First Sisterhood Support Grant is Awarded to Erin Schrode for Her Ongoing Work in Haiti

NEW YORK, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Euro RSCG Worldwide PR has awarded its first $1,000 Sisterhood Support Grant to Erin Schrode, a 19-year-old student at New York University. The grant was established in honor of the agency's nomination for PRWeek's PR Innovation of the Year for its teen initiative and social media lab called The Sisterhood. Last summer, Schrode launched a nonprofit, the Schoolbag, to help young people in need in Haiti pursue an education by providing them with one year's worth of basic school supplies.

"I'm proud to support Erin, a mentor for The Sisterhood, as she takes her passion and puts it into action at such a young age," said Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, North America. "Erin truly goes above and beyond what it means to be a sister, connecting with and helping people in the global community."

This coming summer, Schrode and a team of volunteers and students will distribute 11,210 schoolbags to Haitian students. She and her partners chose that number because 1/12/10 is the day the massive earthquake struck Haiti and because, as the Schoolbag's website (theschoolbag.org) says, it's "a significant number, a possible quantity and a mass that will make a difference."

"I am so honored to be the first recipient of the Sisterhood Support Grant for the work I'm doing in Haiti," said Schrode. "This grant will allow even more school supplies to be delivered to Haitian schoolchildren, and I know from the first time that I went to Haiti and delivered schoolbags that they will be eternally grateful."

Schrode participated in the first One Young World summit (oneyoungworld.com), the premier global forum for young people of leadership caliber worldwide, founded by top executives at Euro RSCG Worldwide. OYW's aim is to connect and activate the youngest, brightest and best from around the globe and to ensure that their concerns, opinions and solutions are heard. With guidance from counselors such as Kofi Annan and Bob Geldof, delegates address major global challenges through resolutions on topics such as ethical behavior in business, interfaith dialogue and the environment.

Through the Schoolbag, Schrode—who has been called a "sustainability prodigy" by San Francisco magazine and is a spokesperson for leading organic brand Nature's Path—will also initiate environmental stewardship projects. Every Schoolbag will contain a booklet to teach young people about the importance of their environment and how to protect it. Printed on sustainable fibers, the book will approach topics such as conservation, efficiency, ecosystems, recycling, composting and agriculture.

To read more about The Sisterhood, please go to forsistersbysisters.com. For information about Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, including a download of the white paper based on research that launched The Sisterhood, go to eurorscgpr.com.

PRWeek award winners will be announced on March 10.

About Euro RSCG Worldwide PR

Euro RSCG Worldwide PR is the public relations arm of Euro RSCG Worldwide, a leading integrated marketing communications agency with 233 offices in 75 countries. Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, North America, is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Chicago and Pittsburgh. It is part of Adweek's first-ever Healthcare Agency of the Year (2010) and Medical Marketing & Media's 2010 All-Star Network of the Year. The agency provides communications services, social brand momentum and thought leadership, among other services, in core areas ranging from CSR and health care to content creation and social media. Clients include Bayer Corp., Purina, sanofi-aventis, Toyota Motorsports, Transitions Optical and Yele Haiti. Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas, a world leader in communications (Euronext: HAV.PA) (Paris: HAV.PA).

SOURCE Euro RSCG Worldwide PR