HACKENSACK, NJ, January 26, 2009-- The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology® is teaming up with the
Jane Goodall Institute to motivate young people to better their schools, communities and the world. The Center is supporting Jane Goodall's
Roots & Shoots, the Institute's global environmental and humanitarian program for youth of all ages, while sharing the Center's
Greening Your School campaign and other green initiatives.
Through the Greening Your School program, the Center is helping schools adopt more eco-friendly cleaning and maintenance practices. (
Learn How to Start Greening Yours.) Students, especially those who suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems, and all who work in the school benefit from improvements to indoor air quality.
Roots & Shoots is a powerful, youth-driven, global network of nearly 100,000 members in almost 100 countries. Together, youth of all ages are taking action to improve our world through hands-on service learning projects that promote care and concern for animals, the environment and the human community.
"Working together is a natural fit for both our organizations and a great way to engage students, and we look forward to touching many more schools through our joint efforts," said Deirdre Imus, founder and president of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology® at Hackensack University Medical Center.
In addition to teaming with Roots & Shoots, the Center is supporting the Institute's Chimpanzee Guardianship program. The Institute gives a second chance to chimps at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in the Republic of Congo. Kauka and Vichika (left) are two of the 140 chimps at the refuge orphaned by poachers.
"Chimpanzees are under attack and need our help to protect them," said Ms. Imus. "The Jane Goodall Institute makes it easy with the Chimpanzee Guardianship program. People can make guardianship a gift in honor of a friend or loved one. It's a great idea for anyone who loves animals or cares about the environment."
About The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology®
Located at Hackensack University Medical Center, The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center Pediatric Oncology® is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. The Center represents one of the first hospital-based programs with a specific mission to identify, control and ultimately prevent exposures to environmental factors that may cause adult, and especially pediatric cancer, as well as other health problems affecting children.
About the Jane Goodall Institute
Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute continues Dr. Goodall's pioneering research of chimpanzee behavior - research that transformed scientific perceptions of the relationship between humans and animals. Today, the Institute is a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. It also is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa, and the Roots & Shoots global environmental and humanitarian youth program, which has groups in almost 100 countries. For more information, please visit
www.janegoodall.org.
About Roots & Shoots
Founded in 1991 by Dr. Jane Goodall and a group of Tanzanian students, the Roots & Shoots program is about making positive change happen - for our communities, for animals and for the environment. With tens of thousands of young people in almost 100 countries, the Roots & Shoots network connects youth of all ages who share a desire to create a better world. Young people identify problems in their communities and take action. Through service projects, youth-led campaigns and an interactive website, Roots & Shoots members are making a difference across the globe. For more information, please visit
rootsandshoots.org.