Nonprofit Spotlight: I Support The Girls
I Support the Girls is a DC based nonprofit that serves women and girls who lack easy access to bras, maxipads, and tampons. Through a network of domestic and international affiliates, they collect and distribute these items to girls and women experiencing homelessness, impoverishment, or distress that they may stand with dignity. We heard from Founder Dana Marlowe about the work they do.
Tell us a bit about who you are and who you serve:
I Support the Girls’ mission is to restore dignity to women and girls experiencing homelessness and distress. It’s all about dignity. We distribute bras, pads, tampons, and new underwear to folx in need throughout our 58 Affiliate locations. There is no limit to who we serve. A period can happen anywhere at any time. We’ve helped women in homeless shelters, public schools, prisons, Native American Reservations, and more. As of 2015, we have donated over 8.2 million products to over 1800 social service organizations. It’s mind blowing!
How did you get started and at what point did you take a leap of faith?
I didn’t mean to start a non-profit. I've always been an advocate for women's rights and human rights. Sometimes accidents happen. After losing weight, I needed to get fitted for a new bra. I asked the saleswoman at a local Soma store what I could do with my old bras that were still in great condition. That’s when she told me those four words that changed everything: Homeless women need bras.
I knew I wasn’t the only one who had old bras. I posted on Facebook in July 2015 that I’d be collecting bras and menstrual hygiene products until the end of the month. With the help of my community, I donated over 8,000 products to a local shelter in Washington, DC.
I had to take a leap of faith when deciding if "Dana's Bra Project" would end with one donation, or if there was something more. I gathered the right people around me with strengths and talents that I don’t have. It was because of this collective power that we were able to make something out of nothing.
Fundraising: what’s your biggest challenge and what’s been your biggest win?
Our post office box overflows with hundreds of packages of bras, pads and tampons from strangers each week. At any given time, we have individuals and corporations hosting donation drives all over the country, and for this we are so grateful. Financial donations, which build our team and cover the cost of shipping, are harder to come by. We are small staffed, we don’t always have the time or resources to research all of the incredible grant opportunities available.
Why is it important for low-income women and girls to have access to feminine hygiene products?
Banana leaves, ripped up cardboard, duct tape and the insides of mattresses should never replace pads. These are all items that women we have met are using because they don’t have access to proper menstrual hygiene products. Access is important because it prioritizes their personal health and dignity. These items are necessary and making sure all folx have access to them acknowledges their need.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
We hear so many personal stories that make the hustle worth it. Crystal hadn’t received a new bra in over 3 years. She was living on the streets in Washington, DC. Her sagging straps offered no support and the underwire dug into her sides. After I Support the Girls gave Crystal several new bras, she told me, “When someone believes I’m worth something, I start to believe I’m worth something too.” This is why we do what we do. Bras and pads may seem like little things, but to people like Crystal, they mean everything.
“When someone believes I’m worth something, I start to believe I’m worth something too.”
How can people help support your organization?
Since the COVID-19 crisis, we have been doing as much as we can to ship menstrual hygiene products to organizations and individuals in need. This includes organizations who have run out of maxipads, moms who were laid off, or folks who find their grocery store shelves void of any menstrual hygiene products. We have been practicing social distancing by only having ONE employee in our warehouse at a time, packing up boxes of menstrual hygiene products to ship out to those in need. Our greatest need right now are maxipads, followed by tampons and liners. We have almost run out of our supply of maxipads at our warehouse. We are also in need of financial donations to be able to ship these products to organizations, women and girls in need around the country.
If you can’t provide financial support at this time, but you see a need for our work in your community you can work with us to set up a donation drive in your school, community, or work, or volunteer with one of our affiliates. We love sharing our work and engaging with our supporters on facebook, instagram, twitter or snapchat at @SupportTheGirls!