Three Heroic Women Honored with 2015 Harlequin More Than Words Awards

News provided by

Jun 17, 2015, 12:00 ET

Harlequin will donate $15,000 to each recipient's charity.

TORONTO and NEW YORK, June 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- After 30 days and over 17,000 votes, three outstanding women were chosen by popular vote to receive a 2015 Harlequin More Than Words award. Jennifer Barrera, Maggie Dunne and Lucy Steiner were selected by Harlequin readers, fan and authors, in recognition of their commitment to service and the positive impact each has made in their communities.

"We are impressed and inspired by the social challenges each of these women has taken on and is successfully addressing," said Loriana Sacilotto, EVP of Global Publishing. "Each of them exemplifies heroism and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate them and support their efforts."

Jennifer Barrera, nominated by bestselling author Marie Force, is director of Lucy's Hearth, a homeless shelter for mothers and children located in Middletown, Rhode Island; Maggie Dunne, put forward by award-winning author Sarah M. Anderson, founded Lakota Children's Enrichment, a nonprofit that empowers youth on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota through opportunities in the arts, education, sports, leadership and mentorship; and Lucy Steiner, nominated by Harlequin Desire author Karen Booth, is a founding member of Be Loud! Sophie Foundation, an organization that supports adolescent and young-adult cancer patients and their families at UNC hospitals.

Each recipient will receive a $15,000 donation to their respective charities and will be featured in a charity spotlight on Harlequin's blog at HarlequinBlog.com.

For more information about the winners and the Harlequin More Than Words Program visit harlequinmorethanwords.com/novellas/.

The Harlequin More Than Words program is a philanthropic initiative that aims to raise awareness about worthy causes that are of concern to women and mobilize others to take action in their communities.

About Harlequin:

Harlequin (www.Harlequin.com) is one of the world's leading publishers of books for women, with titles issued worldwide in 34 languages and sold in 102 international markets. The company publishes more than 110 titles monthly and more than 1,300 authors from around the world. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, itself a subsidiary of News Corp and one of the largest English-language publishers in the world. Harlequin has offices in 15 countries, including offices in Toronto, New York and London. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks.

Media Contact:

Harlequin Enterprises
Caroline Lule
Assistant Manager
Publisher Relations and Corporate PR
Phone: 416-391-7045
Email: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/NY62394LOGO

SOURCE Harlequin