Home Depot Honored for Dedication to Community Service
Award presented by Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network

(Washington, D.C. – August 5, 2005) – The Home Depot, a retail company based in Atlanta, Ga., received the Award for Excellence in Workplace Volunteer Programs (AEWVP) in recognition of the company's outstanding commitment to engaging employees in community service.

The award was presented today at 12PM at the Washington Convention Center during the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. David Lauren, senior vice president of advertising, marketing and corporate communications, Polo Ralph Lauren, was the keynote speaker for the awards luncheon.

The Awards for Excellence in Workplace Volunteer Programs is an international award that honors businesses of all sizes and from all industries that have made a commitment to effectively engaging employees in volunteering. The Points of Light Foundation, the nation's leading volunteer resource, views companies as one of the primary sources of volunteers and provides a full range of services to help businesses develop and sustain workplace volunteer programs.

The Home Depot's associate volunteer program, Team Depot, was formalized in 1992 as a way to support the communities where its associates live and work. Through The Home Depot Foundation, Team Depot and ongoing partnerships with nonprofit groups, The Home Depot donates millions of hours, tools and supplies each year to community service projects.

“This award is tremendous recognition for the more than 325,000 associates throughout The Home Depot,” says Bob Nardelli, Chairman, President and CEO, The Home Depot. “Our commitment to our communities is something we take very seriously, and volunteerism is in our DNA. Our Team Depot program is stronger than ever, and it is fueled by our associates who are continually looking to make tangible, positive change in our communities.”

“Workplace volunteering can have a profound impact on employees, communities and the long-term success of a company,” says Robert K. Goodwin, president & CEO of the Points of Light Foundation. “The Home Depot is a shining example of the role that businesses can play in alleviating social problems and bringing about healthier communities.”

The Home Depot was selected by a panel of distinguished judges from major business and nonprofit groups, who based their decisions on how well The Home Depot's overall workplace-based volunteer program reflects the Principles of Excellence for Workplace Volunteering, a plan to ACT:

•  Acknowledge that effective volunteer programs contribute to a company's ability to achieve its business goals;

•  Commit to establishing and supporting a program that involves all employees and treats volunteering like any other key business requirement; and

•  Target volunteering to address serious social problems within their communities.

“The Home Depot is a role model for other members of the business community to make volunteering an integral part of their workplace culture,” Goodwin adds.

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The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization, supports and organizes the vital work of community volunteers who help solve our nation's most serious social problems by bringing people and resources together. The Foundation builds knowledge, skills and programs for volunteer leaders and volunteers to succeed, and provides leadership to mobilize volunteers in thousands of local communities across the country. For more information, call 202-729-8000 or visit www.pointsoflight.org.