Web Hosting Provider Affinity Internet Recognizes Customer

Affinity Internet, a web services provider for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), today announced the winners of its second annual Making a Difference program. The program rewards Affinity customers who use their web sites in innovative ways for charity, education or business.

This year's winners include an organization that provides services for Alzheimer's victims and their families, an education program that uses comic books to unlock the writing and artistic potential of inner-city youths, a web site that uses the Internet to help patients find and access health care services, and a computer retailer that is using its site to help bridge the digital divide and spread a message of unity.

Cash prizes of $10,000 for the best charity site, $5,000 for the best teaching/educational site and $5,000 for the best small business sites ($2,500 for services; $2,500 for products) will be awarded to the winners. Runners-up receive one-year free web hosting with Affinity. The prizes represent a significant investment by Affinity in these small companies that are demonstrating big vision and making a big impact.

"While the prize money is fabulous, the recognition for what we do is by far the greatest part of receiving this award," said Mary Anne Mushatt, president of Alzheimer's Services of the Crescent City, winner of the best charity site category. Alzheimer's Services of the Crescent City is an organization founded for and by family members of people living with Alzheimer's disease in the greater New Orleans community.

"The Making a Difference program is unique because our criteria is simply how a company is making a difference using their web site - regardless of size or type," said Peter Chambers, CEO of Affinity Internet. "We know how powerful the Internet can be, and we think this contest is an exciting way to acknowledge and award those who have used their web site to make a difference."

Winners were selected by committee from nearly 1,000 submissions based on a review of each web site and an essay submitted by the entrants highlighting the ways that they are using their web site to make a difference to the communities or customers they serve.

Making a Difference 2005 Winners: Charity Winner: Alzheimer's Services of the Crescent City http://alzheimerservicescc.com/ The web site is a virtual meeting place and clearing house of information for the Alzheimer's caregiving public. They use the web site to make a difference in the lives of Alzheimer's victims and their families through a forum, caregiver Hotline, chat room, resource page with useful links, a user-friendly interface and helpful articles available for download.

Honorable Mention: Awakening Hope http://www.awakeninghope.org/

Teaching/Education Winner: The Comic Book Project www.comicbookproject.org The Comic Book Project is a nationally recognized art-based literacy initiative hosted by Columbia University in partnership with Dark Horse Comics (Star Wars, Shrek). The goal of the project is to help inner-city youths write and design original comic books, then publish them for other children in the community to use as learning and motivational tools. They were chosen because of the way they use their web site to display students' artwork in the "student galleries" section, sell actual comic books that children in the program have created, promote the work of the students and give site visitors the opportunity to contribute to the project.

Honorable Mention: Share A Story (Division of Seniors and Children Together, Inc.) http://shareastory.org/

Service Winner: Patient Advocate Solutions, LLC http://www.pas-now.com The mission of Patient Advocate Solutions is to help guide people through the healthcare maze. On any given day, the company will help a consumer resolve an insurance claim their insurance company is refusing to pay, or enroll a senior citizen or the working poor into the patient assistance programs pharmaceutical manufacturers offer but don't publicize. They were chosen because of the way they use their web site as an educational tool that allows visitors to access their services, resources for additional information on various healthcare issues and the ability to download relevant forms and documents directly from the site.

Honorable Mention: Forever Independent At-Home Services http://www.foreverindependent.com

Product Winner: A Unity System, Inc. http://www.aunitysystem.com A Unity System is the first minority-owned supplier of PCs in major retail stores. The mission of AUS is to bridge the digital divide between ethnic and income groups. Their web site allows shoppers to browse and purchase products online, along with providing easy access to customer service and technical support. The committee was impressed by the way the company uses its site to promote its message of diversity and the power of business to encourage diversity. In addition, the site allows the company to reach schools, universities and non-profit organizations in a way it cannot through its traditional retail channels.

Honorable Mention: Assistwear http://www.assistwear.com/

About Affinity Internet Affinity Internet (www.Affinity.com) is dedicated to providing its customers with exceptional value and outstanding service. The company's seven-point value proposition is focused on ensuring that its products, services and support exceed the needs and expectations of its customers. This guides Affinity in everything the company does.

Affinity empowers hundreds-of-thousands of small to medium-sized businesses with the cutting edge tools, services and support they need to write their own Internet success stories.