Sharon Bush

Businesswoman, Education Advocate, Humanitarian, National Mother of the Year Award Recipient

Sharon Bush is an accomplished philanthropist who has worked for nearly four decades to bring resources to impoverished women, children and families around the world. Her altruism and business acumen have had a powerful effect, and many global organizations have recognized her humanitarian efforts with awards and accolades. While Sharon devotes much of her time and energy to charitable organizations, her efforts emanate from her primary purpose as the mother of three accomplished children. Having raised her daughters Lauren Bush Lauren, Ashley Bush, and her son Pierce Bush with an awareness on a global level and an appreciation for helping others, Sharon is proud of the compassionate global adults they have become.

Taking their mother’s guiding example to heart, all three of Sharon’s children have made a positive impact on the world: her daughter Lauren is CEO and co-founder of The FEED Foundation, which has made great strides toward eliminating world hunger with 90 million meals provided to hungry children. Her daughter Ashley is a filmmaker who makes time to tutor women at safe houses to help them earn their GED degree. Sharon’s son Pierce is CEO of the Texas chapter of the Big Brothers Big Sisters’ nonprofit. Among the many awards she has received for her work, Sharon is most proud of her 2001 National Mother of the Year Award, which she received with Jane Seymour and Nancy Kerrigan. One only has to look to the impressive accomplishments of Sharon’s three children to see how fitting this award was.

Upon earning her teaching degree in 1975 from the University of New Hampshire, Sharon worked as an inner city elementary school teacher. After she witnessed the harsh reality of her students’ lives, Sharon vowed to devote her life to improving the environment in which children grow, live, and learn. With three small children at home, Sharon launched the Karitas Foundation to increase funding for homeless and abused children across the United States. By donating a large percentage of proceeds from the sale of licensed children’s products to nationally recognized Children’s Relief Organizations, Karitas brought awareness and much needed funding to several organizations who could then realize their mission of improving the lives of thousands of children.

As founder and CEO of Teddy Shares, Sharon took her humanitarian efforts further with an innovative concept of giving: every teddy bear purchase helps mitigate world hunger by providing Plumpy’Nut supplement (vital nutrients) to malnourished children in Africa. By partnering with FEED, Edesia, and the Teddy Roosevelt Foundation, Teddy Shares has extended its reach to even more children globally.
In addition to her work as a child advocate, Sharon is also involved in environmental science. Sharon oversees business development for Protein Matrix, a next generation plant-based compound designed to remediate environmental pollution. Protein Matrix is a safe way to effectively remove grease, fat and oil buildup in wastewater treatment infrastructures, thereby creating cleaner water. Sharon also oversees business development for GreenStract, a chemical technology company using plant-based materials to extract industrial waste oil from storage tanks. These two companies offer exciting cost-effective and non-toxic solutions to cleaning environmental waste.

Sharon has also served as a board member for several charitable organizations, including the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), the UN Women for Peace Association (UNWFPA) and the Development Director for Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School, which provides life-changing opportunities for students. From local education initiatives such as KIPP to global initiatives like UNWFPA and on, Sharon constantly strives to improve the living conditions of women, children and families, practicing the principles she instilled in her own children. Sharon has made impressive strides in her commitment to helping others not only survive, but thrive.

A resident of New York City, Sharon enjoys spending time with her children and staying active in various fundraising roles. Her life’s work serves as an important example of the power that one individual can produce by way of involvement and action.

(photo credit: Annie Watt)

Sharon Bush

Businesswoman, Education Advocate, Humanitarian, National Mother of the Year Award Recipient