I want to give you an update on where we are with the i’m Initiative and give you some information about exciting changes coming soon.

For nearly 3 years now your passion and dedication has made change happen. The i’m initiative has now concluded, and we are so proud of the support that has been provided to the 10 organizations that have been involved. Because of you, the Initiative has donated over 3 million dollars to several organizations having a positive impact in many areas. You've championed educating youth, breast cancer awareness, animal rights, refugee help and more. Simply by chatting with Messenger and sending Hotmail® email messages, you made a difference.

We are excited to introduce you to a new program called badges. When you download the new Messenger Beta for Windows 7 and Windows Vista, you will be able to add a badge to your profile. The causes from the i’m program are partnering with Messenger to help us launch this new program. We invite you to get a badge to show your affiliation with your i’m cause next to your Messenger name. While you will no longer be chatting or sending emails for a cause, you will be able to engage more closely with the causes you believe in. Visit the badge page for causes to find out how to download Messenger Beta and add your badge.

A heartfelt thank you to each of you for your commitment to making change happen. We are happy to allow you the ability to connect with the great causes from the i’m initiative. Get started today!

Sincerely,

Amy Essene

Senior Director of Marketing—Windows Live