ascena Foundation Honors Winners of the 2018 Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards

MAHWAH, N.J., Oct. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ascena Foundation is proud to honor the 2018 winners of the Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards at a luncheon which took place yesterday at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York City, emceed by acclaimed journalist and philanthropist Soledad O'Brien. The annual program, now in its fifth year, added a new award category, the Young Changemaker Award. The Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards program aims to bolster and provide financial support to grassroots organizations who are making a meaningful difference in the lives of women and children in communities across the United States, specifically in the areas of health, education, social reform and esteem.

This year's winners include:

• Nicole Lewis of Generation Hope ($100,000 Grand Prize Grant Recipient)
  Generation Hope works to break cycles of teenage pregnancy, poverty, and empowering teen parents to achieve educational and financial success, and ultimate long-term independence. Founded by Nicole Lewis, a teen mother herself, the nonprofit organization provides mentoring, resources and services to help D.C. area teen parents become college graduates and help their children enter kindergarten at higher levels of school readiness.
• Janice Zaballero and Julia Smith of Breast Treatment Task Force ($25,000 Grant Recipient)
  Led by Janice Zaballero and Julia Smith, Breast Treatment Task force is a grassroots organization committed to providing cancer screening and diagnostic referral network for uninsured women in New York City.
• Catherine Lindroth of The Summer Learning Collaborative ($25,000 Grant Recipient)
  Led by Catherine Lindroth and based in Delaware, The Summer Learning Collaborative works to revitalize community institutions to provide equitable, quality, summer learning experiences for low-income youth that fuels long-term student success.

To support the next generation of changemakers, ascena Foundation launched a new award category this year, the Young Changemaker Award. At the Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards luncheon, 18-year-old HERlead Fellow Faith Florez of California and Founder of the Latina Legacy Foundation, accepted the first-ever Young Changemaker Award. The HERlead Fellowship is a leadership program founded in 2011 for high school girls who wants to make a difference. The inaugural Young Changemaker Award, a $10,000 grant, is an acknowledgement of the accomplishments of HERlead Fellows and serves as the next step in their journey to effect global process.

ascena Foundation, a charitable organization established by ascena retail group inc., is built on making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. The Foundation created the awards program to honor the lifelong contributions of Roslyn S. Jaffe, Co-Founder, Secretary & Director Emeritus for Life of ascena retail group, inc. who is dedicated to giving back to the community.

At the Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards luncheon, ascena retail group Chairman and CEO David Jaffe also declared the launch of the company's inaugural Responsibility Report and a goal to raise and donate $250 million by 2025 in support of women and girls around the globe.

"The Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards are at the heart of our mission, to provide all women and girls with inspiration for living confidently every day." said David Jaffe, Chairman and CEO of ascena retail group. "When dressbarn was first founded in 1962, my mother instilled her passion for supporting local communities in everything the company did. Now, 56 years later, we have grown this undertaking and continue to activate our brands and associates to positively impact the lives of women and girls in our communities and around the country."   

Titled Her, At the Heart of Us, ascena retail group's Responsibility Report can be found at https://www.ascenaretail.com/our-company/responsibility/.

For images from the Jaffe Awards luncheon, visit: https://bfa.com/events/25631. For additional information about the Roslyn S. Jaffe Awards and this year's winners, please visit www.jaffeawards.com.

About Roslyn S. Jaffe
Roslyn S. Jaffe co-founded the first dressbarn store in 1962; currently she is Co-Founder, Secretary & Director Emeritus for Life of ascena retail group, inc. She is a graduate of Simmons College, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree in management from Simmons College in 2011.

In 1962, Roslyn S. Jaffe was a working mother who, with her husband Elliot, saw a need and had a brilliant business idea - a one-stop-shop that offered the convenience of a value-based, yet fashion forward "work" wardrobe solution for busy women. Roslyn and Elliot seized the opportunity and opened a small store named dressbarn in Stamford, CT and helped transform it into what is now ascena retail group, inc., a multibillion dollar family of brands including Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lou & Grey, maurices, dressbarn, Lane Bryant, Catherines and Justice. A true trailblazer and entrepreneur, Mrs. Jaffe credits her success to strength, determination and a can-do attitude. But, most of all, she credits the company's success to a strong team of family, friends and associates.

Understanding the needs of her co-workers, many of whom were also "working moms," Roslyn Jaffe encouraged a close-knit community where associates could rely on each other. In addition, Mrs. Jaffe supported like-minded organizations in the community and was an early advocate for Dress for Success®, an organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. This "take care of your own" camaraderie is what inspired the company to develop a culture of giving back.

About ascena Foundation
ascena Foundation, established by ascena retail group, inc., is a commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. The ascena Foundation supports ascena's collective of purpose-driven brands that focus their charitable giving on supporting women and children, and the causes most important to them.

About ascena retail group, inc. 
ascena retail group, inc. (Nasdaq: ASNA) is a leading national specialty retailer offering apparel, shoes, and accessories for women under the Premium Fashion segment (Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey), Value Fashion segment (maurices and dressbarn), Plus Fashion segment (Lane Bryant, Catherines and Cacique), and for tween girls under the Kids Fashion segment (Justice). ascena retail group, inc. operates ecommerce websites and approximately 4,600 stores throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

For more information about ascena retail group, inc. visit: ascenaretail.com, AnnTaylor.com, factory.anntaylor.com, LOFT.com, outlet.loft.com, maurices.com, dressbarn.com, lanebryant.com, Catherines.com and shopjustice.com.

Jaffe Awards Media Contact:
Kucerak + Co
Lauren Kucerak – [email protected]
Kelly Cormier – [email protected] 
212.510.8590

SOURCE ascena Foundation