My name is Stephanie Skinner, and I am proud to be raising funds for educational scholarships and women’s heart research through the powerful collaboration between American Heart Association Go Red for Women and the Miss America Scholarship Foundation.
This partnership means so much to me because it invests in two things I deeply believe in: women’s health and women’s education. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, yet it is largely preventable through education, movement, and early awareness. At the same time, access to education can change the entire trajectory of a woman’s life by empowering her to lead, advocate, and give back to her community. Together, Go Red for Women and Miss America are creating a future that is not only healthier, but smarter and more equitable for women across America.
My commitment to empowering others to take charge of their well-being and their future is also deeply rooted in my work as the Founder of Hands of H.O.P.E., an organization I founded seven years ago to support youth from under-resourced family backgrounds. I know firsthand how transformative mentorship, interpersonal development, and early intervention can be, and that youth health, both emotional and physical, is foundational to lifelong outcomes.
This work directly connects to my fundraising efforts with Go Red for Women. Through my experience reaching more than 85,000 students, many of whom have experienced childhood trauma, I have seen the long-term impact of early adversity. Individuals with four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences face double the risk of heart disease, making prevention, education, and community support essential to reducing long-term health risks and strengthening families for generations to come. Especially within my community here in Philadelphia, I feel a responsibility to act, knowing our city’s heart-disease mortality rate exceeds the state average, with 203.7 deaths per 100,000 residents compared to 174.3 across Pennsylvania. These numbers reinforce why education, movement, and early intervention must be accessible at the community level as much as at the national level.
Through my leadership in Alpha Phi, whose national philanthropy focuses on women’s heart health, I have supported action-driven fundraising and raised awareness of the most significant health threat facing women today. I am using my Miss America platform to connect women's heart health awareness education with meaningful action and work to change the statistic that 1 in 3 women will be affected by heart disease.
You can make a meaningful impact today by joining the movement for women’s heart health. Your support is truly needed and so deeply appreciated. No donation is too small, as every contribution helps protect women’s hearts, expand access to education, and build healthier futures for families and communities across America.
Thank you for joining me in this mission and for helping turn awareness into action and hope into lasting impact!
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Miss America and Miss America's Teen National Scholarships are awarded by a separate non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the Miss America's Scholarship Foundation Inc. This collaboration provides funds for national awards, and in addition, both Miss America's/Miss America's Teen State Scholarships and the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement. The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women is Miss America's Scholarship Foundation's national health thought leader. All above mentioned entities are 501(c)(3) organizations and all donations to this campaign are fully tax-deductible per IRS regulations.
