Step Up Women's Network to Honor Jennifer Love Hewitt at 2008 Inspiration Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Step Up Women's Network announced today that this year’s celebrity honoree for its annual gala Inspiration Awards event in Los Angeles on May 9th will be Jennifer Love Hewitt. The event celebrates philanthropic accomplishment, honoring celebrities, VIPs and members alike. Jennifer Love Hewitt was chosen as this year’s honoree for her ongoing support of Step Up Women’s Network, helping to raise critical funds for their programs, as well as for being an outstanding role model for young girls.

"We’re truly looking forward to celebrating another year of accomplishment for Step Up Women’s Network, and honoring some of the outstanding women who exemplify a new generation of female philanthropists,” said executive director Danielle Carrig. “The Inspiration Awards showcases why Step Up is on the cutting edge of the women’s movement. When women come together for a greater cause, lives change, as we see with the girls we serve.”

Each year, Step Up's star-studded Inspiration Awards fundraising events celebrate the year's most inspirational women. This year's Los Angeles event, sponsored by Halé Bob and Crystal Light, will take place May 9^th at the famous Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. A similar New York event will take place on May 29th at the new IAC Building designed by Frank Gehry. Additional sponsors include Macerich, Sony, Kirkland LLP, Nielsen Entertainment, Los Angeles Magazine, and Marie Claire.

The host committee for the Los Angeles event includes Jessica Alba, Melissa George, Ashley Jones, Hilarie Burton, Rachael Leigh Cook and Garcelle Beauvais, Nancy Utley, Diane Reichenberger, Lacey Chabert, Adriana Alberghetti, Robbin Itkin, Louise Ward, Leslie Ann Warren, JoAnna Garcia, and Judy Sitzer among others.

Step Up Women's Network celebrates its 10^th year of service to women and girls this year. Step Up has grown to include 50,000 supporters who have raised millions of dollars and donated more than 100,000 volunteer hours to the organization's programs. Step Up is a national nonprofit membership organization, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

By making philanthropy accessible to every woman at any level, Step Up Women's Network is becoming the first organization that women think of when they want to make a difference. For more information, please visit www.SUWN.org.