Soma Intimates Lends Support to Women in Need

FORT MYERS, Fla., July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Soma Intimates, the ultimate destination for beautiful lingerie, announces "Giving is Beautiful," a nationwide charity initiative to collect bras for women in need.  Starting on July 7th and continuing through August 14th, 2011, the company will accept both new and gently used bras at all Soma Intimates boutiques across the country.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100712/FL33424LOGO )

"When we learned that there are thousands upon thousands of women across the country desperately in need of a bra, we knew we had to do something to help," states Laurie Van Brunt, Soma Intimates' Brand President.  "A bra is one of the least donated but most needed items, and it makes a big difference to women who are struggling financially to even put food on the table.  It's such a small and easy thing to donate, and it truly helps these women who are working each and every day to get their lives on track."

While national in scope, Soma's bra donation initiative is local in nature – directly impacting communities where the bras are donated.  Each Soma Intimates boutique will work with women's shelters and other charitable organizations in its own region to help women in need in that area.  Soma will also use this initiative to help women who have lost personal items in the wake of destruction from natural disasters.  

In addition, any non-wearable donations will be sent to The Bra Recyclers, a textile recycling organization that ensures no bra ends up in a landfill.  The Bra Recyclers work to make sure that every part of a donated bra – from the underwire to the fabric – is reused in some form.

"We're thrilled to once again be working with Soma Intimates," says Elaine Birks-Mitchell, President of The Bra Recyclers.  "Soma's bra donations are an enormous help to women across the country, and we love making sure that all bras are reused or recycled!"

For those who want to donate new or gently used bras but are unable to visit a Soma Intimates boutique during the initiative, the retailer has partnered with The Bra Recyclers to provide a mail-in option.  The mail-in address can be found at www.soma.com/givebras.

First launched in July 2010, this marks the third biannual bra donation initiative for Soma Intimates.  To-date the retailer has collected more than 68,000 bras to help women in need across the country.

"Giving really is beautiful, and we're thankful to all of our customers who have come together to support local women in need," states Van Brunt of Soma Intimates.  "We think that 68,000 donated bras is an incredible accomplishment, but it's really just the beginning.  Our goal is to collect 150,000 bras by next year."

For more information about the Soma Intimates "Giving is Beautiful" bra donation event, please visit www.soma.com/givebras.

About Soma Intimates:

Soma Intimates, a division of Chico's FAS, Inc. (NYSE: CHS), is the home of beautiful lingerie, sleepwear, loungewear and beauty products.  Soma's mission is to make women look and feel wonderful by offering the softest fabrics, delightful Soma touches, and highly personalized customer service with trained Soma fit experts.  As of July 31, 2011, Soma Intimates will operate more than 160 boutiques and outlets across the country as well as a website at www.soma.com.

About The Bra Recyclers:

The Bra Recyclers is based in Gilbert, AZ.  A textile recycling company specializing in recycling bras, the organization does its part to help the environment by delaying the amount of unused bras and textiles that go to landfills, thus reducing the pressure on virgin resources.  For more information, visit www.brarecycling.com.

SOURCE Soma Intimates