BRAWS: Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters

BRAWS: Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters Our mission- bring dignity and empowerment to women and girls living in shelters by providing new, personally fitted undergarments & menstrual supplies.

Area Statistics 384,151 individuals in Northern Virginia live at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. A family must earn $33.29 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Fairfax County. 81% of the adults in homeless families are female. 49% are due to domestic violence. 30,774 poor school-aged children live in the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, Arlington, & Alexandria. 58% of all family members who are homeless in Fairfax County are under 18 years of age.

BRAWS offers several programs that align with our mission: shelter tampon/pad delivery undergarment distribution school menstrual supply delivery school & public facility dispensers emergency relief advocacy & education.

In 2018 5 Dispenser Programs Launched 20 Machines Purchased 15,000 Individual Pads & Tampons dispensed 10 Schools Districts 21 Counties 6 States 81 Shelter & School PARTNERS 2,384 Bras 4,846 Underwear 141,480 Tampons & Pads DISTRIBUTED 5,817 Women & Girls SERVED

Yearly Fundraisers • Mardi Bras- February • Fun Run- June

How Can You Help? Volunteer: Deliver products to shelters, host a fundraiser, join a committee and more! Donate/Host a Collection Drive: New with tags Bras & Underwear Unopened boxes of menstrual products Give: 100% of your tax-deductible financial donation goes toward our mission

“A lot of the women who are in our shelter are completely focused on taking care of their families and getting ‘base’ level needs met. So, of course, they put themselves last. How you look can play a huge role in how you feel and so they sometimes will also feel like they are not worthy of anything nice. Once they have new bras their spirits are instantly lifted. They didn't realize how badly they needed a new bra. They stand up straighter. Their clothes fit better. It almost focuses them in a sense. It's like they got that crossed off the list, what’s next? They feel more confident in their skin and maybe even feel like they present better in interviews, etc.” -Shelter Coordinator Volunteers assisting at a BRAWS Distribution Day in New Hope Housing’s Kennedy Shelter, Alexandria.

“The bras have allowed our students on free/reduced lunch the ability to have an appropriate sports bra and participate in their Girls Fitness class. It has changed the instructors ability to instruct and the activities that the girls can complete on a day to day basis. The menstrual products and underwear have changed the school climate from the female perspective. Female students do not leave the school due to their monthly needs. They simply know that resources are available in school and they can proceed with their day.” - FCPS High School Social Worker where 100 girls have been served this year

“The bras and underwear have made students feel good about themselves and ‘less different,’ which you know is important at the middle school level! All the girls and women were so excited to have bras. For many, these were their first bras ever! The pads help tremendously. For my students who are low income, it is a big monthly expense to buy menstrual pads, especially the pads for heavy flow. Knowing that they can count on their monthly supply gives them peace of mind so they can focus on their studies.” - FCPS Middle School Parent Liaison

BRAWS: Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters Learn More At www.BRAWS.org facebook.com/BRAWSorg twitter: @BRAWSorg Instragram.com/BRAWSorg Federal Tax ID #47-3961191

BRAWS: Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters