Houghton Mifflin Co. News Release - 04/23/04

Houghton Mifflin Supports National Volunteer Week; Company Continues Relationship with United Way

BOSTON, Mass. - April 23, 2004 - Observing the finale of National Volunteer Week (4/18-4/24), sponsored by The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, Houghton Mifflin Company announced the establishment of the Houghton Mifflin Volunteer Network, a Company-wide program to recognize and encourage employee volunteerism. The announcement comes after a successful partnership with United Way of Massachusetts Bay to host a Houghton Mifflin Community Care Day, where employees helped the Greater Boston Food Bank (www.gbfb.org) provide 6,272 meals to Boston-area families.

The Community Care Day was the final activity of Houghton Mifflin's 2003 United Way employee fundraising campaign. As part of this initiative, the Company contributed $100,000 to United Way of Massachusetts Bay. In addition, McDougal Littell, a division of Houghton Mifflin based in Evanston, Ill., held an employee campaign to benefit the United Way of Evanston.

This year's National Volunteer Week theme, Volunteers Inspire by Example, reflects The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network position that volunteers have the power "to inspire not only other people to volunteer, but also the people they serve." Houghton Mifflin would like to recognize and commend those Houghton Mifflin, Edusoft, Great Source Education Group, McDougal Littell, Promissor and Riverside Publishing employees who give back to the communities in which they live and work and urge them to continue to "step forward and inspire by example."

To find out about volunteer opportunities in your area, visit United Way's online volunteer database, www.volunteersolutions.org or The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network Web site, www.pointsoflight.org.

About Houghton Mifflin
Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Company is one of the leading educational publishers in the United States; publishing textbooks, instructional technology, assessments and other educational materials for elementary and secondary schools and colleges. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers, and offers computer-administered testing programs and services for the professional and certification markets. With its origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. The Company's website can be found at www.hmco.com.

CONTACT:
Collin Earnst
Vice President, Communications
Houghton Mifflin Company
617-351-5113
collin_earnst@hmco.com

Nicole Evans
Public Relations Specialist
Houghton Mifflin Company
617-351-3817
nicole_evans@hmco.com