1,000 Dreams Fund Celebrated International Day of the Girl With Nationwide Year 2 Launch of MentorHER Initiative

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF), a national non-profit that supports the dreams of talented young women in need, celebrated International Day of the Girl on Sunday, October 11th with the second-year launch of their MentorHER Initiative ("MentorHER"), a national initiative to help raise awareness about the importance of female mentorship. In partnership with for-profit and non-profit organizations across the country, MentorHER pairs individual women in college and graduate school, or recent graduates, with well-matched professionals and executives for a one-hour, 1:1 mentorship session. 

The positive effects of mentoring programs are well documented, and for young people, the impact is far-reaching. According to The National Mentoring Partnership, those with mentors are 130% more likely to hold leadership positions. Also according to 1DF's "State of the American Girl"™ research, 70 percent of young American women don't have a mentor. It was with these figures in mind that 1DF created MentorHER, aiming to accelerate growth in women's success in school and beyond.

"These 1:1 sessions can have significant influence and long-lasting career impacts on talented young women with dreams and ambition. We've seen through MentorHER that even one hour of mentoring can have a big impact," said Christie Garton, founder and CEO of 1,000 Dreams Fund. "I encourage any young woman with career convictions to apply, and for any organization that cares about creating opportunities for talented women to participate. The experience is richly rewarding for all involved." 

Through a unique matching process that aligns career goals and backgrounds, participating students are connected with experienced professionals who can share lessons from their own careers and insights into their industries. Honoring the executives' busy schedules, each mentor commits to meet once, in video conference, for a single, high-impact, 60-minute session. 

This year, 1DF has set a bold goal for the MentorHER Initiative: over 1,000 hours of mentorship service in one year to honor 1DF's founding mission.

So far, the following organizations have signed on for the unique employee engagement opportunity while utilizing the program as a potential pipeline to talent:

• Colgate-Palmolive (Title Sponsor), a global consumer products leader reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet.
• Allied Esports, an award-winning, global esports entertainment company, and the owner and operator of the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas.
• Bonsai, a career advice platform that connects, via 1:1 video meetings, students and young professionals with experts across top companies.
• Gentherm, a global developer and marketer of innovative thermal management technologies for a broad range of heating and cooling and temperature control applications.
• HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things.
• Kendra Scott, a lifestyle brand headquartered in Austin, TX, providing gemstone-inspired collections that include Fashion Jewelry, Fine Jewelry, Home Goods and Beauty.
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., America's premier legal organization fighting for racial justice.

MentorHER's Title Sponsor Colgate-Palmolive, in continued partnership with 1DF, expanded its commitment to the program with its support of 1DF's MentorHER Virtual Get Hired Workshop for college women and recent graduates on September 30th, which featured Colgate employees as guest speakers and panelists.

"1,000 Dreams Fund is helping us provide an incredibly valuable link between young women and those farther along in their careers who can help prepare and advise the next generation of leaders. I think I can speak for the many Colgate People who have participated in the MentorHER Initiative, that this is a great endeavor for both mentors and students, and we are proud to help advance the mission of 1,000 Dreams Fund and to support the young women it serves," said Paula Davis, Chief Communications Officer, Colgate-Palmolive.

To reach its goal of 1,000 hours of mentoring service, 1DF will be adding more partners to the MentorHER Initiative throughout the year as well as encouraging individual professionals to sign up. Already, professionals at all levels of 1DF's partner organizations are volunteering to serve as a mentor - all the way up to the C-Suite.

How to Participate:

Mentees: College and graduate-level students as well as recent graduates nationwide may apply. International students studying in the U.S. – even those who are based in their home countries due to COVID-19 – are invited to participate. To be connected with a professional in your desired industry, apply here.

Mentors: Corporations, small businesses and nonprofit organizations are invited to partner with 1DF in this extraordinary, high-impact, employee volunteer opportunity. Individual professionals with an interest in helping the next generation of female leaders are also encouraged to participate as well. Help change a life by signing up here or contact 1DF's team for more information: [email protected].

To learn more about 1DF's MentorHER Initiative, visit: https://1000dreamsfund.org/programs/mentorher-initiative/.

Media contact:

Laura Roberts, Laura Roberts Marketing
203-273-2218
[email protected]

About 1,000 Dreams Fund

The 1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the dreams of talented women in high school, college, graduate school and beyond. 1DF believes that big expenses should never stand in the way of big dreams. Since its launch in November 2015, over $200,000 in funding has been granted to talented young women in need, helping them pay for the "extras" in school like study abroad, tech devices for the classroom and travel to conferences and seminars. 1DF has been featured in NBCNews.com, USA Today, MarketWatch, Forbes, Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Entrepreneur, TODAY and others. To learn more about 1DF, visit http://1000dreamsfund.org/

About Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition and reaching more than 200 countries and territories, Colgate teams are developing and selling health and hygiene products and pet nutrition offerings essential to society through brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, meridol, Tom's of Maine, hello, Sorriso, Speed Stick, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sanex, Filorga, eltaMD, PCA Skin, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. Colgate seeks to deliver strong, consistent business results and superior shareholder returns and to provide Colgate people with an innovative and inclusive work environment. Colgate does this by developing and selling products globally that make people's lives healthier and more enjoyable and by embracing its sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion and social responsibility strategies across the organization. For more information about Colgate's global business, its efforts to improve the oral health of children through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program and how the Company is building a future to smile about, visit www.colgatepalmolive.com. 

SOURCE 1,000 Dreams Fund

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