When President Trump was inaugurated there were approximately 549,928 homeless people in the United States according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

It’s a staggering number to see, as almost half a million people are forced to live and sleep on the streets, often going hungry. It’s an epidemic that is thankfully declining but for the half of million people it’s still a very real problem, especially for the women who often have a few difficult challenges they have to overcome. What happens if a homeless woman doesn’t have a proper bra to wear? Or if her period begins unexpectedly.

Homeless shelters do their best to help the homeless, but there’s never a shortage of those in need and always too few resources to go around.point 508 |

As any woman will tell you, these are absolute necessities for them to live, but these homeless women won’t be able to afford it on their own and what if their nearby shelters run out? Well, Dana Marlowe wanted to make sure no woman would face that any longer.point 218 |

She started her own initiative called “Support The Girls” which would help homeless women all over the world.point 104 | 1

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Dana has since become known in her community as the “bra fairy” because she always seems to have endless amounts of them. However we know the source of Dana’s magic — supportive members of the community have managed to donate over 85,000 bras and 400,000 menstrual hygiene products to Dana’s cause.

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How did Dana come up with this incredible idea? Well it all started when Dana lost an incredible 35 pounds (you go girl!) and she realized that her bras wouldn’t fit her quite the same anymore.point 296 |

Instead of just throwing them out she decided to donate them to homeless women.point 66 | She also decided that she would start a Facebook page that would encourage other women in her situation, who also had bras that no longer fit, to donate them to those in need.point 209 |

Dana Marlowe told The Daily Saint in an interview why bras and other feminine products are so important.point 123 | point 123 | 1

Basic feminine care is a right. These are items that are essential to being a woman, and in this case, they’re able to bring dignity and a little bit of comfort to people [who] are already in incredibly vulnerable positions

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Dana’s project has touched many lives including Maxine Abayomicole, a 65-year-old retired art teacher who is only able to pay her rent and nothing else.point 274 |

When she needed a 42D sized bra Dana was able to readily assure her that she would have one.point 74 | Her selection is so wide that Maxine would even be able to choose her preferred style.point 145 | Dana jokingly told herpoint 164 | 1

You want cheetah print? We have so many bras going on here.

For these women, her service has been an absolute godsend. Even cheap bras can range in cost from $20 all the way up to $50. The wide selection means that women can find the correct size no matter their condition. Dana tells about how rewarding running Support The Girls has been for her.

Seeing their smile and how appreciative they are, that can energize me for weeks to come. It’s not solving the world’s problems with the snap of a bra, but it helps a little bit.

It isn’t just bras that Dana gives to the needy, however. She also offers a wide selection of menstrual and feminine products so that women will never have to choose between maxi pads or eating that night.

For the needy every little bit truly helps. If you have any spare bras, you can check out the locations for SupportTheGirls. If one isn’t available in your area you can also offer up your precious free time to help those in need. You can learn more about SupportTheGirls in the video below and on their website.

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