Sharsheret Partners With Bestselling Author And “Ordinary People Change The World”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elana Silber, Director of Operations
Telephone: 866.474.2774
E-Mail: [email protected]
Teaneck, New Jersey (April 16, 2012) – Sharsheret, a national not-for-profit organization supporting young women and their families, of all Jewish backgrounds, facing breast cancer, is partnering on a new clothing line with “Ordinary People Change The World”, a national website founded by bestselling author Brad Meltzer inspiring individuals to make positive change in the world.
When Mr. Meltzer looked for clothes for his children, all he could find were outfits adorned with princesses and sports teams. Determined to teach them about real heroes, he began designing inspirational clothing they could wear. Bringing together the estates of Amelia Earhart, Lucille Ball, and Muhammad Ali, plus Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and others, he teamed up with cartoonist Chris Eliopoulos and launched one of the most inspiring clothing lines in history. A percentage of sales proceeds will benefit Sharsheret when buyers order from the online site, http://www.printfection.com/ordinary-people-change-the-world, and vote for Sharsheret.
“When my own mother was fighting her battle with breast cancer, Sharsheret was the first place we turned,” said Mr. Meltzer. “The women there are sure proof of the power of ordinary people. They helped my entire family through an incredibly difficult time. With this partnership, we get to share their message with the rest of the world.”
Brad Meltzer’s newest book, Heroes for My Daughter, was released last week and tells the stories of 55 men and women who dedicated themselves to making the world a better place, including Sharsheret’s Founder and Executive Director Rochelle Shoretz. “I am honored to be included in such inspiring company, and excited to partner with Brad and the team at ‘Ordinary People Change the World’,” said Ms. Shoretz. “When Brad and I were students at Columbia Law School together, I knew I’d found a lifelong friend. My deep respect for him as a writer and a change agent makes our partnership in supporting women with breast cancer even more meaningful.”
About Sharsheret
Since its founding in 2001, Sharsheret has responded to more than 25,000 breast cancer inquiries, involved more than 1,500 peer supporters, and presented over 250 educational programs nationwide. Sharsheret supports young Jewish women and families facing breast cancer at every stage – before, during, and after diagnosis. We help women and families connect to our community in the way that feels most comfortable, taking into consideration their stage of life, diagnosis, or treatment, as well as their connection to Judaism. We also provide educational resources, offer specialized support to those facing ovarian cancer or at high risk of developing cancer, and create programs for women and families to improve their quality of life. All Sharsheret’s programs are open to all women and men. Sharsheret offers 11 national programs, including the Peer Support Network, connecting women newly diagnosed or at high risk of developing breast cancer one-on-one with others who share similar diagnoses and experiences; Embrace, supporting women living with advanced breast cancer; Genetics for Life, addressing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and the Ovarian Cancer Program, providing tailored resources and support for young Jewish women and families facing ovarian cancer. For more information about Sharsheret’s programs, visit, www.sharsheret.org or call (866) 474-2774.
About “Ordinary People Change The World”
OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com was founded in 2008 by New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer. Here’s why: Let me be as clear as I can here: I believe ordinary people change the world. It doesn’t matter how good-looking you are, or how much money you have, or where you went to school. That’s all nonsense. What I believe is that we are all ordinary and boring — and that we are also all filled with greatness. All of us. We all know the things we love to do. Yet we spend so much of our lives putting those loves on hold and spending so many hours worrying about what others will think of us.
I’m done with it (or mostly done with it, except on the days where I’m feeling super pathetic, which is right about…now). But to prove the rest, we’ve created this site: OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com.
Is it idealistic? Yes. Is it naïve? Absolutely. But there’s no reason to apologize for who you are. I am idealistic, and I’m okay with being naïve and silly and kind of (mostly) soft. I learned that one from Mr. Rogers. When Mr. Rogers was a boy, he had allergies that were so bad, his parents made him spend the whole summer in the house. The only thing he had to entertain himself was his piano and a bunch of sock puppets. Freddy made the best of it.
So is this the part where I’ve had a little success and now I get to go a little nuts? For sure. My wife jokes that the site is my new religion. And maybe it is. But I really do believe in it. I believe ordinary people change the world. I believe in Mr. Rogers and Jim Henson. I believe there is greatness in each of us. And I don’t believe change needs to come through government or big business or any of the ways we’ve come to rely on. Change comes through us. Through regular people. I’m just a guy who went to Cleveland, Ohio and saw that the house where Superman was created was falling apart and a total wreck. So now we’re saving it. We don’t need grants, or political favors, or government, or skeevy politicians. All of those entities let it languish. We’ll save it. Or we’ll at least try. And how could I not believe in that?