[August 01, 2011]

Westfield Shopping Centers Launch Nationwide Community "Give Back to School" Program

Westfield shopping centers and the Westfield Family program today announce the start of the "Give Back to School" Program. Westfield will donate $57,500 to the program by offering $2,500 to one school in each of 23 communities. The funds will be used to support such school programs as arts and music, sciences, physical education, libraries and technology resources.

Shoppers also will have the opportunity to help local students by donating new and gently used clothing or backpacks through a local community partnership with their Westfield shopping center.

The school designated for support in each community will be chosen by Westfield shoppers themselves. As part of the "Give Back to School" Program, families who do their back-to-school shopping at a participating Westfield shopping center between August 1 and September 12, 2011 can "vote" for a school in their local neighborhood. Votes are cast by shoppers who present their shopping receipts from Westfield retailers to the Westfield Concierge desk during posted hours. Each dollar spent counts as 1 point for their preferred school, and shoppers can earn additional points for their school by "liking" their local Westfield mall on Facebook (News - Alert). The local school with the most points will win a donation of $2,500 or higher, and a celebration event.

The "Give Back to School" initiative is supported by Westfield retailers that will be offering valuable discounts to hel make back-to-school shopping more affordable for shoppers.

"During this back-to-school season, Westfield extends our commitment to the communities we serve by supporting local schools and organizations that focus on the needs of children," explains Kirk Thompson, Westfield Vice President of Marketing. "As families come to our centers for back-to-school shopping, they can make the trip more worthwhile by voting for their school or donating items for children in need through local organizations such as Boys & Girls Club."

Now offered at 30 centers across the country, Westfield Family continues its successful and popular program elements that make shopping fun and easy for families, including:

• Westfield Family Fun Days - two free activities each month geared toward children ages 2-5, their moms, dads and families. At each themed Fun Day, kids will be able to create a craft with their parent, have a snack and enjoy story time with books that are carefully selected based on the month's theme.
• Signature Family Events - "Back to School" and "Spooktacular," return this year to select centers, featuring center-wide activations and event elements geared towards the entire family.
• Westfield Family Calendar - a monthly publication that puts member families on the inside track for information about family and child-friendly retailer events, activities and offers at participating centers.
• Westfield Family Amenities - preferential, covered parking for families and expectant mothers, play spaces, family dining areas, family lounges/restrooms, and concierge services, all designed to insure that families' trips to Westfield Shopping Centers are as stress free as possible.

Signing up for the program is simple and can be done online at Westfield.com, through a mail-in postcard, at the Westfield Concierge or management office, or at any of the Westfield Family events. Details about the Westfield "Give Back to School" program can be found on local centers' Facebook pages.

The Westfield Group (ASX: WDC), is an Australian-based company with interests in 119 shopping centers in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the U.S., the Group has a portfolio of 55 shopping centers that are home to more than 9,000 specialty stores and comprise approximately 63 million square feet of leasable space in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington.

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