Promoting community service and community health, Club Pilates Saratoga has created a donation station in support of Operation emBRAce, The Grateful Garment Project’s latest initiative. The Grateful Garment Project (TGGP) Founder and Executive Director Lisa J. Blanchard spoke with members of Club Pilates Saratoga about the dire need for new sports bras. When sexual assault victims seek medical attention, the women, men and children are asked to surrender their clothing for DNA evidence. This leaves traumatized victims with only scrubs or a hospital gown to wear when they leave. TGGP provides victims with resources necessary to take the first steps on the road to healing, including stocking resource closets at local hospitals and rape crisis centers, and providing clothing, undergarments, toiletries, snacks, and other items she or he may require. Operation emBRAce has a goal of collecting 20,000 sports bras for survivors of sexual assault. Lisa recently told The Mercury News “we never have enough.” Club Pilates’ goal is to collect 100 new sports bras. Club Pilates Saratoga invites our community to help meet this need by donating new sports bras at the Club Pilates Saratoga studio at 14410 Big Basin Way, Suite E. A collection box is located at the studio.
While difficult to think about, sexual assault does occur in our community. Over 2,000 women and almost 500 men sought support in Santa Clara County last year. Since data collection is difficult, in reality, sexual assault numbers are higher. Every three seconds, someone is sexually assaulted in the United States. There is one forcible rape every fifty six minutes in the state of California. Human trafficking is a huge issue in the Bay Area. Sexual assault affects all socioeconomic, ethnic, and age groups. A substantial portion of victims include men, the elderly, and children. The Grateful Garment Project resource closets are stocked with new clothing of a variety of sizes, from toddler to adult size 5X. In addition to the much-needed sports bras, other requested donations include new sweatshirts and sweatpants (all sizes, adult and youth), new underwear (all sizes, for men, women and children), new flip flops, new toothbrushes and new hairbrushes.
If you or someone you know is in need, the 24-Hour Rape Crisis Hotline (408-245-3414) provides confidential, anonymous counseling, support and information.