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Salesforce.com/Foundation Hosts Unprecedented Youth Forum

More than 300 Bay Area Youth Will "RYSE" Up to Express Reactions to World Events

December 11, 2001

December 11, 2001 - San Francisco, Calif. -Salesforce.com/foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping under-served youth succeed in the digital age will host a free event for youth today to amplify their opinions relating to recent world events. The first-of-its-kind event called "Speak on IT" will be held at Zeum Auditorium in Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco today from 5- 9 pm and is open to Bay Area Youth. Up to 300 youth from the Bay Area are expected to attend and to express their reactions using original video, art, poetry, spoken word, dancing, cartooning, news casting and music.

"Speak on IT" was created by "RYSE" - Real Youth Sharing Expression-a collaboration of youth and over 20 youth-serving organizations in the Bay Area that have come together to facilitate youth expression around the events of 9/11 and its aftermath. Youth wishing to express their positions or concerns on current world events are encouraged to attend. As the theater capacity is limited to 300, youth will be granted admission on a first come first serve basis.

"We believe that Bay Area youth are tomorrow's leaders and by empowering them through technology and freedom of self expression they can shape public policy and social change," said Marc Benioff, chairman and founder of salesforce.com/foundation. "The salesforce.com foundation is grateful to have an opportunity to support the efforts of these creative and articulate individuals."

It is estimated that in San Francisco, the number of youth will grow by more than 20 percent in the next decade to more than 132,000. Their perspectives and discussions about war, peace, terrorism and civil liberties are vital to our country's future. This event allows youth and teenagers to creatively express their opinions and feelings on the range of issues that have gripped our nation since September 11.

Salesforce.com/foundation promotes the use of technology in youth development at its 14 San Francisco-based technology learning centers and the Youthspace Web site (www.youthspace.net). In the past 18 months, salesforce.com employees have donated over 1400 volunteer hours in community service to the centers.

In the past year, the Foundation has installed 500 computers and printers donated by Gateway, Hewlett-Packard and America Online via PowerUP to the technology centers, which serve 7,000 Bay Area youths each year. In addition, salesforce.com/foundation has provided technology and training for international youth at 18 different locations in India, Israel, and Nepal.

Since September 11, 2001, salesforce.com/foundation has raised over $38,000 to aid victims of the national tragedies. Each dollar raised through the Foundation, up to $100,000 will be matched and sent on to the American Red Cross Family Gift Program and the Camp for Comfort Children's Bereavement Camps. To learn more about the salesforce.com/foundation donation-matching program or to make a donation, go to www.salesforcefoundation.org <http://www.salesforcefoundation.org>.

About salesforce.com/foundation

Founded in May 2000, the salesforce.com/foundation is the philanthropic arm of salesforce.com (http://www.salesforce.com), the global market leader in online CRM. The founders of the salesforce.com/foundation created this non-profit venture because they believe that philanthropy and community service are important cultural values that should be established in a company from its very inception. The foundation is dedicated to developing partnerships with organizations that address its concerns for providing open, relevant access to technology for underserved youth. For more information about the company, visit http://www.salesforce.com or call 1-800-No-Software.