Virgin Megastores Team Up With StandUp For Kids for National Outreach Campaign to Aid Teens on the Streets

Contact: Krysty O'Quinn, SJ Communications, 818-881-3889,

Krysty@sjcommunications.com, for Virgin Megastores; Keith Sanders, Director, Corporate Development of StandUp For Kids, 404-725-5373,

KeithS@standupforkids.org

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15 /Standard Newswire/ -- It's estimated that in the United States nearly 2.5 million runaway and homeless youth will spend this Thanksgiving living on the streets. Of those 2.5 million, 13 of them will die each day.* In an effort to help homeless teens this Thanksgiving season, Virgin Megastores has teamed up with StandUp For Kids, a non-profit organization that helps rescue homeless and at-risk youth, for a clothing drive on the busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday.

"We have picked this day to get involved because we believe we can offer the most help to StandUp For Kids, since we see the highest traffic in our stores on Black Friday," explains Dee Mc Laughlin, senior director of marketing, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America. "We want to make the biggest impact we can."

On Black Friday consumers are encouraged to bring items of clothing that would fit teenagers, ages 13-18, to the donation centers at all North American Virgin Megastores. In exchange, consumers will receive a 10% savings coupon for any purchase they make at the Virgin Megastore. Virgin executives are hoping that consumers wanting to support StandUp For Kids will take advantage of the special one-day donation and savings opportunity, as they begin their holiday shopping.

"By working with Virgin Megastores, we've made it easy for consumers to give to those in need this season, and in return receive a special savings for doing so," explains, Rick Koca, Founder and CEO of StandUp For Kids. "One in seven kids will run away and live on the streets. Our goal is to help those children and teens find a safe, stable home in an effort to improve their lives. The donations consumers make are critical to our success."

The partnership with StandUp For Kids is a part of a campaign by Virgin companies and Virgin Unite, the charitable arm of the Virgin Group. The goal for both the Virgin companies and StandUp For Kids is to help a generation, help its own: The RE*Generation is a movement to connect at-risk, homeless and poverty stricken youth, with young people who want to help make a difference through partnering with innovative organizations like StandUp For Kids.

Virgin Megastores and StandUp For Kids will be accepting all used weather-appropriate clothing for children ages 13-18. Donations can be brought in to any North American Virgin Megastore on November 24th. StandUp For Kids volunteers will be on hand to answer any questions and to pass out additional information about the organization.

* Statistics provided by National Runaway Switchboard

ABOUT VIRGIN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Virgin Entertainment Group is the world's leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, providing customers with a range of superior entertainment experiences through a family of integrated Virgin-branded businesses. The "category killer" Virgin Megastores and Virgin Megastore Online at www.virginmega.com are integral parts of a strategy to provide entertainment customers with what they want, how they want it, and when they want it.

ABOUT STANDUP FOR KIDS

STANDUP FOR KIDS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1990 to help rescue homeless and at-risk youth. With national headquarters in San Diego, California, STANDUP FOR KIDS is run almost entirely by volunteers, and has established more than thirty-five outreach programs in twenty states. For more information go to www.standupforkids.org

Launched in the UK in 2004, Virgin Unite is the independent charitable arm of the Virgin Group. Richard Branson and Virgin fully-fund its operational costs, so that 100% of all donations received go directly to the frontline where it is needed the most. Virgin Unite was created by Richard Branson and Virgin employees around the world to harness Virgin's people, resources and energy to make a difference to forgotten people and overlooked issues. Virgin Unite takes an entrepreneurial approach to social and environmental issues and believes that the best way to drive positive change is through investments that support economic growth. Virgin Unite was established in the US and Canada in 2006 and is already operational in the UK, South Africa and Australia. For more information go to www.virginunite.org