An organization that aims to provide essential supplies to women in need is extending its coverage to the South End.
Since September, Whidbey’s affiliate of I Support the Girls has had a few “Bras & Beauty Happening” events where women can find bras, underwear, period products and other toiletries.
For the first time, the event is coming to the Clinton Community Hall from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 17.
All items are free and COVID-19 masking and social distancing restrictions will apply.
Kate Mistler, who is the director of the affiliate organization, said she is in need of more volunteers on the South End.
“What we do is kind of unique,” she said.
The international non-profit organization helps women around the world. Each affiliate organization keeps its donations local.
In recent months, I Support the Girls has gained more mainstream attention, thanks to TikTok and TV personality Trevor Noah.
Yet Whidbey’s branch of the international organization is one of the few in the state and on the West Coast.
The local group was able to obtain 77,000 donations last year. Mistler said the goal is to reach 100,000 this year. Drop-off donation boxes are located around the island, including inside Island Drug in Clinton and Seaside & Sylvan in Freeland.
“If anyone else wants to put one out, we’d sure love to,” Mistler said.
Currently, the group is most in need of tampons and larger sizes of bras and underwear.
Mistler is hopeful that next Saturday’s event will be well-attended.
“We’re just asking people to help us spread the word,” she said.
“Even if you don’t think your neighbor needs help, she just might.”
“Anybody that is in any kind of distress for any kind of reason, we would love to see,” she added. “There is no judgment.”
• To learn more about donating or volunteering, contact Kate Mistler at 360-678-2090 or istg.whidbeyisland@gmail.com
An earlier version of this story said I Support the Girls is a national organization and donation boxes are located outside of South Whidbey businesses. It has been updated with the correct information, including the correct email address for Mistler.
