Duluth, Minn. - National women's fashion retailer maurices is inviting customers and the community to support the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge^® program.

A network of 31 lodges located in 21 states and Puerto Rico, Hope Lodge provides a home away from home by offering free lodging and support to cancer patients receiving treatment far from home, as well as their caregivers.

maurices is proud to offer a fun new way to help raise awareness and funds for the Society's Hope Lodge program.

Now through December 20, customers can personalize and send a free photo postcard with the Ink Cards app to loved ones anywhere in the world. For each one created, maurices will contribute $1 to the Hope Lodge program, up to $50,000. For more information on creating a card today, customers are encouraged to visit mauricesmerry.com.

maurices will also support Hope Lodge through its seventh annual sale of a custom plush, this year named Hope the Hound. Designed exclusively for maurices, Hope the Hound retails for $6, of which a minimum of $3 from each sale will be donated to Hope Lodge. The cuddly plush is available online and at maurices' 840 locations now through January 31, or while supplies last.

Each year, Hope Lodge saves more than 41,000 patients and caregivers a combined $26 million in lodging expenses. The network of lodges has 970 patient rooms, and the average stay is four to six weeks.

Jessica Jeffers benefited from Hope Lodge in 2011 when she relapsed after treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Jeffers spent 62 days at Hope Lodge in Minneapolis, Minn., while receiving a stem cell transplant.

"Between the staff, volunteers and other patients Hope Lodge gave me such a supportive environment. It was the perfect place for me to process the emotions of my cancer relapse," said Jeffers.

Brad Hartmann, chief creative officer at maurices, said the company is honored to help thousands of other people just like Jessica who have been impacted by cancer. "We're excited to continue adding new and innovative programs while keeping holiday traditions, such as our custom plush, to support free lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers. We are hoping to raise $250,000 to for this great cause."

In November, maurices was awarded the Excellence in Philanthropy Award from the American Cancer Society, which honors corporations that have provided $1 million or more to the Society in the previous calendar year through a combination of corporate contributions, in-kind support, cause marketing, sponsorships and event fundraising.

"We are very grateful maurices has stepped up to support the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge program," said Roshini George, national vice president of health promotions for the American Cancer Society. "Its financial commitment and continued involvement will help contribute to our goal of saving lives from cancer and creating a world with more birthdays."

Follow this link to view and download a high-resolution photo of Hope the Hound and to tweet or share this news.

About maurices
maurices, a brand of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ - ASNA), is the leading hometown specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, maurices operates over 833 stores in 46 states and Canada. maurices stands for fashion, quality, value and customer service. Offering sizes 1-24, our styles are inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size. For store information and to shop online, visit maurices.com. 

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Events Celebrate 2.4 Million Returning Veterans Since 9/11, Boost Efforts to Support Servicemembers Transitioning to Civilian Life

CHICAGO - December 14, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today joined with Erica Borggren, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, and Illinois servicemembers to celebrate Chicago Welcome Home the Heroes Weekend, which will mark the one-year anniversary of the end of combat operations in Iraq. The two-day event will honor the 2.4 million Veterans who have served in the military since September 11th, 2001 and raise awareness of programs designed to help them successfully transition to civilian life. Governor Quinn has fought to improve life for Illinois Veterans throughout his career with a variety of initiatives.

"These brave men and women have sacrificed greatly to preserve our freedom," Governor Quinn said. "Now that they're back on American soil after honorably serving our country, it's our duty to give them the support they need to successfully transition into civilian life."

The two days of events begin with the Reading of the Fallen Ceremony at 9:11 a.m. in the plaza outside the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago, where volunteers read the names of the more than 6,600 servicemen and women who lost their lives protecting our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. This ceremony is dedicated to Gold Star families who have lost their sons or daughters in combat.

On Saturday, the Chicago Welcomes Home the Heroes parade will honor the entire military community and will be followed by a Veterans Resources Reception at the Chicago Cultural Center.

"This weekend's homecoming celebration and recognition of our fallen is an important thanks to those who have served since 9/11," Director Borggren said. "It is also a reminder and part of Illinois' much broader, everyday commitment to serving those who have served as they transition home and encounter challenges related to Post Traumatic Stress, employment, housing, and education."

As part of this special weekend, Governor Quinn is also reminding Illinois Veterans that a new statewide, public-private partnership has been launched to improve support for servicemembers, Veterans and their families. Illinois Joining Forces seeks to increase collaboration and communication among not-for-profit organizations and public agencies serving Veterans at the local, state and federal levels.

Through IJF, participating organizations work together to address gaps in services in job training and placement, healthcare, education and housing, actively refer Veterans and service members in need of assistance, and offer better navigation of available resources and service to the public. For more information, visit www.IllinoisJoiningForces.org.

Governor Quinn has long made commitment to Veterans' affairs, servicemembers and their families one of his top priorities throughout his career in public service. He has led programs including the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program and the Veterans Cash lottery ticket, which has awarded more than $10 million to non-profit organizations across the state that provide health care and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, housing assistance, disability benefits and other services to Illinois Veterans.

As Lieutenant Governor, Governor Quinn championed and helped enact the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund Act, which established a fund to provide grants to families of Illinois National Guard members and Illinois residents serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve components who were called to active duty as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. These grants help service members and their families with the costs of food, housing, utilities, medical services and other expenses they struggle to afford because a wage-earner has temporarily left civilian employment to be placed on active military duty.

