GODIVA Chocolatier Announces Fourth ANNUAL Lady GODIVA Honorees

GODIVA to Honor Three Inspirational Women with $10,000 Grants

News provided by

Mar 09, 2015, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK, March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- GODIVA Chocolatier is thrilled to announce the 2015 Lady GODIVA Honorees; Lynne Silver, Laurelee Blanchard, and Lori Flowers, who will each receive a $10,000 grant for their exemplary philanthropic work and embodiment of the core pillars of the Lady GODIVA Program: selflessness, generosity, leadership, and community involvement. The Lady GODIVA Program was created in 2011 as a way to celebrate inspirational women around the world, all while inspiring others to pay it forward and give back.

Lady GODIVA Program Honorees are chosen by the GODIVA community, where members have the opportunity to nominate and vote for women who are making a difference in the categories of Health, Wellness & Hunger, Children, Family & Poverty, and the Environment at www.LadyGODIVAProgram.com.

"Giving back is at the very core of the GODIVA brand," says Burak Elmas, President, North America, GODIVA Chocolatier. "The Lady GODIVA program is a platform to help support and celebrate women who are focused on bettering the world around them, with the hope that these grants will help further the successes of these honorees, allowing them to impact more lives with their extraordinary generosity."

Lynne Silver of San Francisco, CA, is this year's Children, Families & Poverty Honoree for her awe-inspiring work as Founder and Executive Director of Adopt International (AI). Motivated by her work with pregnant teens, Silver founded AI in 1983 to provide educational services for families and children whose needs were previously unmet by existing traditional agencies. AI has worked with more than 6,500 families, assisting birth parents in the placement of their children, both in identified and confidential adoptions. Silver was recognized with the Congressional Angel in Adoption Award In 2011 for her outstanding work in the field.

This year's honoree in the Environment category is Laurelee Blanchard of Maui, HI. Blanchard left a lucrative career in commercial real estate in order to devote her life to animal rescue and humane education when she founded the Leilani Farm Sanctuary. Formed in 2008, the farm is now home to more than 200 animals, saved from neglect, abuse, and slaughter. In addition to her work as organizer and manager of the farm, Blanchard has also worked as a consultant to the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) in its campaign to end the long-distance transport of live animals from the mainland.

Lori Flowers of Los Angeles, CA, is this year's honoree in the Health, Wellness & Hunger category. Flowers, along with her mother, launched Triple Step Toward the Cure, an organization the works tirelessly with physicians and through health networks to provide the most up to date information on triple negative breast cancer. Since launching their community service program, Triple Step Toward the Cure has assisted more than 75 patients, provided $168,000 in financial assistance, and expanded from the organization's California roots to assisting patients in Alaska, Washington, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and New York.

These women will be honored at GODIVA stores in their respective cities. For more information about the program, please visit www.LadyGODIVAProgram.com.

About the Lady GODIVA Program
The Lady GODIVA Program, which launched in November 2011, celebrates inspirational women around the world who embody the attributes of Lady Godiva through selflessness, generosity, leadership and giving back to their community. In 2012, GODIVA named Lauren Bush Lauren, Chief FEEDer and Co-Founder of FEED Projects LLC, the first Lady GODIVA Honoree for her work to create good products that help FEED the world. Since then, GODIVA has expanded from honoring one woman per year to three, each who receive a $10,000 grant to further their work. GODIVA is currently accepting nominations for next year's honorees. Visit http://www.ladygodivaprogram.com to learn more about the program and nominate a worthy candidate who personifies the Lady GODIVA spirit.

About GODIVA Chocolatier
With a Belgian heritage dating back to 1926, GODIVA Chocolatier is the global leader in premium chocolate. Inspired by the values of Lady Godiva – her passion, generosity, and pioneering spirit -- GODIVA's legendary name has become a universal symbol of luxury, quality and the most delicious chocolate. The company has a presence in more than 80 countries with over 500 boutiques, in addition to a presence in Global Travel Retail, department and specialty stores, and online. GODIVA offers a range of chocolate creations and is dedicated to innovation and excellence in the Belgian tradition. From its famous truffles and shell-molded chocolate pieces to its European-style biscuits, individually wrapped chocolates, gourmet coffees, hot cocoa and other indulgences, GODIVA is committed to bringing the ultimate chocolate experience to the world.

PRESS CONTACT:
Eloise Andrews | M Booth
[email protected]

SOURCE GODIVA Chocolatier