Women Supporting Women: Mt. Kisco Boutique’s Bra Drive Helps Free the Girls
By Molly Stazzone
Bras have supported women physically for generations. Now thanks to the nonprofit organization Free The Girls, bras can support women emotionally and financially as well.
Free The Girls is a non-profit organization that collects and donates bras to women in Africa who were victims of human trafficking and sold as prostitutes so they can sell them and support themselves.
The donation program began in August 2010 and has collected more than 200,000 bras. By providing education and jobs to women, businesses, schools and other organizations have initiated bra drives, including Tiger Lily boutique in Mount Kisco.
“I first saw the organization on a Facebook page,” said Cathy Deutsch, owner of Tiger Lily Boutique. “I then went on their website and admired the work that they do.”
The organization’s Facebook page has received over 13,000 likes. For every bra that is donated a woman in Africa will get the opportunity to sell bras and make an estimated three to five times minimum wage.
Deutsch started the effort out of her store on Main Street during the summer. She has already collected about 150 bras, mainly through social media notices and by placing signs in her front window, and she is looking forward to collecting even more. Deutsch, who celebrated Tiger Lily’s 10th anniversary earlier this year, said the campaign to collect the bras would be ongoing.
Deutsch said there was a tremendous response when she first posted information about the bra drive on the boutique’s Facebook page. Now that the holiday season is approaching, it’s always better to give than receive, she said.
“Women want to support women, and we think that this is a violation of sex trafficking and prostitution for these young girls, so anything we can do is a very good deed,” said Deutsch, who said that she feels as though she’s part of a greater movement.
Mount Kisco resident and Tiger Lily customer Susan Ward said she learned about Free the Girls by seeing the poster at the store. Since then, Ward said she’s told family and friends about the store’s effort.
“Most bras are a waste product, most women throw them away…so I thought it was very economical and worthwhile to collect (them),” she said.
The only requirements are that the bras should be in good condition (no wholes or rips) and they should be washed. Anyone who brings donates bras will receive $5 off any purchase.
The boutique has been a bra drop-off site thanks to the Free the Girls’ Get Involved section on its website. On the site, any business or organization can become a drop-off location. Download the Free The Girls One Sheet, print it out and frame it or paste it on a donation basket. This can be done by clicking on Get Involved or through the organization’s email at events@freethegirls.org.
After signing up, participants are asked to share, like, post on Facebook or tweet about the program.
Tiger Lily is located at 139 E. Main St. in Mount Kisco. For more information, the public can call 914-244-4201.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
