ATLANTA, April 21, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MedAssets (Nasdaq:MDAS) today announced that Simone Joye, Executive Director of Young People Matter, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization based out of Atlanta, Ga., was named the 2014 Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award recipient during its annual Healthcare Business Summit. The only 24-hour emergency hotline and shelter in metro Atlanta for youth under age 18, Young People Matter (YPM) was founded by Joye with a mission to end teen homelessness and equip young people with the tools necessary for them to go successfully into adulthood.
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The mother of two is a former CEO of Newark, New Jersey's Boys & Girls Club, a newspaper journalist and not-for-profit consultant who also mentored girls with low self-esteem at an Atlanta middle school. There Joye met a group of sexually exploited girls who confided in her. The encounter led her to form YPM and support the city's at-risk youth.
"There is no explanation for a child sleeping on the sidewalk in America," said Joye. "These children need a place to turn, and they need hope and healing. It is our goal at Young People Matter to not only make sure no child is forced to sleep on the streets in Atlanta, but to also work to alleviate the problems of runaway, homeless and street youth."
In Georgia, child homelessness has reached 45,000. Some youth are forced out of their homes, abandoned, or run away from neglect, abuse or disapproval. Since opening its doors in 2007, YPM has helped 4,000 youth and families. A challenge is finding them, as many homeless children go unnoticed. YPM seeks them out. In 2011, the organization opened the first federally-funded emergency youth shelter in DeKalb County, GA. YPM also offers support programs, permanent residency assistance and overnight shelters. Many children helped by YPM have transitioned to appropriate foster care, returned to supportive family members, have joined the military or gone on to college.
"At MedAssets, we believe that corporate America shares in the civic responsibility to give back and lend a hand to those less fortunate in time of need," said Halsey Wise, chairman and chief executive officer, MedAssets. "It is why each year at our Healthcare Business Summit we celebrate and recognize remarkable individuals who have changed lives for the better. Simone Joye's Young People Matter represents the spirit of the Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award, and we commend her extraordinary behavior in helping Atlanta's homeless children see a better life beyond the streets."
Each year, MedAssets gives a monetary donation to the Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award recipient. According to Joye, this year's donation will directly impact more than 1,000 homeless and at-risk youth in Atlanta.
About Young People Matter
Young People Matter, founded in 2007, is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to ensuring that no child is forced to sleep on the streets in Atlanta. The organization works to alleviate the problems of runaway, homeless and street youth; reunites children, whenever feasible, with their parents and families; encourages the resolution of inter-family problems through counseling and other services; works toward strengthening family relationships and encouraging stable living conditions for children; and helps youth decide upon a future course of action. Help Young People Matter ensure that no child sleeps on the streets of Atlanta. For more information visit www.ypmatlanta.org.
About the Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award
The Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award honors the memory of an innovative, inspirational spirit and a lifetime humanitarian. This humanitarian award, presented annually by MedAssets, recognizes an equally ambitious desire and determination of an individual(s) to address unmet needs in the world by helping communities and those less fortunate. The award is named for Dr. Borlaug who dedicated his life's work to finding ways to end famine and feed the world's hungry. He is one of six people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.
About MedAssets
MedAssets (Nasdaq:MDAS) is a healthcare performance improvement company focused on helping providers realize financial and operational gains so that they can sustainably serve the needs of their community. Approximately 4,500 hospitals and 123,000 non-acute healthcare providers currently use the company's evidence-based solutions, best practice processes and analytics to help reduce the total cost of care, enhance operational efficiency, align clinical delivery, and improve revenue performance across the care continuum. For more information, please visit www.medassets.com.
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