Tyra Banks’ TZONE Foundation Celebrates National Philanthropy Day Announcing Its First-Ever Grants to Support Women's Organizations

LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 14, 2006 - Talk show host extraordinaire and creator/executive producer of “America’s Next Top Model” Tyra Banks announced today that TZONE Foundation will begin providing grants to women’s organizations. This is part of Banks’ ongoing philanthropic effort to promote women’s causes. The initial grants of $10,000 each will be awarded to Young Chicago Authors and Women and Youth Supporting Each Other.

TZONE refocuses from running summer camps for girls to supporting organizations that serve women and girls ages 13-35. TZONE will fund non-profits that foster supportive female relationships through innovative programs that promote personal accountability, self-esteem, goal setting, healthy lifestyles and an appreciation and respect for diversity.

“With the reorganization of TZONE, our goal is to help as many girls and women as possible. By making grants to grassroots organizations, we will make a greater impact” says Tyra Banks. “I intend to use the content of my talk show and “America’s Next Top Model” to inspire women of all ages to achieve success and fulfillment in their lives.”

For the initial grants of $10,000 each, TZONE has selected Young Chicago Authors and Women & Youth Supporting Each Other (WYSE). Young Chicago Authors provides creative writing workshops, public performance and publication opportunities for youth from a wide range of Chicago neighborhoods. The grant will support their GirlSpeak program which builds the communication skills, leadership abilities and confidence of girls ages 13-19. WYSE is a national mentoring program that pairs female college students at 13 universities with at-risk middle school girls from under-served communities. The program helps girls make wise decisions about relationships, sexuality, health and their futures and encourages the girls to apply this experience to affect change in their neighborhoods.

The overall mission of the TZONE Foundation is to build a sisterhood movement among women by raising funds and making grants to community-based nonprofits that serve low-income and disadvantaged women in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City. TZONE is committed to supporting visionary organizations that enable women and girls to achieve their full potential.

“TZONE is at a very important juncture right now. We have evolved from a summer camp for girls in southern California to a national grant-making foundation that will not only raise awareness of the needs of women and girls, but also fund worthy programs. We hope the corporate sector will partner with Tyra to fund TZONE’s work and join us in creating a new movement for a new generation of women,” says Mary Genis, Program Officer for TZONE.

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Donations to TZONE may be made by sending a check to the TZONE Foundation at:
2029 Century Park East Suite 500
Los Angeles, CA. 90067
or online at www.tzonefoundation.org.

Contact:
Elana Weiss / Jordan Kaye
The Rose Group
310.280.3710
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it / This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it


TZONE Foundation
8391 Beverly Blvd. Suite 313
Los Angeles, CA 90048
For more information about the TZONE grant-making program: (323) 860-6500
Website: www.tzonefoundation.org


11.13.06