NEWS RELEASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 19, 2004

Cinderella Project Works Magic for Lower Mainland Grads

Local non-profit organization provides formalwear to more than 150 students in need

Vancouver, B.C. – While most high school seniors are concerned with getting good grades and making the football team, hundreds of teenagers across the Lower Mainland face some very adult challenges. They’re busy putting food on the family table, raising younger siblings or fighting life-threatening illnesses. For these young people, the luxury of celebrating their graduation is a financial impossibility and a distant dream.

Thanks to the efforts of a dedicated group of “Fairy Godparents” from Greater Vancouver’s Cinderella Project, however, more than 150 Lower Mainland students will be able to attend their graduation festivities with pride. This past Sunday, April 18, 154 students gathered at the Vancouver Renaissance Harbourside Hotel to select suits, gowns and accessories, receive tips for grad hairstyles and makeup, and generally be recognized for their achievements.

Now in its fifth year, the Cinderella Project is the brainchild of Vancouver human rights lawyers Heather MacKenzie and Cheryl Otto. Mackenzie says the Cinderella Project is about much more than gowns and tuxedos – it’s about encouragement, confidence building and positive mentorship.

Nearly half of all “Cinderellas” and “Cinderfellas” are chronically ill or disabled. More than two-thirds of those who can work juggle multiple part-time jobs to help support their families. Some are single parents. Many care for ailing parents or raise younger siblings with little support. The Cinderella Project acknowledges and rewards these young people for staying in school and graduating despite overwhelming odds.

Since the Cinderella Project does not receive ongoing government funding, the group relies solely on donations from individuals and organizations to meet its $50,000 budget each year. The program is 100% volunteer-based – there are no paid positions

After a break over the summer, the Cinderella Project team will be back at it in September, gearing up for the 2005 graduation season.

About the Cinderella Project

Founded in 1999, the Cinderella Project (www.thecinderellaproject.com) is a federally registered charity based in Vancouver, B.C. that provides graduation attire to underprivileged students who otherwise could not afford to attend their high school graduation ceremonies. The organization recognizes outstanding young people who have succeeded in the face of overwhelming odds and boosts their self-esteem through respect and positive mentorship.

The Cinderella Project is entirely volunteer-based – there are no paid positions. The project relies solely on the support of individual and corporate donors and sponsors.

The first project of its kind in Canada, Vancouver’s Cinderella Project has inspired a number of similar organizations across Canada and around the world. The project has been nominated as a finalist in the Canadian Red Cross Power of Humanity Awards program and is a semi-finalist in the 2004 FLARE Volunteer Awards.

--30--

For more information about the Cinderella Project, contact: