Boston GLOW to “Ignite the Nite” at the World-Class EpiCenter at Artists for Humanity, January 12, 2012

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On January 12, 2012 local grassroots non-profit, Boston GLOW, will host a cocktail event to raise scholarship funds for young female students in Boston’s most underfunded schools in its most at-risk communities. The evening affair, now in its second year, has been made possible through the hard work of the young women volunteers who staff Boston GLOW, as well as new alliances with top advertising agency Hill Holliday and the Boston-based Artists for Humanity organization, which will host the event at its EpiCenter headquarters in Fort Point. Local and national businesses are taking notice and joining in the cause: IGNITE the NITE will feature small plates and cocktails from popular area restaurants and distributors, a speaking program emceed by spokesperson T. Whitlow, event design by Exquisite Design Concepts and a silent auction of coveted items from luxury hotels, spas, artists, and more in support of the organization’s cause. Boston band City of Squares will perform live.

“All proceeds were used to generate scholarships and support for high school girls in the Boston community with dreams of furthering their education and becoming empowered world citizens. This year, our goal has been set at an ambitious $25,000 – we are up for the challenge.”

“Our inaugural IGNITE the NITE event generated more than $10,000 in 2011,” said Leah Moschella, founder of Boston GLOW. “All proceeds were used to generate scholarships and support for high school girls in the Boston community with dreams of furthering their education and becoming empowered world citizens. This year, our goal has been set at an ambitious $25,000 – we are up for the challenge.”

Founded in 2010, Boston GLOW was Moschella’s brainchild, birthed during a teaching post in Namibia focused on young women and developed during her Masters education at Northeastern. Moschella, a resident of East Boston, went on to lead a youth leadership council in Dorchester where she saw tremendous opportunity for the application of her Masters’ thesis project, a two-year leadership curriculum for at-risk female youth. Together with former high school classmate AC Gaughen, a young adult author and Hingham resident, she hatched the plan for Boston GLOW’s first major initiative, an essay contest called IGNITE Change. Realizing the harsh inconsistencies between women and men in most every community, the two decided attention must be paid – specifically to the girls who will soon grow to be the women of our future. “Only 23% of elected officials in Massachusetts are women,” cited AC Gaughen. “This is the lowest point since 1998. More women than men are getting high school diplomas and college and graduate degrees but only 2.4% of the US Fortune 500 chief executives are female. Women consist of half of the world’s population and perform 2/3 of the world’s work hours, yet make 1/10 of the world’s income. We must change these statistics.”

And speaking of change, in their second year facilitating the IGNITE Change Essay Contest, Boston GLOW asked contestants, “What would you change about the role of women in your community, city, or school?” With a focus on young girls who are interested in writing, the contest will ultimately result in a set of ten finalists, chosen by local published female authors, who will benefit from the funds raised through IGNITE the NITE. In addition to scholarships, the 2012 proceeds will be used for giving the girls NetBook personal laptops and ongoing educational planning support and counseling.

“These last few weeks leading up to IGNITE the NITE only fuel our contagious energy,” said Emily Copeman, Director of Fundraising for Boston GLOW. “Last year we were just emerging as a grassroots nonprofit and just twelve months later find ourselves in the spotlight with support coming out of the woodwork. Our over thirty volunteers have worked tirelessly – for free – to make this event – and organization – a success. The support of Hill Holliday and specifically, agency President Karen Kaplan, is greatly appreciated. We also couldn’t be more pleased to be joining forces with Artists for Humanity. We look forward to working with the AFH youth by providing essay and college application support. Through strong local partnerships and the work of the Boston GLOW team, we are determined to make the 2012 event a night to be remembered.”

“Everyone can make a difference,” concluded Leah Moschella. “The acts of individual people add up to a greater power – so every little bit really does count. Through donations of time, effort, funding, and goods, we and our sponsors are dedicated to meeting our fundraising goal and furthering opportunities for girls and women in our communities.”

For more information and to purchase tickets to the event, please visit http://www.bostonglow.org/ignite_the_nite_2012_event.

