This Week's Challenge: Attention Fashionistas...Swap For Good!

Photo By: Sarah Peete

I ran across Swap For Good while surfing the web and thought that it was such a great, yet simple way to help our local domestic violence shelters that I just had to make it our weekly challenge.  Swap For Good is a grass roots project that encourages individuals to hold clothing (or other items) swap parties in their own homes.  The hostess/host of the party simply invites a group of friends together and asks each guest to bring in items that they would be willing to swap with other guests at the party for things that they actually want or need.  The possibilities are endless on what you can bring-clothing, accessories, personal care products, kitchen items, home decor'...etc.  We all have things lying around that we don't use anymore, so why not create this scenario of a "swap party" to gain some new things while doing something good for charity?  The end result is asking each guest to pitch in a little something monetary, since you will be saving money from not having to go out and buy brand new items.  In the end, the hostess/host of the party collects the money and sends it to a domestic violence shelter of their choice.  It's a win/win situation for all involved.

Photo By: Sarah Peete

Co-founder, Orli Cotel states, “Fashionistas have long known that clothing swaps are a great way to get new stuff, and save money doing it. Now, people can host swap events as a way to help raise critical funds for a good cause. This year spring cleaning is an opportunity to do more than clean out your closet – you can help save lives.”

Swap For Good gives some great arguments for why they have chosen domestic violence shelters for their priority as opposed to other charities by stating a few public stats:

Photo By: Sarah Peete

During the recession, funding for local domestic violence shelters has plummeted—in California, Governor Schwarzenegger recently cut 100% of the state’s funding for local domestic violence shelters. At the same time, shelters have seen a big increase in requests for help. The National Network to End Domestic Violence reports that in March 2010, in one 24-hour period alone, more than 65,000 victims of domestic violence and their children received life-saving services from local domestic violence programs.  Domestic violence experts answered more than 23,000 emergency hotline calls.  In one day, 9,280 requests for services went unmet, largely due to lack of funding.

Brianna Cayo Cotter, Swap for Good co-founder, adds, “In hard economic times, funding for these critical programs gets slashed, just when the need is rising. No one who fears for their safety should be turned away and left at risk. By cleaning out your closet, you can help open doors to a violence-free life for people who are in abusive relationships.”

Photo By: Sarah Peete

For more information about this program and how you can host your own Swap For Good party, visit the Swap For Good Website.  They have a wonderful feature on their site whereby you can simply enter your zip code to find a shelter near you: Find A Shelter.

A big thank you to Brianna Cayo Cotter (co-founder of Swap For Good) for allowing us to highlight them this week as our weekly challenge to our readers!