 AEO stores in the U.S. and Canada; visibility on AEO's 25-story-high digital billboard in New York City's Times Square, and AEO's sponsorship (since 2007) of SCA's Alternative Spring Break program and other general support.
About American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) is a leading global specialty retailer offering high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable prices under its American Eagle Outfitters® and Aerie® brands. The company operates more than 1,000 stores in North America, and ships to 77 countries worldwide through its websites. American Eagle Outfitters and Aerie merchandise also is available at approximately 50 international franchise stores in 13 countries. For more information, please visit www.ae.com [1].
About The Student Conservation Association
The Student Conservation Association is the only national organization that develops tomorrow's conservation leaders by providing high school and college students with service opportunities in all 50 states, from urban communities to national parks and forests. More than 4,000 SCA members annually render over two million hours of service to America's public lands. Since 1957, SCA has helped to develop new generations of conservation leaders, inspire lifelong stewardship, and save the planet. SCA maintains offices in Anchorage, AK, Boise, ID, Charlestown, NH, Chicago, IL, Oakland, CA, Pittsburgh, PA, Seattle, WA and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit http://www.thesca.org [2].