Soma Intimates: Helping Support Women in Need

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Soma Intimates announces its next Giving is Beautiful™ Soma Bra Donation.  The nationwide charitable initiative to collect bras for women in need is the largest of its kind. With more than 600,000 bras collected to date, the scale and scope of the project is a testament to Soma Intimates and the Soma customer's dedication to making a difference in women's lives. Now through February 17, 2014, the company will accept both new and gently worn bras at all Soma boutiques across the country.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140109/FL43160LOGO)

"Our passion and commitment to this initiative is stronger than ever," states Laurie Van Brunt, Soma president. "Our boutiques and customers share that passion, and enthusiastically contribute their time, money and bras to help women in need restore their lives. It's our ultimate goal that no woman has to choose between buying a bra and putting food on the table."

The Soma Bra Donation initiative is national in scope but local in nature -- directly impacting communities where the bras are donated. Each of Soma Intimates' 250 boutiques and outlets will work with its community's women's shelter to help local women in need.

To help raise awareness about domestic violence, Soma will once again partner with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). The NNEDV is the leading voice for survivors of domestic violence. Representing over 2,000 shelter programs across 56 state and territory coalitions throughout the United States, the NNEDV continues to be a vital partner to help spread the word and make a difference in women's lives.

"Soma Intimates is making a real difference in the lives of domestic violence victims, who often arrive at a shelter with their children and nothing more than the clothes they are wearing," says Kim Gandy, President of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV).  "Undergarments are often difficult items to obtain for survivors, and the shelters really appreciate donations of new bras to help women who are trying to start over. The fact that Soma Intimates is partnering their boutiques with local domestic violence shelters will help raise awareness in local communities, raise badly needed funds, and help victims find safety and rebuild their lives."

First launched in July 2010, this marks the eighth biannual Soma Bra Donation initiative for Soma Intimates. To date, Soma has collected more than 600,000 bras to help provide for the more than 4 million women in the U.S. who stay in domestic violence shelters each year.

"Thanks to our partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, new and gently worn bras are distributed to domestic violence shelters in our customers' local communities. Our goal this year is to reach a million bras collected, because that translates to a million women feeling confident and beautiful, from the inside out," says Van Brunt. "And every woman deserves to feel that way."

Every bra has a story and participants can view these stories on the Soma Bra Donation landing page at www.soma.com/givebras. This online experience allows visitors to read a number of touching stories about how our 618,120 donated bras have changed women's lives across the country, plus offers information about the NNEDV, how to donate bras, and where to find Soma boutiques nationwide. 

For more information about the Giving is Beautiful™ Soma Bra Donation, please visit www.soma.com/givebras or contact Melanie Cohen-Nathan: [email protected], (212) 524-6323 or Kristin McClement: [email protected], (239) 346-4870.

About Soma Intimates:

Soma Intimates, a division of Chico's FAS, Inc. (NYSE: CHS), offers beautiful and sensual lingerie, loungewear and beauty products. Home of the warmest personal service, Soma embraces women with luxuriously soft fabrics, innovative fashion and an always perfect fit. As of January 9, 2014, Soma Intimates will operate 250 boutiques and outlets across the country as well as a website at www.soma.com.

About the National Network to End Domestic Violence: NNEDV, a nonprofit tax-deductible organization, is a leading voice for domestic violence victims and their advocates.  NNEDV members include the 56 statewide and territorial coalitions against domestic violence and many individuals who support the mission. NNEDV has been a premier national organization advancing the movement against domestic violence for nearly 20 years, having led efforts among domestic violence victim advocates and survivors to pass the landmark Violence Against Women Act of 1994. To learn more about NNEDV, please visit www.nnedv.org, or find us on Facebook or Twitter www.nnedv.org.

SOURCE Chico's FAS, Inc.