L’Oréal Paris is celebrating 21 years of its Women of Worth initiative by recognizing 10 women making meaningful contributions to communities across the United States. The 2026 honorees will receive a combined $250,000 in grants to support their nonprofit organizations and expand their community impact.
According to PR Newswire, L’Oréal Paris announced its 2026 Women of Worth honorees on October 14th. The initiative recognizes 10 female nonprofit founders whose organizations address challenges affecting vulnerable communities. Each recipient will receive a $25,000 grant, mentorship opportunities and national recognition.
The honorees include Amanda Rice of The Chick Mission, Christy Vogel of Sounding Joy and Christie Brungardt of Jana’s Campaign. Other recipients include Chanel Power, Vy Le, Maya Bird-Murphy, Jordan Pine, Arielle Galinsky, Emily Cho and Marisa Hamamoto. Their organizations address issues ranging from education and healthcare to equality, accessibility and community development.
The Women of Worth initiative has recognized female nonprofit leaders for more than two decades. The program provides funding and visibility to help recipients expand their organizations’ reach. The 2026 class continues the brand’s efforts to support grassroots leadership and community-based solutions.
In partnership with Points of Light, the program’s official nonprofit partner, L’Oréal Paris has selected the following 2026 Women of Worth Honorees:
- Amanda Rice – Austin, Texas; Founder & CEO, The Chick Mission: Removing financial barriers to fertility preservation for young women diagnosed with cancer.
- Arielle Galinsky – Canton, Massachusetts; Co-Founder & CEO, The Legacy Project, Inc.: Connecting younger and older adults through multigenerational friendship and storytelling.
- Chanel Power – New York, New York; Founder & CEO, Mentor Me Collective: Creating pathways for first-generation technologists to build careers in tech.
- Christie Brungardt – Hays, Kansas; Founder & Board Member, Jana’s Campaign: Delivering education-based gender and relationship violence prevention programs.
- Christy Vogel – St. Petersburg, Florida; Founder & Executive Director, Sounding Joy: Providing hearing aids and life-changing access to sound for children in need.
- Emily Cho – Bergen County, New Jersey; Founder & Executive Director, Juvie for STEM: Expanding access to high-quality STEM education for justice-involved youth.
- Jordan Pine – Camp Hill, Pennsylvania; Founder & CEO, Greenlight Operation: Combating human trafficking and delivering restorative care for survivors.
- Marisa Hamamoto – Los Angeles, California; Founder & CEO, Infinite Flow Dance: A disability-led nonprofit and professional dance company reimagining possibilities.
- Maya Bird-Murphy – Chicago, Illinois; Founder & Executive Director, Mobile Makers Chicago: Expanding design education and architectural equity for underserved youth.
- Vy Le – Olympia, Washington; Founder & CEO, WhereWear: Transforming clothing donations into targeted support for women’s shelters and unhoused individuals.
