L'Oreal Paris Announces 10 Inspiring 2014 Women of Worth and Opens Voting for National Honoree

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NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- L'Oreal Paris today announced its 2014 Women of Worth honorees, 10 amazing women who are pursuing their passions to make a beautiful difference in the world. Borne from personal tragedy and triumph, the honorees are celebrated for their innovative approaches to tackling such significant issues as fighting drug addiction, helping homeless veterans, providing diapers for mothers living in poverty and creating a shelter for young victims of human trafficking. Ranging in age from a 19 year-old college student who created a computer program that teaches the cloud how to diagnose breast cancer, to a 62 year-old quadriplegic woman addressing childhood hunger in her city, this group of women joins the 80 esteemed Women of Worth honorees from the past eight years who are creating change in their communities and beyond.

L'Oreal Paris and nonprofit partner, Points of Light, convened a judging panel that included the editors-in-chief of leading women's lifestyle publications, to review the thousands of nominations submitted on behalf of an impressive collection of change making women. The 10 who rose to the top will each receive $10,000 from L'Oreal Paris for her charitable cause or project, along with ongoing support and awareness.

"Each year, we are moved and inspired by the thousands of powerful stories we receive through the Women of Worth nomination process. These women are wielding their passion to make an incredible impact on their communities, and beyond," said L'Oreal Paris President, Karen T. Fondu. "The 2014 Women of Worth honorees are heroic, fearless and true changemakers who deserve to be celebrated, and their stories elevated, to inspire more women to make a difference in the lives of others."

Now the public is invited to choose this year's National Honoree, who will receive an additional $25,000 for her cause. Learn about these powerful programs and show support for the woman's story that resonates most, by voting once per day through November 21, 2014. By visiting WomenofWorth.com, everyone can explore more about each of the honorees before they cast their vote. There is also an opportunity to engage through social media, voting with a "Like" on a post about a favorite honoree on the L'Oreal Paris Facebook page (www.facebook.com/lorealparis), or by re-tweeting a mention about one of the Women of Worth made by L'Oreal Paris on Twitter (www.twitter.com/lorealparisusa). This year's National Honoree will be announced during a celebration of all of the 2014 Women of Worth on December 2 in New York.

2014 WOMEN OF WORTH HONOREES 

The Women of Worth 2014 honorees support a wide range of important causes and projects, created through adversity and meaningful life experiences.

• Corinne Cannon – Washington, D.C.; Founder and Executive Director, DC Diaper Bank, a nonprofit organization which has distributed over 1 million diapers to mothers in poverty to help reduce maternal stress, founded after Cannon's own experience as a new mother showed her that even with a strong network of support, stress can affect parents in many ways.
• Stephanie Decker – Sellersburg, Ind.; Founder, The Stephanie Decker Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps children with prosthetics engage in sports and provides access to leading-edge prosthetics to those who need them, created after Decker lost both of her legs protecting her young children from the destructive forces of a tornado.
• Shaaron Funderburk – Gastonia, N.C.; Founder, Off the Streets Program (OTSP) and OTSP Transitional House, a nonprofit organization providing a home and support for women recovering from drug addiction and homelessness, created following Funderburk's own recovery.
• Mary K. Hoodhood – Grand Rapids, Mich.; Founder, Director, Kids' Food Basket, the largest childhood anti-hunger organization in Michigan which helps underserved children. Despite being quadriplegic, Hoodhood was determined not to let her disability hold her back from helping others and has thus dedicated her time to giving back.
• Rachel Jackson-Bramwell – St. Clair County, Ill.; Founder and Executive Director, Project Compassion and Compassionate Resources Center, a nonprofit that provides support for the St. Clair County and Greater St. Louis-areas homeless and low-income women and children, often overlooked by government services.
• Deborah Snyder – Alexandria, Va.; President and CEO, Operation Renewed Hope Foundation, a nonprofit that helps to eliminate homelessness among veterans, created after Snyder's retirement from the U.S. Army as a Lt. Colonel and helicopter pilot.
• Phyllis Sudman – Plymouth Meeting, Pa.; Co-founder, Simon's Fund, which raises awareness of the warning signs and conditions that lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death in children, founded after Sudman tragically lost her 3-month-old son, Simon.
• Brittany Wenger – Bradenton, Fla.; Duke University student and aspiring pediatric oncologist who invented Cloud4Cancer, a computer program that uses artificial intelligence and test results to diagnose breast cancer with 99 percent accuracy, driven by a young family member's battle with the disease.
• Audra DiPadova Wilford – Santa Ana, Calif.; Founder, MaxLove Project, a nonprofit organization that empowers families fighting childhood cancers and life-threatening conditions with whole-body wellness resources, education and research, founded after Wilford's son Max was diagnosed with brain cancer at age four.
• Jenny Williamson – Granite Bay, Calif.; Founder and CEO, Courage Worldwide, an international nonprofit volunteer organization building homes for children rescued out of sex trafficking.

WOMEN OF WORTH PROGRAM
Now in its ninth year, Women of Worth is inspired by L'Oreal Paris' iconic brand philosophy, "Because You're Worth It." Since its inception, the program has recognized 90 incredible women for embodying the spirit of the L'Oreal Paris brand, through commitment to their communities, selflessness and drive to make a difference in the world.

To learn more about Women of Worth, read honorees' stories and vote for the 2014 Women of Worth National Honoree, visit WomenofWorth.com, and L'Oreal Paris on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lorealparis) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/lorealparisusa). Follow the conversation using the hashtag #WomenofWorth.

ABOUT L'OREAL PARIS
The L'Oreal Paris division of L'Oreal USA, Inc. is a total beauty care company that combines the latest technology with the highest in quality for the ultimate in luxury beauty at mass. The L'Oreal Paris brand encompasses the four major beauty categories – hair color, haircare, skincare and cosmetics – and includes such well-known brands as Preference, Excellence, Feria and Healthy Look hair color; Advanced Haircare, Advanced Hairstyle, Elnett Satin Hairspray, EverPure, EverStrong, EverSleek, EverCreme, EverStyle, EverCurl and L'Oreal Paris Kids hair care; Advanced Suncare, Youth Code, Revitalift, Age Perfect, Ideal Clean, Ideal Moisture, Sublime Bronze and Men's Expert skincare; and the Colour Riche, True Match, Infallible, Visible Lift and MAGIC cosmetics collections, along with a portfolio of mascara including Voluminous, Double Extend and Telescopic among many others. For more information on L'Oreal Paris and its brands, and to receive personalized beauty advice, expert tips and exclusive beauty content 24-7 (wherever you may be), check out www.lorealparisusa.com.

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SOURCE L’Oreal Paris

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