One of our goals as a company is to grow deeper roots in our communities: we want to be able to grow as a company, and also to grow into the type of business that isn’t just about frilly panties. We want to give back to the communities that support us, and also to raise awareness for causes that we hold dear.
We’ve decided to launch our first Shop for a Cause day in alignment with these goals. We picked the Charlottesville Free Clinic for so many reasons – but first and foremost, because they support working individuals and families who are un-or-underinsured. They’ve got a pharmacy, a dental practice, and medical care – including routine screenings and care during illness. One of their big goals is to reduce the load on our local emergency departments for medical care that is non-emergent. By doing so, they keep our community healthier and reduce the costs associated with emergency room visits for patients.
They also have a program to help patients learn about diet changes that can help them manage chronic health conditions at an overall lower cost – and this is what really speaks to me: their goal is to help people stay healthier during times in their lives when medical care might get bumped way down on a person’s priority list. When patients make too much to qualify for state or federal assistance, but too little to afford private insurance, their health needs don’t go away, but often, the money to pay to address those needs is spent on food, or rent, or a vehicle to get to and from work.
Please join us in supporting their work. A part of me wishes that they didn’t need to exist: but the fact remains that we need them, and other clinics like them. I’m grateful to have such a resource in our community, and we’ll be donating 10% of sales in our Charlottesville location on June 29th to the Free Clinic to support their work. If you need a gift for someone close to you, or need to treat yourself to a little something, Saturday is a great time. We’ll have some representatives of the Free Clinic hanging out with us, and if you’re interested in making your own donation, or are looking to volunteer, please check out their website.
-MG