Recognizing Women Who Make a Difference

(ARA) - Women are no longer settling for a backseat at the nation's charitable and activist organizations. Today they are taking leadership roles in activism and founding their own outreach organizations, making a difference in the communities where we all live.

"Women across the country are making important differences in their communities and changing them for the better, says Karen Fondu, President, L'Oréal Paris. "By recognizing their leadership and community spirit, L'Oréal Paris not only encourages their continued commitment to their causes, but we can inspire the next generation of women in their service to the community."

For the third consecutive year L'Oréal Paris is honoring an inspiring group of women for their community achievements and dedication to volunteerism. This year, ten women from across the country will be honored as Women of Worth Honorees.

L'Oréal Paris will make a $5,000 donation on behalf of each honoree to a charitable organization of her choice, a $5,000 donation in her name to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and each honoree will receive an all expense paid trip to New York City to be recognized at a gala event.

One of the honorees will receive an additional $25,000 from L'Oréal Paris, based on an online public vote. Beginning on November 10 and continuing through November 24, the Women of Worth National Honoree public vote will be held on www.WomenofWorth.com. Visitors are invited to log-on to the site to vote for the honoree who they feel has made the biggest community impact from a group of 10 exceptional women devoted to community achievement and volunteerism.

Online voters will choose the Women of Worth National Honoree. To vote, go to www.WomenofWorth.com.

Honorees include:

* Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, Camden, NJ. Founded the LEAP -- Leadership, Education and Partnership -- Academy University Charter School, a college-preparatory day school in Camden.
* Gracie Cavnar, Houston, TX. Founded the Recipe for Success Foundation to combat childhood obesity.
* Nancy Chang, Seattle, WA. Directs Skate Like a Girl, an organization that provides weekly skateboarding lessons to underprivileged girls, all-girl skate jams, week-long summer skate camps and other events and offers instructional clinics to female groups.
* Lina Czubas, Falls Church, VA. A Red Cross volunteer for nearly 50 years and dedicated volunteer that now travels five days a week to the Walter Reed Medical Center to volunteer in the pharmacy and in the Ward housing soldiers who have returned from Iraq with amputations and other serious injuries.
* Emily Douglas, Powell, OH. Mentors and coaches 60 women athletes and started the organization Grandma's Gifts to provide goods and services (food, clothes, toys and books) to families and schools in Appalachia and educate youth and adults on how to make a difference.
* Andrea Ivory, Miami, FL. A breast cancer survivor who founded The Florida Breast Health Initiative, bringing mammography resources to those in need directly to their neighborhoods.
* Cindy Kerr, Wayne, PA. Serves as the unpaid CEO for ConKerr Cancer -- A Case For Smiles -- an organization serving 48 hospitals that delivers pillowcases to brighten hospital rooms and make children with life changing illnesses smile.
* Areva Martin, Los Angeles, CA. Directs and leads Special Needs Network, a voice and advocacy organization for South Central Los Angeles' special needs community.
* Wendy Sanborn, Wanship, UT. Coordinated the Walk In Beauty Program, which provides new shoes to children living on the Navajo Reservation.
* Jenine Shwekey, Long Branch, NJ. Founded the Special Children's Center as a senior in high school, an organization that provides free respite programs for special needs children ages three to18 and their families.

For more information about the Women of Worth Program, honorees bios and to vote for the 2008 Women of Worth National Honoree, please visit www.WomenofWorth.com. Voting closes November 24, 2008.

Courtesy of ARAcontent