Dogeared Announces Partnership with Step Up Women’s Network
Nonprofit membership organization to receive funds & volunteers to support girls’ education initiatives
Los Angeles, CA – May 14, 2013
Dogeared is delighted to announce its 2013 partnership with Step Up Women’s Network (SUWN), a nonprofit membership organization that ignites women and girls to fulfill their potential. Dogeared, a certified B-Corporation known for its Corporate Social Responsibility programs, will provide funding, volunteers, and mentoring to programs that focus on empowering teen girls from under-served communities to be confident, college-bound, and career-ready.
"Dogeared is so proud to partner with Step Up Women’s Network and provide these incredible young women with resources and support that can propel them toward a brighter future,” said Merlin Clarke, Dogeared co-founder. “Helping to pave the way for them has a ripple effect that strengthens our communities….and honestly, their determination and strength is as much of an inspiration for us as anything."
The partnership kicked off in April with a Dogeared-sponsored Bay Area College Tour for 40 high school girls in the Step Up Women’s Network program to visit a number of college campuses in northern California including Stanford, UC Berkley, St. Mary’s, Mills College and the University of San Francisco. Each of the girls was provided an inspiring necklace and message from Dogeared to take with them. For many of these girls, this was their first time ever visiting a college campus and many will be the first ever in their family to consider attending college.
“All of us at Step Up were truly inspired by Dogeared’s commitment to its community and its genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of Step Up girls,” Step Up CEO Jenni Luke said. “We look forward to working alongside our partner to create lasting change for our community, one girl at a time.”
Step Up Women’s Network is found in urban communities throughout Los Angeles, Chicago and New York and focuses on creating and implementing impactful after-school and weekend programs that empower teen girls from under-resourced communities to be confident, college-bound, and career-ready. Partner schools focus on the IQ essentials like reading, writing and arithmetic, while Step Up focuses on the emotional and social skills needed to be successful and break the cycle of poverty. Many Step Up girls are faced with difficult family situations and more than 30% of their peers will not finish high school. For three years straight, 100% of Step Up seniors have graduated from high school and have been accepted to college.
Dogeared will continue its support for the organization and teen girls at the 10thannual Inspiration Awards at the Beverly Hilton on May 31, 2013, where honorees Julie Bowen, Trina Turk and Nina Jacobson will be recognized for their contributions to the Step Up mission of service to women and girls.
For more information about Step Up Women’s Network and its mission to ignite women and girls to fulfill their potential, please visit www.suwn.org.
Dogeared Jewels & Gifts
Designer Marcia Maizel-Clarke founded Dogeared over 22 years ago in Southern California. Originating with word jewelry, she began creating beautiful pieces with the purpose of putting positive, peaceful, and loving energy into the world. This energy has always included being kind to the planet, handcrafting everything in California and working with non-profit organizations who share a vision for a better world. Dogeared's unique, custom-cast jewels are regularly featured in fashion, lifestyle, and celebrity publications, in films and on television shows. Trendsetting retailers around the world, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Fred Segal, and ABC Home, all carry Dogeared. Dogeared is a certified B-Corporation. Please visit www.dogeared.com for Dogeared's online retail store. For wholesale information, visit www.dogearedwholesale.com.
Press Contact:
Beth Hinckley
310 528 6919
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