Centenary College Alumna to Run Fundraiser at Her Alma Mater for Recent AOL Cause of the Day, 'Enchanted Makeovers'

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., July 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellen Baars-Banks, a Centenary College alumna and trustee, is proud to be part of a thriving nonprofit that was named AOL Cause of the Day on July 13, 2012. "Enchanted Makeovers" will have its first fundraiser, the "She Is Me Event," at 6:30 p.m., August 11, 2012 at Centenary College.

Enchanted Makeovers is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization whose mission is to transform homeless shelters into places that inspire behavioral and psychological change and support for those rebuilding their lives. A report by the National Center on Family Homelessness found that 1 in 45 children in the United States are homeless. That means 1.6 million children are facing a life without a stable environment. Since 2006, Enchanted Makeovers' programs have touched shelters in 8 states that collectively serve more than 5,000 women and children each year.

The effectiveness of the makeovers, projects and programs was recently featured on the U.S. Department's Health and Human Services website, as well as being named the AOL Cause of the Day. Enchanted Makeovers has been highlighted in national media outlets and also received awards from People Magazine, Major League Baseball's "All Stars Among Us," with special video recognition from celebrity Sheryl Crow, and Martha Stewart's "Dreamers into Doers" organization presented Enchanted Makeovers with a People's Choice Award.

Since January 2011, Baars-Banks has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Enchanted Makeovers. Prior to her involvement with Enchanted Makeovers, Baars-Banks spent 30 years in the healthcare industry. She also founded her own company, Transformation Tees, offering a line of self-motivational T-shirts and accessories.

Baars-Banks graduated in 1993 from Centenary College with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. She is a founding member and former chairperson of the Centenary College President's Circle and a member of the College's Capital Campaign Steering Committee. In 2000, she was the recipient of the Van Winkle Achievement Award and is a member of the Centenary's Cornelius Walsh Society, honoring individuals for their philanthropic leadership.

"I joined the Enchanted Makeovers mission because I learned long ago at Centenary College it is important to serve our communities," says Baars-Banks. "The work I do at Enchanted Makeovers is so rewarding because I see every day how it gives everyone involved a voice and how it breaks down walls and unites communities."

Community service is an integral part of Centenary College and the institution's longstanding commitment to developing future citizens through co-curricular initiatives. This year, Centenary College was selected to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the number of community service hours students volunteer throughout the school year.

For more information about purchasing a ticket, please visit http://www.sheismeevent.com.

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary College's academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation.

Contact: Annamaria C. Lalevee
(908) 852-1400, ext. 2238
[email protected]

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SOURCE Centenary College