On Tuesday Dec. 3 L’Oréal Paris hosted its eighth annual Women of Worth celebration at The Pierre in New York City—and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house by night’s end.
The event recognized and celebrated the selfless achievements of 10 women across the country who raise the bar and break new ground in making positive changes in their communities via their non-profit organizations and charities. Attended by company executives, business leaders, philanthropists and former honorees, stories of how each woman became involved with her cause, and the effect each have had on their participants, pulled at the heartstrings of the audience.
“We’ve been deeply touched by each of the honoree’s stories and amazed at their steadfast determination, business savvy and personal perseverance to achieve success for the causes that they so tirelessly crusade,” said L’Oréal Paris President, Karen T. Fondu. “These incredible entrepreneurs and philanthropists truly epitomize everything our Women of Worth program represents, and should serve as inspiration for women and men everywhere who strive to make a difference.”
From the 10 winners—who were selected by a committee from more than 3,500 nominees—one national winner was chosen, who in addition to receiving a $10,000 donation to her charity as a Women of Worth Honoree, received an additional $25,000 for her charity.
The 2013 Women of Worth Honorees included:
• Somy Ali – Miami Beach, Fla.; President of No More Tears, a nonprofit organization that works to eradicate violence in all its forms through collaborative projects involving awareness, education, activism and advocacy for victims both domestically and abroad.
• Tricia Baker – Plainsboro, N.J.; Co-Founder and Co-Director of Attitudes in Reverse, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating society about mental health and combating negative perceptions about mental illness by promoting acceptance and fostering awareness about depression and suicide prevention.
• Patty Boles – Vista, Calif.; Executive Director of Straight From The Heart, Inc., a nonprofit resource center that provides critical support, mentoring, must-have items and resources for foster children and their caregivers.
• Lauren Book – Aventura, Fla.; Founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing sexual abuse through public awareness, education and political advocacy, and to helping survivors heal by offering guidance and support. Lauren was selected as 2013’s national winner.
• Maria D’Angelo – Santa Monica, Calif.; Founder, President and CEO of The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to serving and transforming the lives of homeless and at-risk children and families in Los Angeles through academic, social and domestic support.
• Kimberly Iverson – Scottsdale, Ariz.; Founder of Bucket List Foundation, a nonprofit which grants end-of-life or “bucket list” wishes to the terminally ill, including swimming with dolphins, riding in helicopters and meeting professional athletes, as well as arranging simple, heartfelt events like anniversary dinners and reunions with family members.
• Lori Lee – Smithfield, N.C.; Founder of Me Fine Foundation, a nonprofit founded in memory of her son Folden Lee, IV, which provides resources and financial assistance to families with children being treated at Duke and UNC Children’s Hospitals.
• Estella Pyfrom – West Palm Beach, Fla.; CEO of Estella’s Brilliant Bus, a state-of-the-art mobile learning center and network of opportunities, where children and families without home access to technology or internet can learn vital computer skills at no cost.
• Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis – Greenwich, Conn.; Teacher and Founder of Classes 4 Classes, Inc., a nonprofit organization developed in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy with the mission that every student in the U.S. learns compassion, caring, kindness, empathy and consideration.
• Susan Garcia Trieschmann – Evanston, Ill.; Executive Director of Curt’s Café, a nonprofit restaurant that provides training and support for at-risk youth, while offering the community a place to “dine with a purpose,” enjoying great food and giving back at the same time.
In their acceptance speeches, honorees said how grateful they were for the platform the event provided for their respective charities. Many also mentioned their excitement in meeting the celebrity presenters at the event, which included L’Oréal Paris ambassadors Diane Keaton, Andie MacDowell, Lea Michele and Aimee Mullins. Women of Worth 2012 National Honoree and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, Mika Brzezinski, Arianna Huffington, Hoda Kotb, Mary Alice Stephenson and Trisha Yearwood also helped recognize the 2013 Women of Worth honorees.