About Boston GLOW

Boston GLOW is a local nonprofit that strives to empower women. Founded in 2010 by East Boston resident Leah Moschella, Boston GLOW fosters opportunities for women of all ages to become empowered community leaders and active world citizens. Through two specific program areas--Girls’ Leadership (GL) and Organized Women (OW)--GLOW strives to provide pragmatic programming, leadership training, and service-learning opportunities.

About Hill Holliday

Hill Holliday’s purpose is to create a singular, resonant idea upon which a company can build business success that endures for years, even decades. The ultimate reward for such a mission? Relationships that endure. Hill Holliday’s top five clients have been partners of the agency for an average of 16 years, five times longer than the industry standard. Their resonant ideas have achieved the highest international accolades for creativity and effectiveness: Hill Holliday has the distinction of being one of the very few agencies in the world to be awarded the Grand Prix at Cannes, the Grand Clio, and the Grand Effie. Behind this grand thinking are 850 employees in Boston, New York, and Greenville who bring talent and expertise to every area of communications – strategy and planning, advertising, digital and social, media planning and buying, and branded content -- on behalf of industry leaders like Verizon Wireless, Bank of America, Liberty Mutual, Dunkin’ Donuts, John Hancock, Chili’s, Novartis, and Major League Baseball.

About Karen Kaplan, President, Hill Holliday

Karen Kaplan is President of Hill Holliday, the 17^th largest advertising agency in the US. Ms. Kaplan joined the firm in 1982 as receptionist. Today, she is a driving force behind Hill Holliday’s growth to more than $1 billion in annual billings. Her firm’s impressive list of premier clients includes Bank of America, Chili’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, John Hancock, Liberty Mutual, Major League Baseball, Merrill Lynch, Novartis, TJX and Verizon Wireless.

In recognition of her career achievements, Ms. Kaplan was selected by Advertising Age for its highly coveted “Women to Watch” special report honoring the nation’s top women in advertising, marketing and media. She was named by Boston Magazine and the Boston Business Journal as one of the 50 most powerful people in Boston, and has been honored with the prestigious Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and inducted into the YWCA Boston’s Academy of Women Achievers.

Ms. Kaplan was elected President of the Massachusetts Women’s Forum and as a Director of the Executive Committee of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the Board of Governors of the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston and the Board of the Massachusetts Conference for Women and is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, an action-oriented community of the most effective CEOs, heads of state, Nobel Prize winners, and non-governmental leaders in the world.

Ms. Kaplan is a Trustee of Fidelity Investments and a Director of DSM (dba Delta Dental, Doral and DentaQuest). Ms. Kaplan previously served as a Director of ADVO from 2003 to 2007 and as a Director of Tweeter Home Entertainment Group from 2006 to 2007, until the companies were acquired.

About Artists for Humanity

Founded in 1991, Artists for Humanity (AFH) empowers and employs Boston teens in an intensive program of arts, creativity, and enterprise. AFH partners youth with professional artist mentors to design, create, and sell fine art, industrial design, and digital graphic services. Within fully staffed studios, equipped in seven artistic media, youth and mentors collaborate on creative projects--many specifically commissioned by clients. Through this process, young artists develop entrepreneurial skills and introduce audiences to their voice, vision, and virtuosity. AFH apprentices have produced fine art and creative products for Boston’s largest firms and organizations. The Artists for Humanity EpiCenter, opened in 2004 in the Fort Point Arts District of Boston, meets the highest levels of sustainability set by the U.S. Green Building Council. This LEED Platinum building, named one of the Top Ten Green Buildings in the country, and one of
Five Most Beautiful Buildings in Boston, informs youth about issues of environmental stewardship and serves as an inspiration and backdrop for their creativity. The Artists for Humanity EpiCenter provides a fitting venue for perhaps the largest permanent collection of youth-created fine art and design in the nation. The AFH model is now being disseminated internationally as organizations use their framework of responsibility, respect, and positive relationships to empower young people in their communities.