More Than Me Foundation Winner For The $1 Million Prize From The Chase American Giving Awards

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More Than Me Foundation, the not-for-profit organization started by Katie Meyler in 2009 that tirelessly works to get young girls off the streets and into schools in Liberia, Africa, has won the coveted $1 MM grant from Chase American Giving Awards, which was announced on NBC Saturday, December 8, 2012.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121212/DC28920)

More Than Me was selected as the overall winner of 25 charity organizations in an online voting contest hosted by Chase Bank. Split into five categories, the organizations competed to win their respective category; and from those five winners, one would be declared the winner of the $1MM grand prize. More Than Me was included in the Educators and Mentors category, which also included: She's The First, Fugees Family, WorldReader, and Sprout Up, each a fantastic organization dedicated to changing the future of the world through education and literacy.

Katie Meyler, a young woman who faced a tough childhood filled with mental and physical abuse, drugs and alcohol, founded More Than Me in 2009. Yet tough as things may have been, Katie always had a warm meal and education at her disposal from the many social programs available in the United States. Because of this, she was determined to help young girls who would never have any type of advancement in promoting their well being and has dedicated her life to providing education, opportunity, and safety to the most vulnerable girls. The organization is currently working with the government of Liberia to transform an old bombed out, looted building donated by the Liberian government into an all-girls academy, with after school programs focused on teaching the girls entrepreneurship.

Katie Meyler was left absolutely stunned when the final winner was announced by host Joel McHale at the end of the show: "I don't even have words to describe how happy I am and how important this prize is to More Than Me," Meyler said. "This amazing prize will give us the ability and opportunity to expand on the work we have achieved thus far, and enable us to take important steps in securing a safe environment for our girls and their future."

Among those supporting More Than Me and its campaign to win the generous grant were fellow organizations Shine On Sierra Leone and FACE Africa, as well as Anthony Bourdain, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Pat Benatar, the HSN community and all of the organization's social media allies.

Katie has been called "The most passionate person we've ever met" by Bono's ONE Foundation, a "Social Media Role-Model" at a UN-sponsored Mashable event and named "Outstanding Woman of the Year" by the NJ Commission on the Status of Women.  

To get more information on the organization and Katie Meyler, please visit http://morethanme.org. To learn more about being involved in More Than Me, contact  Stasi Baranoff at [email protected].

CONTACT: Stasi Baranoff
415-596-7770
EMAIL: [email protected]

SOURCE More Than Me Foundation