What's so much harder and can be overwhelming is remembering or trying to process that there are women, individuals, using these services, and experiencing these hardships. Looking at a women's shelter's wishlist can be heartbreaking.
Undies for Undies
For the fourth year in a row, for every pair of underwear you purchase through the end of the year, La Vie en Orange will donate a pair to a women's shelter in your hometown. With up to 100 pairs of undies being matched, it's a twofer- undies for you and undies donated for another special someone.
It all started in 2011 when I heard about the need through a City Council member's blog post. I thought, "I make underwear. Of course I can help."
I wondered if I could help more than just in Seattle (where I lived at the time), and how I could incorporate it into my business. After poking around a little bit, I realized many women's shelters (and men's too) need new underwear to serve their clients.
Huzzah!
The idea to match each purchase was born.
Growing as a Giver
Last year I struggled with whether to continue the match. I questioned whether it was the best way to honor your support and spend my time.
Coming from a non-profit and social justice background (did I ever tell you I spent years doing peace education work, and then fundraising for immigrants' rights work?), I like to think I'm pretty sensitive to working on the root cause vs. putting band-aids on a situation and, more importantly, considering unintended consequences of any project.
After some soul-searching, and some research into corporate citizenship that's been successful and corporate citizenship whose negative impact has outweighed the positive it set out to do (the bar is just so low, and good intentions aren't enough. A lot of programs that drop big donations in communities are deeply flawed and can harm as much as they help. But it all helps shape why I'm doing what I'm doing.), I decided this is a need I can help meet. With integrity and with the sense that it's truly helping.
And the response from the shelters was enthusiastic.
So this year, it was a no-brainer. I'm just so excited this time of year has rolled around again, and I can't wait to mail all the matches next year! :)
Digging Deeper
My undies aren't addressing the root causes of homelessness and domestic violence, but it makes sense to use my talents to help make a difference in a small but profound way for each individual who receives a pair. we all know how putting on the right undies can make a day.
I'm just so grateful for your support, and it means so much to me to give back to the individual communities that support La Vie en Orange.
I can't wait to make a 2015 donation in your name!
Hopefully you're pretty jazzed about it too. i mean, you already know how great Upitees are.: ) So, I hope you'll start your holiday shopping here, knowing that you're making a difference a)in your loved-one's pants, and b)in your community.
Thank you so much for helping support the life-changing work of women's and homeless shelters.
xoxo,
Kori
P.S. Are you a Thanksgiving weekend shopper? Get a preview of the Black Friday, Small
Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday deals I'll be running here, along with order and shipping deadlines for Hanukkah and Christmas
here.
P.P.S. Are you in the Detroit area? Wanna come hang out? La Vie en Orange will be at the
Detroit Urban Craft Fair December 6-7 at the Masonic Temple.
