L'Oreal Paris spokespeople Aimee Mullins, Andie MacDowell and Julianna Margulies with L'Oreal Paris president Karen Fondu at the 2011 Women of Worth awards. (PRNewsFoto/L'Oreal Paris)

/PRNewswire/ - Ten extraordinary Women of Worth were celebrated by L'Oreal Paris and Hearst Magazines at last night's awards presentation, held at the Hearst Tower in New York City, for their tireless volunteer efforts dedicated to a variety of worthy and relevant social and philanthropic causes.

The event featured an awards presentation hosted by Karen Fondu, president of L'Oreal Paris and Michael Clinton, president, marketing and publishing director of Hearst Magazines. Special guest presenters included L'Oreal 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'Oreal 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.

NATIONAL HONOREE: GRETCHEN HOLT WITT

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. Gretchen Holt Witt, Founder of Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a non-profit committed to raising funds to support research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer, received the most online votes and was awarded an additional $25,000 for her charity at last night's ceremony.

"I am so honored that Cookies for Kids' Cancer was selected from all of these amazing organizations. This generous gift will help Cookies for Kids' Cancer continue to fund the necessary research around all forms of pediatric cancer," said L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth 2011 National Honoree Gretchen Holt Witt.

HONOREES

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. The women behind these organizations are living proof that one person can make a difference:

• 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.

JUDGES AND VOTING

The Women of Worth honorees were chosen by an esteemed group of judges including: Marc Speichert, Chief Marketing Officer of L'Oreal USA; Karen Fondu, President of L'Oreal Paris; Nathalie Kristo, Senior Vice President of Marketing for L'Oreal Paris; Jacqueline Hernandez, Chief Operating Officer of Telemundo Communications Group; Soledad O'Brien, CNN Anchor and Lisa Oz, President of Ozworks, a media and investment consulting company.

ABOUT WOMEN OF WORTH

The Women of Worth initiative, now in its sixth year, is inspired by L'Oreal Paris' iconic brand philosophy, "Because You're Worth It." Each of these honorees truly embodies the spirit of the L'Oreal Paris brand through their commitment to their communities, their selflessness and their drive to make a difference in the world. Since its inception, the L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth program has recognized 60 women for their outstanding commitment to their causes. For more information about the Women of Worth program, please visit womenofworth.com.

ABOUT L'OREAL PARIS

The L'Oreal Paris division of L'Oreal USA, Inc. is a total beauty care company that combines the latest technology with the highest in quality for the ultimate in luxury beauty at mass. The L'Oreal Paris brand encompasses the four major beauty categories – hair color, hair care, skincare and cosmetics – and includes such well-known brands as Preference, Excellence, Feria and Healthy Look hair color; Elnett Satin Hairspray, EverPure, EverStrong, EverSleek, VIVE Pro, Studio Line and L'Oreal Kids hair care; Youth Code, Revitalift, Age Perfect, Sublime Bronze, Go 360 Clean and Men's Expert skincare; and the Colour Riche, True Match, Infallible, True Match Naturale and Studio Secrets Professional cosmetics collections, along with a portfolio of mascara including Voluminous, Double Extend and Telescopic among many others.

For more information on L'Oreal Paris and its brands, and to get comprehensive, personalized beauty information from the experts, visit www.lorealparis.com for access to unique content and dynamic interactive features, including the exclusive "Can I Help You" diagnostic tool.

L'Oreal

L'Oreal

A worldwide leader in the cosmetics industry, L'Oréal develops innovative products to meet the diverse needs of customers in 130 countries worldwide. Over 3,000 people work in the Group's 14 research centers, located in France, Asia and America. Their findings are responsible for the registration of hundreds of patents annually. Women represent 55% of the research workforce - a percentage unmatched anywhere else in the industry. www.loreal.com

 

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