To learn more about Chicago Welcome Home Heroes and other ways you can support our Veterans, visit www.chicagowelcomeshometheheroes.org and www.OperationHomefront.org.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad today submitted a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to inform the Federal government that Iowa will avoid a costly state-based model and will instead pursue a state-federal partnership to retain autonomy over Iowa's healthcare system and minimize costs. The State will pursue a practical path that prevents Federal intrusion into the State's health insurance and Medicaid operations. The governor's decision comes in response to the December 14 deadline Sec. Sebelius gave states to make a decision. If Iowa did not submit its letter today, the State would have defaulted into a Federal exchange.

Gov. Branstad first stated his guiding principles on health care reform, saying, "Iowans deserve health care reform that improves care, lowers cost and most of all makes people healthier."

The letter is found here and the text is pasted below the release.

In the letter, Branstad outlined the reasons for his decision stating, "...I continue to have concerns that an intrusive Federal exchange would raise costs on individuals and businesses, making it harder for them to create jobs and raise family incomes in Iowa. The State of Iowa intends to minimize the Federal government's intrusion into the regulation of insurance. We will continue to regulate insurance plans in Iowa and retain control over our Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plan eligibility.

"If our State loses control of the costs of these programs, other funding priorities like education, public safety and workforce development may be threatened. Maintaining responsibility and operational control will also enable our efforts to modernize health care and to change our payment methods to reward quality and improve Iowans' health instead of procedure volume."

Branstad could choose one of three options: A state-built, state-funded exchange; a state-Federal partnership model; or a full Federal takeover of Iowa's health insurance system.

• A full State-built, State-financed exchange would cost $16 million annually. Additionally, the Federal government has yet to put forth clear parameters on what would be expected of a state-built, state-financed exchange. For example, Utah already has a state exchange, but it is doubtful regulators will approve it under the Affordable Care Act. Even Massachusetts, whose system was modeled when crafting the Affordable Care Act, is unlikely to meet the requirements put forth by the Federal government without changes to its design. Gov. Branstad believes it would be irresponsible to put the state in this kind of financial and regulatory limbo.
• A State-Federal partnership will allow the Federal government to pay for initial exchange set-up costs and administer the cumbersome web portal, a federal call center and expensive web interfaces. However, the State would still be able to administer its own health care programs, oversee and regulate the insurance industry in Iowa, and put in place measures that will expand Iowans' ownership of their own health through the Healthiest State Initiative. Gov. Branstad assures Iowans that Iowa will not be forced or bullied into significant costs that sink our budget, and we will continue to maintain the high quality of health care access in Iowa that covers more than 90 percent of our residents.
• Gov. Branstad believes a full Federal takeover of our insurance, regulatory and health care systems doesn't meet our needs. A quick look at the dysfunction in Washington, DC, underscores concerns of opening the door to the Federal government. Gov. Branstad does not believe it is in Iowans' best interests to have the Federal government interfering in their lives from thousands of miles away.

"Iowa is well positioned to meet the standards outlined by HHS thus far and maintain control of our insurance regulation and Medicaid eligibility responsibilities as allowed under PPACA. Iowa will partner with the Federal government in these areas of a Federal exchange," Branstad concluded.

The text of the letter sent to Sec. Sebelius is as follows:

December 14, 2012

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius

US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)

200 Independence Avenue Southwest

Washington, DC 20201

Dear Secretary Sebelius,

Iowans deserve health care reform that improves care, lowers cost and most of all makes people healthier. These principles guide my actions on health care. Unfortunately, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has not advanced these important principles, which align with the goal I announced last year for Iowa to become the healthiest state in the nation. Our initiative is being led by the private sector, has been endorsed by the public sector and is working to improve the health of our population person by person, community by community.

I have come to realize that a health benefits exchange will not improve the quality of health care, lower the cost of health care or make Iowans healthier. There also remain many questions about intended flexibilities for states and the final regulatory and policy framework in which a state financed exchange would operate. I am not convinced that my State would have the freedom and flexibility needed to design an exchange to meet the health care needs of our people. Additionally, the cost of building and maintaining a state-financed and based exchange, estimated at $15.9 million annually, would not advance the health of Iowans and would not be a prudent option for my State.  Therefore, Iowa will not finance, build and maintain a costly state-based health benefits exchange.

That said, I continue to have concerns that an intrusive Federal exchange would raise costs on individuals and businesses, making it harder for them to create jobs and raise family incomes in Iowa. The State of Iowa intends to minimize the Federal government's intrusion into the regulation of insurance. We will continue to regulate insurance plans in Iowa and retain control over our Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plan eligibility. Iowa control of these programs is critical to health care for Iowans, stability for job creators and the fiscal bottom line for our State. If our state loses control of the costs of these programs, other funding priorities like education, public safety and workforce development may be threatened. Maintaining responsibility and operational control will also enable our efforts to modernize health care and to change our payment methods to reward quality and improve Iowans' health instead of procedure volume.

Since the HHS has extended deadlines and continues to issue draft rules and provide further information and guidance to states, Iowa reserves our right to amend our intentions. We also have the clear expectation that our State's rights will be respected and our operational and regulatory control will not be superseded by the Federal government.  Iowa is well positioned to meet the standards outlined by HHS thus far and maintain control of our insurance regulation and Medicaid eligibility responsibilities as allowed under PPACA. Iowa will partner with the Federal government in these areas of a Federal exchange. I hope that you will continue to work with States building all types of exchanges to provide the maximum amount of information needed to fulfill our responsibilities in improving the health of our citizens and implementing health benefits exchanges.

Sincerely,

Terry E. Branstad

Governor