Look To The Stars News: Avon Foundation

Avon Foundation Honors Charity Leaders

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

The Hope Honors – the star-studded eighth annual Avon Foundation Awards Celebration – honored leaders in the causes of breast cancer and domestic violence in New York City earlier this week.

Hosting this year’s event were Andrea Jung, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Avon Products, Inc. and Carol Kurzig, Executive Director, Avon Foundation. Award presenters and special guests included award-winning actor Patrick Dempsey celebrity makeup artist and Avon Global Creative Color Director Jillian Dempsey; actress and designer Lauren Conrad; personal finance expert Suze Orman; designer Cynthia Rowley; and renowned breast cancer surgeon and best-selling author Dr. Susan Love.

The celebratory event culminated with a special musical performance by 19 Recordings/Jive Recording Artist Jordin Sparks.

“Each year we come together to recognize and celebrate those who share our commitment to ending breast cancer and domestic violence, and to bring new voices and resources to advance these important causes,” stated Andrea Jung. “This is always a special night for the Avon Foundation, and it is an evening when my pride as the leader of Avon knows no bounds.”

Since its inception in 2001, the Avon Foundation Awards Celebration has raised $15.6 million, including $1.6 million this year.

The Avon Foundation, a public charity, is a global leader and change agent in the causes of breast cancer and domestic violence, and Avon is the largest corporate supporter of the breast cancer cause. These issues continue to be of grave concern: there is a new diagnosis of breast cancer in the U.S. every three minutes, and one in three women worldwide is a victim of violence, while some 10 million children witness domestic violence in the U.S. each year. Since 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has supported access to care and finding a cure in more than 50 countries. Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence was launched in 2004 and has now rolled out in a dozen countries. In addition, the Avon Foundation supports emergency and disaster relief. Total funds raised and awarded worldwide for all these causes exceed $660 million.

Army Of Women Fight Breast Cancer

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0000

A groundbreaking initiative that will partner women with breast cancer researchers to find the key to what causes breast cancer and take science beyond a cure to prevention has been launched.

The Love/Avon Army of Women – whose celebrity ambassadors include Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Daisy Fuentes, Erin Daniels, Leisha Hailey, Danica Patrick, Suze Orman, and Olympic figure skating champions Emily and Sarah Hughes – has been set up by the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and the Avon Foundation to serve as an online resource providing researchers much-needed and unprecedented access to healthy women—a critical component to prevention research. At the same time, the program offers women the opportunity to play a significant, direct role in helping eradicate breast cancer.

Virtually all women not currently undergoing breast cancer treatment, including healthy women, breast cancer survivors, and women who are high risk for developing breast cancer, can enroll in the Love/Avon Army of Women online at www.armyofwomen.org, providing basic information and indicating their willingness to consider participation in future research studies.

Scientists apply to the Army of Women for the opportunity to recruit volunteers for their research. Their studies undergo a thorough scientific, safety, and ethical review. An email about approved research is sent to the Army of Women “members” with information about the study, and those who are interested in participating and meet the criteria are instructed on how to contact the researcher or a designated Army of Women research center. Through this careful but speedy process, the Army of Women provides researchers access to these volunteers. That process may involve completing a questionnaire, providing blood or saliva samples, or other relatively simple levels of participation on the part of the volunteer. All information is kept strictly confidential, and the women participate on a purely voluntary basis.

“Women have repeatedly demonstrated through fundraising and advocacy their personal dedication to ending this disease,” says Dr. Susan Love, who has been a leader in the breast cancer movement for more than 30 years. “This new initiative gives women the opportunity to take the next steps and be part of the research itself.” Dr. Love, a renowned breast cancer surgeon and respected expert in the field, is also the author of the best-selling Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book and president of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation.

“Avon is itself an ‘army of women,’ and we are committed to being the company and the foundation for women,” explained Andrea Jung, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Avon Products, Inc. who joined Dr. Love for the launch. “The Army of Women is a perfect marriage of our global leadership in the breast cancer cause and our grassroots access to women across the country.”

More information can be found at www.armyofwomen.org.

Witherspoon Speaks Out In Brazil

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Actress Reese Witherspoon visited the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo last week to show her dedication to ending violence against women.

The Legally Blonde star is the ambassador for Speak Out Against Domestic Violence, a joint campaign launched in 2004 by UNIFEM and Avon.

In March of this year she launched the campaign’s Women’s Empowerment Bracelet, an emblem in the fight against domestic violence, created to raise awareness about the need to speak out. Proceeds from the sale of the bracelets go to the Avon Empowerment Fund, which provides funding for UNIFEM and its UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.

Witherspoon’s appearance in the South American country on Thursday was in celebration of the bracelet’s success since its launch: 1.5 million have been sold so far. The Avon Foundation matched the first $500,000 in sales to make a total of $1 million given to helping people speak out and stop the abuse.

Speaking to reporters in Sao Paulo, the actress said, ”There isn’t a woman in the world that doesn’t have a friend or a partner who’s actually experiencing some sort of violence against them, so I think although domestic violence hasn’t happened to me personally, I certainly know women who are dealing with this struggle every day. Domestic violence affects women who are famous, who are not famous, women who have money, women who have no money. This is an issue that crosses all boundaries and it certainly affects everyone.”

To purchase a bracelet and show your support, visit the Avon Foundation online.

Reese Witherspoon Joins Women’s Health Crusade

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 08:37:18 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actress Reese Witherspoon is Avon’s first ever Global Ambassador, serving as the Honorary Chairman of the Avon Foundation and focusing on raising awareness about breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief initiatives.

“We are thrilled to welcome Reese as our Global Ambassador and believe she will give a strong voice to the company’s commitment to empowering women,” says CEO Andrea Jung. “Reese is a perfect fit. She clearly embodies the drive, the commitment and entrepreneurial spirit that is at the heart of Avon.”

The Avon Foundation is a public charity founded in 1955 whose mission is simply “to improve the lives of women and their families.” Fundraising programs for breast cancer include the US Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series, the global Walk Around the World for Breast Cancer series and Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which support access to treatment for the medically underserved in 50 countries through screening and diagnosis, support services, education and scientific research.

Avon’s Need for Speed Relay Against Domestic Violence, and Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence programs focus on awareness, education and prevention programs. Among their initiatives was an award-winning Mexican public service announcement entitled “Golpe” (“Punch”). It showed a beautiful woman with a black eye and headline “At Avon, we don’t want you to cover it up.”

The Avon Foundation also supports emergency and disaster relief through other special events. Last year, Avon’s annual awards celebration alone raised $2 million, and total funds raised by Avon’s philanthropy had reached $500 million.

“I am very excited to be partnering with Avon. It is a company that is known the world over as a crusader for women’s causes,” said Ms. Witherspoon. “I am truly impressed by how Avon has been able to effect real change in communities. I am proud to be joining in the great philanthropic work that is already underway.”

Look To The Stars News: Avon Foundation

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