New Research States That Teen Birth Rate Has Dropped, The Candie's Foundation States There is Still Work to be Done

NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Candie's Foundation, (the "Foundation") a teen pregnancy prevention organization, announced today that it welcomes the news that in 2009, the teen birth rate dropped to an all time low.  The Candie's Foundation aims to raise awareness about the devastating consequences of teen pregnancy through public service announcement (PSA) campaigns.

The Candie's Foundation works with personalities such as Bristol Palin, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Dr. Drew Pinsky, MTV's "Teen Moms" and others to create a national dialogue and motivate teenagers not to become pregnant.  The organization also educates them about teen pregnancy prevention.

Neil Cole, Founder of The Candie's Foundation, commented, "Our work at the Candie's Foundation coupled with other organizations committed to preventing teen pregnancy is making a difference, although, so much work remains to be done.  Roughly three quarters of a million teens will become pregnant this upcoming year in the United States."  Cole continued, "Bold, innovative initiatives that capture teens' attention and keep teen pregnancy in the national dialogue are critical to changing the culture of teen pregnancy in this country."

Christine Clark, Program Director of The Candie's Foundation, commented, "In addition to community and school-based programs, viral marketing and celebrity continue to be a key factor in reaching the teen demographic.  The Candie's Foundation implements new and inventive ways to educate teens about the consequences of teenage pregnancy."

Research shows that exposing teens to the challenges of teen pregnancy through pop culture and media makes them think more about their own risk of becoming pregnant and how to avoid it.  The Candie's Foundation has released multiple PSA campaigns throughout the year including a viral PSA video featuring Bristol Palin and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, of MTV's The Jersey Shore and ABC's Dancing with the Stars, for the prevention of teenage pregnancy.  The PSA can be viewed at www.candiesfoundation.org.

ABOUT THE CANDIE'S FOUNDATION

In June 2001, Candie's launched The Candie's Foundation, a 501c3 non profit organization, with the mission to educate America's youth about the devastating consequences of teenage pregnancy while educating and challenging America's youth to make healthy decisions about sex.  Celebrities that have participated in the campaigns include Beyonce, Ciara, Jenny McCarthy, Ashley Tisdale, Hilary Duff, Ashlee Simpson, Usher, Rachel Bilson, and Fall Out Boy amongst many others.  For additional information on The Candie's Foundation, please visit www.candiesfoundation.org.

SOURCE The Candie's Foundation