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Direct Selling Leaders Join Forces to Invest in Women's Lives; Avon, Mary Kay and Southern Living At HOME Urge Congress to Fund the Violence Against Women Act
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Avon Products, Inc., Mary Kay Inc., Southern Living At HOME and their independent sales representatives will join domestic and sexual violence advocates on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007, to urge Congress to provide adequate funding for implementing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Congress voted unanimously to reauthorize VAWA in December 2005, but has since not passed an appropriations package that includes funding for new programs.
"Domestic violence and sexual assault directly affect one in four women and touch the lives of everyone in the community," said Josephine Mills, director of global government affairs for Avon. "Avon, Mary Kay and Southern Living At HOME are all committed to women's empowerment through opportunities for financial independence and by offering quality products for women and their families. Behind our three companies are nearly seven million independent sales representatives worldwide, and most are women. We are each committed to ending the cycle of domestic violence, and it is only natural for our companies to work together to ensure resources are available to support victims and prevent these crimes in the future."
Avon, Mary Kay and Southern Living At HOME will host "Investing in Women's Lives", two events focusing on the need to fund VAWA programs:
Luncheon Briefing Reception*
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Noon - 1:30 p.m. 6:00 - 8:00pm
Rayburn B340 Madison Hall, Madison Bldg.,
Library of Congress
* Members of Congress are expected to attend and offer remarks. For more information on Congressional attendance, please contact Cheryl O'Donnell, NNEDV at 202-543-5566 ext. 23.
"The effectiveness of the Violence Against Women Act is evident in the progress that has been made since the legislation was first enacted in 1994," said Anne Crews, Mary Kay vice president of government relations. "Continuing to invest in these critical programs means better resources for our communities to respond to and end domestic violence and sexual assault. It's now critical that we all support the funding of the reauthorization of VAWA which passed in December 2005."
VAWA is landmark legislation that acknowledges domestic violence and sexual assault as crimes, and provides federal resources to encourage community-coordinated responses to combating the violence. Its reauthorizations in 2000 and 2005 improved the foundation established by VAWA 1994 by providing a more holistic approach to addressing violence against women.
"VAWA 2005 continues to engage new allies, such as businesses, in responding to victims' needs," said Dianne Mooney, founder of Southern Living At HOME. "A more holistic community-based response helps victims lead healthy and safe lives."
In addition to joining efforts to fund VAWA, the three companies and their charitable foundations have utilized their own resources and millions of their independent sales force members to support community-based programs to end domestic and sexual violence.
Avon Products, Inc. and the Avon Foundation launched the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program in 2004, and within two years awarded more than $4 million to nearly 250 U.S. domestic violence organizations for awareness, education, direct services and prevention programs, including 2006 funding for programs to assist children affected by domestic violence. Public education efforts include PSAs in leading magazines, a free educational DVD and the distribution of more than 2 million free informational brochures. Funds are raised through the sale of special products by Avon Sales Representatives and the Need for Speed Relay Against Domestic Violence. In July 2005, Avon spokesperson and Oscar-nominated actress and producer/director Salma Hayek testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of the reauthorization of VAWA 2005. Global expansion began with an award-winning Speak Out program in Mexico.
Since 2000, Mary Kay Inc. and the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation have awarded more than $10 million to domestic violence prevention programs and to women's shelters across the country. In 2006, the Foundation awarded $20,000 grants, totaling $3 million, to 150 shelters in all 50 states. In addition, to help bring national attention to the problem of domestic violence, Mary Kay Inc. and the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation underwrote two powerful PBS documentaries -- http://www.1daixie.com/liuxueshengzuoye/"Breaking the Silence: Journeys of Hope" and "Breaking the Silence: Children's Stories", both produced by Connecticut Public Television. Southern Living At HOME has joined forces with Clairol Professional and the National Cosmetology Association to fund CUT IT OUT, a training program for salon professionals and others, teaching them to recognize signs of domestic violence, respond appropriately, and refer them to resources for help. Over 30,000 salon professionals have been trained by CUT IT OUT to date. Southern Living At HOME has nearly 40,000 Consultants who have been actively involved in distributing more than 350,000 awareness posters and over two million safety cards to salons and schools. They also have been involved in "Adopt-A- Shelter" initiatives nationwide.
About Avon Products, Inc.
Avon is committed to being the company for women and is a leading global beauty company, with over $8 billion in annual revenue. As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in well over 100 countries through more than five million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon's product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel, and features such well- recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Avon Solutions, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, Mark, and Avon Wellness. Learn more about Avon and its products at http://www.avoncompany.com [http://www.avoncompany.com].
About Mary Kay Inc.
The mission of Mary Kay Inc. is enriching women's lives. One of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world, Mary Kay achieved another year of record results in 2006, exceeding $2.2 billion in wholesale 留学生作业写作策划，sales. The Company's independent sales force exceeds 1.7 million Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants in more than 30 markets worldwide. To learn more about the Company and to find an Independent Beauty Consultant near you, log on to http://www.marykay.com [http://www.marykay.com] or call 1-800-MARY KAY (627-9529).
About Southern Living At HOME
Its mission: "To create a feeling of welcome, comfort, and beauty in homes all across America while fostering the Spirit of Generosity in the lives of our Consultants and their families." The Company is the direct selling division of Southern Progress Corporation, a subsidiary of Time Inc. To learn more, please visit http://www.southernlivingathome.com [http://www.southernlivingathome.com].
SOURCE National Network to End Domestic Violence
Sharon Samuel of Avon Products, Inc., +1-212-282-5322; Randall Oxford of Mary Kay Inc., +1-972-687-4321; Dianne Mooney of Southern Living At HOME,