48HourPrint.com’s giving across America Program

During his nearly 14 years, before succumbing to a neuromuscular disease, Mattie Stepanek wrote six volumes of Heartsongs poetry and a Just Peace collection of essays and correspondence with former President Jimmy Carter, all of which made the bestseller lists. His poem, "For Our World," a message of peace Mattie penned on September 11, 2001 in response to terrorist attacks in which he lost several friends, has been translated into nearly 50 languages. A Peace Celebration on September 3 at the Peace Garden in the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park near his home in King Farm, Rockville, Maryland, will mark the 10-year anniversary of the attacks and kick off the foundation’s Pathways to Peace program.

"This print sponsorship by 48HourPrint.com will help us create high-quality pamphlets, guides, posters and inspirational postcards for Pathways to Peace," said Jeni Stepanek, Ph.D., executive director of the foundation and Mattie’s mother. "We want to share Mattie’s message that hope is real, peace is possible and life is worthy, and do this in a tangible way that people can take with them and share with others." As part of the program, the Mattie J.T. Foundation will also distribute Pathways to Peace posters and teaching tips postcards to schools and teachers across the country. A "Celebrate Peace – For Our World" poster will also include Mattie’s original poem and translations of his poem into numerous languages. "Our foundation is trying to raise awareness of the power we each have within us, children and adults," said Stepanek. "We’ve got to believe peace is possible. We’ve got to believe we each have the power to make a change.