I SUPPORT THE GIRLS
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Mission Statement
Through an international network of Affiliates, I Support the Girls collects and distributes essential items, including bras, underwear, and menstrual hygiene products, allowing folks experiencing homelessness, impoverishment, or distress to stand tall with dignity.
About This Cause
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2015 report states that more than 50,000 women are homeless. According to the National Women’s Law Center, more than 1 in 16 women lived in extreme poverty in 2015. More than 1 in 8 lived in poverty. Whether living perilously on the street, or facing precarious poverty levels, women and girls face unique challenges. For all these women and their daughters, the choice can be between food and other basic needs. This means often they end up using creative means to address their needs; belts around their chest to replace bras; wadded up toilet paper, paper towels, or newspaper instead of hygiene products; turning underwear inside out to maintain an illusion of cleanliness. These practices, and insufficient resources, can lead to long-term health and mental health issues. Regular access to menstrual products lets women stay cleaner, healthier, and more comfortable. When women have sufficient menstrual hygiene products, they are able to utilize them for appropriate time frames, preventing risk. The act of wearing a bra allows women to stand up straighter, preventing back pain; gives the confidence to apply for jobs and maintain employment; and can build self-esteem. Provision of these seemingly mundane items can change the trajectory of a life. ISTG collects and distributes individual sealed or boxed menstrual hygiene products, new underwear, and new and gently used bras. We focus on the unique needs of women, which are often not considered or ignored by traditional organizations offering assistance. ISTG’s model of establishing affiliates across the U.S. headed by local residents has proven successful. Affiliate Directors are connected to their local communities, understand the need and the dynamics, and are able to ensure the most effective distribution of products to vetted local partner organizations. With just 24 months since incorporation, 350,000 bras and over 1,800,000 feminine hygiene products were collected and distributed- helping an estimated 270,000 women restore the dignity they lost when they found themselves in potentially hazardous situations due to homelessness, domestic violence, sex trafficking, refugee status, evacuation due to natural disasters, or poverty. The Affiliate Network gives ISTG a sustainable base for its operations while remaining operationally lean. Our national and international reach in this field is unmatched. ISTG is currently located in over 56 cities in the US, as well as 6 other countries. We are growing daily, and have also coordinated donations in cities where we do not have an affiliate.