ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United
Way Worldwide recently partnered with Kimberly-Clark's U by Kotex®
Brand to host an Alternative Spring Break program in Washington, D.C. for 25 young women leaders
from college campuses across the country. Last week, the group
volunteered at sites throughout the city and met with White House
staffers, as well as members of Congress to advocate for programs
supporting women and girls, including human trafficking, income
supports and Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM)
education.
"It's inspiring to see a group of motivated college students
from around the country come together for a week to use their time,
skills and caring power to leave a lasting impact on the
Washington, D.C. community," said
Ryan Powers, Vice President of
Communications, United Way Worldwide. "With Alternative Spring
Break programs and others like it, we hope to create a movement
among college students to drive social impact and advance the good
in the U.S. and around the world."
During the visits to White House and Capitol Hill, the students
discussed a handful of bipartisan pieces of legislation currently
being considered in the U.S. Senate on the topics of education,
financial stability and health.
"This was a great opportunity to make the most of our spring
break by learning about important issues such as human trafficking,
giving back to the community and promoting promising initiatives,"
said Colleen Fonseca, a senior from
St. John's University. "I met so many
inspiring women on this trip that empowered me to own my voice. I'm
looking forward to continuing the momentum back in my home state of
Rhode Island."
In addition to advocating for women and girls, students
completed service projects at a number of sites around the city,
including the Teen Tech Center, DC Rape Crisis Center, Bright
Beginnings and the Embry Rucker Community Shelter. Participants
were also encouraged to apply the lessons they learned by writing
op-eds in local papers and launching Student United Ways on their
university campuses.
"We are proud to partner with United Way on this meaningful
initiative," said Kanchan Patkar,
Brand Director – U by Kotex® Brand at Kimberly-Clark. "These young
women participating in Alternative Spring Break represent the best
of what we stand for, working to help ensure a better life for
everyone."
In light of the program's action-oriented focus, the creators of
"The Honest Beauty Project," a social media campaign encouraging
people to engage around the issue of what "beauty" means to them,
also joined the group for part of the program.
About United Way Alternative Spring Break Powered by U by
Kotex®
United Way in partnership with Kimberly-Clark's U by
Kotex® Brand hosted an Alternative Spring Break for 25 young women
leaders from college campuses around the country. The week-long
event in Washington, D.C. focused
on empowering women and girls in service and leadership. The
participants took part in service projects throughout the week, met
with the White House Council on Women and Girls, and met with
Members of Congress and staffers to advocate for policy changes
related to human trafficking and empowering women and girls in
education and financial stability. Follow these 25 young women on
Twitter #PoweredByU. Search #UnitedWayASB to follow the
actions from United Way Alternative Spring Breaks around the
nation.
About United Way Worldwide
United Way is a worldwide
organization of nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 41
countries and territories. It advances the common good by focusing
on education, income and health – the building blocks for a good
quality life. United Way mobilizes millions to action – to give,
advocate and volunteer – to improve conditions in their local
community. For more information about United Way, please visit
UnitedWay.org.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an
indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries.
Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's
brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health,
hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott,
Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or
No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. To keep up with
the latest K-C news and to learn more about the Company's 143-year
history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on
Facebook or Twitter.
Contact: Eileen Lin,
Eileen.Lin@uww.unitedway.org or 703.836.7112 x 279
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SOURCE United Way Worldwide