Kathy Ireland to receive Grit & Grace Nation's Living Legend Award during March 1 gala and fundraiser

Non-profit also expanding to chapters nationwide and launching leadership academy for teen girls 

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Non-profit Grit & Grace Nation, a youth leadership program for middle school, high school, and young adult girls, announces that entrepreneur and human rights advocate Kathy Ireland will be receiving Grit & Grace Nation's Living Legend Award during the second annual Grit & Grace Celebrity Gala and Fundraiser on March 1 in Carmel, Indiana.

Grit & Grace Nation founder Fanchon Stinger and Ireland share common goals of addressing the growing rates of depression and anxiety in America's youth. Stinger founded Grit & Grace Nation in 2021 to encourage personal and professional growth for young women in every zip code with a focus on supporting their mental health through a new online leadership academy, in-person chapters, and scholarship opportunities.

Ireland, who is featured in Forbes magazine's most recent 50 Over 50 Know Your Value special issue, will be honored with the Living Legend Award for her exemplary leadership as one of America's most successful self-made women who lives out the values of Grit & Grace Nation with courage, integrity, grace, and faith. Ireland's initial effort into documentary filmmaking is with "Anxious Nation," which explores the anxiety and mental health epidemic affecting our youth and their families. Executive produced and presented by Ireland, the film received multiple honors at film festivals around the country, and debuted to a 4 star review by Movieguide.

"We know emotional and mental health issues among our nation's youth are at an all-time high, and we still haven't fully seen the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our young ladies," said Fanchon Stinger, founder of Grit & Grace Nation and the co-host of "Morning on Merit Street," a national news and lifestyle show launching this month which will share the Grit & Grace message with a broader audience. "Our goal is to equip all young ladies with the tools and interpersonal skills they need to approach life's challenges with courage, grit and grace."

Grit & Grace Nation also announces the launch of the virtual Grit & Grace Leadership Academy this school year, which is uniquely and intentionally designed to help young women, middle school through college, develop confidence and passion to serve others, grow as leaders, and expand interpersonal skills - all through a virtual platform to increase accessibility and maximize impact. The Leadership Academy aims to equip girls across the country to face life's challenges with integrity by providing guidance, mentorship, career preparation, and public speaking training, as well as etiquette guidance in their formative years. Once a month, female mentors from a variety of industries also meet virtually with Leadership Academy participants to share their life experiences and inspire them.

In addition, there are a growing number of chapters offering in-person opportunities for young women. Chapter gatherings are held on a monthly basis in locations which have already been established in Indiana and Oklahoma, where students can participate in fun activities, establish a supportive network of friends and learn from positive role models and the mentors who lead their chapters. Grit & Grace Nation plans to expand to even more locations in 2024, including California, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina with a goal of eventually expanding into all 50 states.

"It has been such a blessing to see these young ladies become more confident and develop goals they are passionate about as they spend time with their new friends and mentors," said Stinger. "Not only are the girls building a unique sisterhood, but their mothers and other adults in their families are also benefiting from Grit & Grace Nation, creating life-long bonds and sharing strategies for navigating how they raise their daughters in today's world."

Grit & Grace Nation continues to offer financial support to students through its scholarship program, where $10,000 scholarships are awarded to two young women every year in partnership with the PBR (Professional Bull Riders). The scholarship can be used to build leadership skills, career prep, or advance a skill or interest. The scholarship contest gives young ladies the opportunity to be honored for their leadership on a local and national platform. Interested participants can submit a video before February 10, 2024.

Grit & Grace Nation has several events planned for 2024, including the second annual Grit & Grace Celebrity Gala and Fundraiser on March 1 at the Lucas Oil Estate in Carmel, Indiana. Tickets and sponsorship information for the gala are available here. To learn more about Grit & Grace Nation and to get involved, visit https://thegritandgracenation.org/.

ABOUT GRIT & GRACE NATION
Grit & Grace Nation exists to equip young ladies nationwide giving them a platform to lead with courage, grit and grace. Participants learn from influencers, positive role models, and other women who lead in every area of life, business, culture and family. Grit & Grace gives middle school and high school girls the opportunity to participate in a national leadership program. Each young lady also has the opportunity to win scholarships and be selected for internships. Scholarship semi-finalists are invited to be VIP guests honored at PBR Unleash The Beast bull riding events across the country. Fanchon Stinger was was inspired to create Grit & Grace Nation partly because of what bull riding represents: sometimes life knocks you down, but it's important to get back up and overcome challenges.

ABOUT FANCHON STINGER
Fanchon Stinger is Founder & CEO of her national youth leadership non-profit, Grit & Grace Nation, as well as the new co-host of "Morning on Merit Street," which will be featured on the national Merit Street Media network starting in February 2024 and will be seen on cable, satellite and broadcast. "Morning on Merit Street" will also expand Fanchon's platform to share information, enlightenment, entertainment, and inspiration with a national audience, further amplifying the Grit & Grace Nation message to inspire young women and their families in a deeply impactful way. Fanchon is also a contributor to PBR Now, a weekly TV show on RidePass on Pluto TV.

Fanchon is a 15-time award-winning journalist. She retired from broadcast news in May 2022 after nearly 30 years, most recently serving as evening news anchor for Fox 59 News at 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm and 10 pm in Indianapolis, as well as executive producer, anchor/reporter of the Community Hero series highlighting people who make a difference in central Indiana (2010-2020) and actress in God's Not Dead: A Light In Darkness (2019). In 2020, Stinger became a bull owner in PBR (Professional Bull Riders), partnering with 12-time Stock Contractor of the Year Chad Berger in the ownership of the bucking bulls "Stinger" and "Lil Hott," who compete on the PBRTour.

Stinger currently serves as a board member for the Ascension St. Vincent Foundation, founding member for Called to Care Circle of Impact for Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, and board member/conference host for the Truth at Work International Christian Leadership Conference. She has also been a board member for Life Centers-Indiana, Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault, Peace Learning Center-Indianapolis, Focus2020 Indiana Business Leadership Initiative, and Vista Maria, among other community organizations and causes.

ABOUT KATHY IRELAND
Kathy Ireland enjoys a global platform as a result of proven leadership in human rights advocacy, the support of millions of women, as well as families, who embrace her designs, products and services, unified under the kathy ireland® Worldwide philosophy of empowered living.

Ireland is Chair and CEO of kathy ireland® Worldwide, the world's 19th most successful brand according to License Global! and ... "the most valuable woman-owned licensing company in American history," according to WWD.

Forbes created the term "Super Model turned Super Mogul" to describe Ireland. Her fashion career began on covers including Teen, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and, of course, Sports Illustrated's best-selling swimsuit cover of all time. As of 2022, Ireland has graced the cover of Forbes three times, in celebration of becoming, according to Forbes: One of America's most successful self-made women.

Ireland's advocacy for non-profits includes honors from, in addition to financial support, services, ambassadorships, or Board of Director memberships for: Los Angeles Urban League, Dream Foundation (Founder), Providence Educational Foundation (Founder), 911 for Kids/AEFK, National PTA, March of Dimes, National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (International Youth Chair), American Cancer Society, Arthritis Foundation, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (Board Member), Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, WIZO, Anti-Defamation League, Jewish National Fund, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and Los Angeles Team Mentoring. UCLA names Ireland, "one of the top ten women's health advocates in America today."

WEBSITE & SOCIAL ASSETS
Website: https://thegritandgracenation.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GritandGraceNation.Nonprofit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgrace.nation/

PHOTO ASSETS 
Linked here, please courtesy Grit & Grace Nation

SOURCE Grit & Grace Nation