12.12.11
Ten Women of Worth have been named by L'Oreal Paris and Hearst Magazines for their tireless volunteer efforts dedicated to a variety of worthy and relevant social and philanthropic causes.
The awards presentation, which was held in New York City was hosted by Karen Fondu, presidentof L'Oréal Paris and Michael Clinton, president, marketing and publishing director of Hearst Magazines. Special guest presenters included L'Oréal Paris spokespeople Andie MacDowell, Julianna Margulies and Aimee Mullins, as well as Gayle King, Nina Garcia and Katie Cassidy. Former Women of Worth honorees were also invited to ring in the sixth annual awards.
"Each of these amazing women embodies the L'Oréal Paris brand philosophy, 'Because You're Worth It,' and supports our unwavering belief in every woman's worth and in her power to make a difference in the world," said L'Oreal Paris president Karen Fondu.
Each of the 2011 honorees have received $10,000 for her charitable cause. This year's amazing women represent a wide range of social causes and commitments across the country. They are:
Ann Solorio Brownell – San Jose, CA; founder of The Amanda Network, an organization dedicated to combating bullying and preventing the tragic suicide attempts of bullied victims.
Cora White – Madison, WI; CEO, board president and proud foster parent for the Foster Care Children and Family Fund, which provides a variety of services to support children in foster and out-of-home placement, including everything from educational training for foster parents to ensuring each child receives a gift during the holidays.
Dr. Barbara Summey Marshall – Fayetteville, NC; volunteer CEO at Steps & Stages: Women Veterans Resource Agency, Inc., a global non-profit agency dedicated to connecting transitioning female veterans and their families with necessary services and support.
Gina Keatley – New York, NY; CEO and director of Nutrition at Nourishing NYC/USA, a community food program that strives to provide "nutrition for all" in New York City and throughout America.
Gretchen Holt Witt – Califon, NJ; founder of Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a non-profit committed to raising funds to support research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer, the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 18 in the United States.
Pilar Pinel – Long Beach, CA; Founder of Embracing Latina Leadership Alliances (ELLAS), an organization dedicated to the educational, professional and political advancement of Latina youth.
Shanta Barton Stubbs – Orlando, FL; founder of the New Image Youth Center, an educational and recreational safe haven for at-risk youth.
Sheila Warnock – New York, NY; Co-author of Share The Care and Founder and President of ShareTheCaregiving, Inc., an organization that empowers people to pool their efforts in caregiving for family and friends. This model eases the burden on individual caregivers and ultimately improves the quality of life for the seriously ill, disabled and aging.
Stephanie M. Clark – Atlanta, GA; founder and national director for Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc., a national advocacy and empowerment movement for single moms.
Susan Munsey – San Diego, CA; CEO, executive director and "House Mom" of Generate Hope, an organization that provides a long-term recovery program for young women who have been sexually exploited.
During the month of November, consumers had the opportunity to visit womenofworth.com and cast their vote for the honoree and charity that inspired them most. Holt Witt received the most online votes and was awarded an additional $25,000 for her charity at last night's ceremony.