In January, I asked readers to please consider donating new or gently used bras to one of many Soma stores throughout Minnesota, to benefit women fleeing domestic abuse.
Here's my terribly belated thank you.
The stores were inundated with donations, including from an elderly widower who brought a "suitcase full" of his wife's bras to the Maple Grove location. Store staff were teary-eyed when he told them he didn't know what to do with them until he heard about their effort.
Since 2010, Soma, in partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, has collected more than 1.25 million bras for women in domestic abuse shelters. Many have fled abusive situations with no preparation, and often in the middle of the night wearing only their pajamas.
Bras are the least donated, and most needed, item in women's shelters.
I'd like to have an opportunity to thank you again. Soma is holding its second yearly bra drive during these hot summer months, when you really don't want to wear one anyway, right?
Any size or style is accepted. Just please wash them first. Bras deemed too worn for re-use are sent to an Arizona-based company for recycling.
New bras are welcome, too, of course.
Soma stores are located at Rosedale in Roseville, Southdale in Edina, Ridgedale in Minnetonka, the Mall of America in Bloomington, the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove and Woodbury Lakes and in Rochester.
The campaign runs through Aug. 2. To learn more, go to soma.com/givebras.
