Our Newest Donation Recipients - a Rape Crisis Center in Ohio
Just donated new, clean MADI Apparel undies to the Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit counties (in Akron, Ohio.) Since our founder learned in 2011 that underwear is the most needed, under-donated item of clothing in the US, we've been working hard to spread awareness about this need and how you as MADI Apparel customers can help. All you have to do is buy a pair for yourself! Then, a pair will be automatically donated in your honor to a woman in one of our partnered organizations.
Learn more about our newest partners:
Alexandra Potter - Direct Service Advocate, Hospital Advocacy Coordinator of the Rape Crisis Center - reached out to us in October 2014 asking for new underwear donations for the women recovering at their Rape Crisis Center. In the words of Alexandra...
"Currently, we are looking for donations for our hospital advocacy program, where our advocates respond to local hospitals to meet with young women following a sexual assault to be a mode of support while they are undergoing the invasive process of a forensic-medical exam to collect evidence. The women that we meet at the Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit Counties are often asked to surrender most, if not all, of their clothing for evidence collection during a rape kit at the hospital. There are some women who are more fortunate than others who can give up their clothes, some who may be wearing the only shirt they own at that moment, and don’t want to give it up, for obvious reasons. Regardless of how much of their clothing they surrender for evidence collection, they are asked to surrender their underwear at the very least. Once these items are submitted into evidence, the survivor will never get those items back, and the advocates at Rape Crisis aim to be as prepared as possible by providing clothing sets for the women, which include t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, sports bras, and underwear.
Your gracious donation will assist survivors of sexual assault by giving them fresh clothes (underwear, in this case) to be able to wear home. Not only is sexual assault upsetting and traumatizing for many reasons, but to give up what little they sometimes have for the sake of a chance at arrest and prosecution of the perpetrator is extremely difficult, sometimes even adding on to the trauma that they’ve already endured. Being able to consistently provide the clothing that our advocates do for these women is one of the many ways we help them feel supported and cared about in their time of need. I hope our organization is a qualified candidate for your gracious donation."
The Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit counties was the first of this type of organization to reach out to us. It pains us, moves us, but mainly this type of request for donations motivates us - knowing that women in crisis situations may find a little light at the end of a dark tunnel in the form of new, clean underwear. We hope MADI Apparel underwear donations may help women in need feel safe, clean, confident and loved.
We need your help to donate undies to these women! How? For every pair of MADI Apparel undies you buy, a pair will be automatically donated to a woman in one of our partnered non-profit organizations. PROMISE WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!
Xo, Team MADI