Women in shelters focus so much on their safety and that of their children, that they don’t have the time to pamper themselves with a bit of femininity.
They may very well believe they don’t deserve it. For many, second hand is as good as it gets.
Determined to change that image, Feminine Form, a lingerie store in Brookswood, has organized a fundraiser which puts a personal touch on giving.
Feminine Form is asking its customers to donate $10 or more so that the store can donate its end-of-season stock of lingerie, sleepwear and loungewear to women at the Ishtar transition houses in Langley and Aldergrove.
This means every Ishtar resident “will be given the pieces they need,” said store manager Felicity Holmes.
Feminine Form is at #195, 4061 - 200 St.
Charmaine Rouleau, who manages the store with Holmes, came up with the idea only quite recently.
“My grandmother died three months ago and Ishtar was always her favourite charity,” she said.
“So I thought that with this store I have the opportunity to do some fundraising for them.”
The event started at the beginning of August and continues until the end of September.
Many women leave their homes in dire and sometimes dangerous circumstances, leaving everything behind, including their clothes.
It’s very important for them to have intimate apparel, and in particular bras, that are the right size and shape.
“Working here has given me insight to that. When you have a woman who has been wearing the wrong size, she feels supported and uplifted (with a new one).”
This gives a woman a renewed sense of self-confidence, Rouleau said.
Feminine Form has a number of lounge sets that have been marked down. Customers can buy these specifically for a woman at Ishtar.