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Winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund - November 27, 2007
Susan Cline Honored with $5,000 Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund Award
November 27, 2007

Chatworth, California Resident Wins Cash Award To Fund Healthcare Career Services Program For Young Women


(New York, NY, November 27, 2007) Chatsworth, California resident Susan Cline, 41, is committed to improving the lives of women and their families in her community. Susan was named this week’s winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, a weekly $5,000 cash award program from Avon Products, Inc. to support individuals in their work to empower women. Susan will apply the funds towards Camp CHLA (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles) – a program that mentors and introduces disadvantaged female high school students to career options in the fields of healthcare services.

The U.S. is faced with a critical shortage of nurses and trained healthcare workers. Through its mission and program objectives, Camp CHLA is working to remedy this situation while providing valuable career options to young women. Camp CHLA reaches high school girls at the crucial time when they are making decisions about future professions and introduces them to healthcare career opportunities. The program provides young women with insight into specific studies and disciplines within the various healthcare related fields, as well as mentoring and guidance about the process and path to a career as a qualified healthcare professional.

Susan’s personal experience inspired her to create Camp CHLA. Susan was raised by a single mother who aspired to become a trained nurse, but her mother lacked both the family support and understanding of the process needed to achieve her goal. Determined to accomplish what her mother had been unable to, Susan achieved a nursing degree, which contributed to her “independence, job security, financial stability and strong sense of accomplishment.” Her personal achievement inspired Susan to reach out to young women through Camp CHLA, and help guide them towards careers in healthcare by providing opportunities and guidance.

In the two years since its inception, Camp CHLA has held one-week programs each summer for approximately 60 young women ages 15-19, including many from economically-disadvantaged families and unwed mothers with limited exposure to career opportunities. Funding for the program has become increasingly difficult to secure and, if faced with tuition costs, many deserving but financially disadvantaged young women will be excluded from the benefits of Camp CHLA. The impact of such exclusion will be felt by many since the young women will not enter the increasingly understaffed healthcare services industry, and the women will lose the potential career opportunities that could provide them, and their families, a more stable future.

The Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund award will enable Susan to provide up to 25 young women with scholarships to attend Camp CHLA and enjoy a life changing opportunity. The students will be selected from PHBAO (Predominately Hispanic, Black, Asian and Other) designated schools and local programs for teenage mothers. The award money will cover the girls’ program and attendance expenses, including meals, materials such as scrubs and a stethoscope, as well as a culmination ceremony that will be the first step on the path towards a successful future, stable income and security, and independence for themselves and their families.

Susan’s winning application to the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund fell under the category of “Community Service,” one of three areas the Fund supports. Her proposal met the criteria to clearly present unique and achievable objectives to empower women or girls and ultimately improve society. It was selected from a pool of strong contenders by an expert panel of judges, including Suze Orman, America’s most recognized expert on personal finance. “Great intention and direction to foster a much needed career path in our country,” exclaimed Orman of Susan’s program.

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