“Swap for Good”

The October issue of Redbook Magazine captured my attention in the grocery store checkout line not only because the lovely Lauren Graham, actress of the television sensation “Gilmore Girls,” graces the cover, but also because it includes a poignant featurette entitled “10 Ways You Can Help Keep a Woman Safe” by Lindsey Palmer. The featurette addresses the fact that budget cuts across the nation have left sources of aid for protection against domestic violence insufficiently funded.

It turns out these cuts affect Harrisonburg’s own “First Step” domestic violence program.

In response to Governor Bob McDonnell’s mid-February proposal to make drastic budget cuts to domestic violence programs in Virginia, Candy Phillips, Executive Director of First Step said:

“I implore you: please do not cut funding any further to domestic violence shelters in Virginia. In the 15 years that I have worked at First Step I have never seen things this bad. Calls are increasing, our emergency shelter is staying full and we’re witnessing more severe acts of violence.” (http://preventviolence.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/press-release-vsdvaa/)

Redbook’s featurette provides a list of things we can do to help victims of domestic violence during these desperate times, including this fun, yet constructive suggestion for lending a hand:

“Host a clothing-swap fund-raiser, where you pass a hat to raise funds for domestic violence shelters. Identify a needy shelter in your area and register your swap (or find one near you) at swapforgood.org. San Francisco pals Brianna Cayo Cotter, 29, and Orli Cotel, 31, launched Swap for Good in April with no money (friends helped design the site). Within months, the non-profit had raised $2,800. Now the swaps are catching on nationwide.”

Here’s a video featuring the Swap for Good founders giving their pitch on the importance of the fund-raiser and how it works:

It’s definitely refreshing to see a featurette in a women’s magazine that truly benefits women, instead of spewing out trivial and often unsound sex “tips” left and right.

In tough economic times, it’s more important than ever for women to band together and help one another. In fact, I’ve decided it’s my turn to help. This October, I’ll be hosting a “Swap for Good” clothing swap at my apartment to benefit First Step. I’ll be sending out a Facebook invite within the next few days that will include information about the swap! If you’re not on Facebook and you are interested in participating in the swap, please feel free to email me at umberglk@dukes.jmu.edu for info. If you’re not in the Harrisonburg area, visit swapforgood.org to find swaps in your area!

“Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.” -Jane Addams

Just remember, sometimes it’s the little things that count!

-Lauranium