HSN Cares Introduces 'First Impressions' Boutique
HSN Cares is dedicated to empowering women and helping families in times of need locally, nationally and globally. Earlier this year HSN Cares offered the HSN Outlet and Emplorium store managers the opportunity to vote between three local organizations that empower women and help families in times of need. The vote was unanimous in favor of CASA, Community Action Stops Abuse. The HSN Outlet and Emplorium stores began a month-long fundraiser that, coupled with a corporate donation, generated in $50,000 in support of CASA.
For over 40 years CASA’s services have been a platform for survivors to find strength and independence. Each year, more than 10 million individuals are silenced by domestic violence. Their programs bring safety, strength, and stability to survivors through community action.
The HSN Cares relationship with CASA united our colleagues in support of a cause that we are all passionate about through the creation of HSN Cares First Impressions Boutique at CASA. The goal was to create a boutique with new clothing donated by HSN for the women who are staying at the shelter to wear on interviews, ect., to ensure they have something new to wear that is appropriate for getting back into the workforce. Often women stay at the shelter for 1-3 months at a time and arrive with nothing.
“The First Impressions Boutique truly embodies the mission of HSN Cares, which is to empower women and help families in times of need,” said Andrea Masterson, HSN Cares. “The Boutique not only provided us with an opportunity to give back to our local community, but it allowed us to leverage many of our talented employees.”
The ribbon cutting of the boutique took place on September 14th . The end result was the product of months of work by HSN employees. From employees coming together to first raise the funds that it would take to bring the boutique to life, to the creative and sets teams working together to build out a beautiful boutique on site at CASA and our merchandising teams assorting a collection of items that residents can shop- at no cost to them- for apparel to wear to job interviews, it took a village.
“For many survivors of domestic violence, shopping in the HSN First Impressions Boutique will be the first clothing choice they are able to make separate from the control of an abuser,” said Lariana Forsythe, CASA CEO. “HSN Cares has been a tremendous partner to CASA and we hope HSN’s impact can serve as an example for other community members to find unique and creative ways to get involved.”
For more information on CASA and Domestic Violence :
Programs
Prevention & Education
- ‘Peacemakers’ teaches age appropriate healthy relationship skills to children and teens.
- Adult education focuses on strategies to assist employees and minimize long-term impact on businesses.
Survivor Support
- Safety planning, support and connection to resources are assistance every domestic violence survivor needs.
- CASA also provides emergency shelter for up to 45 days, justice advocacy, support groups, advocacy, youth programming, economic empowerment programs and so much more.
CASA’s Community
- CASA recognizes that everyone is unique and so is each person’s experience with domestic violence – and are here to help.
- Advocates are judgement-free and work with women, men, LGBTQ persons and their children who seek liberation from domestic violence.
About Domestic Violence
- Domestic violence is the willful use of physical assault, sexual assault, stalking, threats, intimidation, emotional abuse or financial control as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by a current or former intimate partner. This includes behaviors that physically harm, humiliate, isolate, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish or forces them to behave in ways they do not want.
Statistics
- 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime
- On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide
- 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence
- Domestic Violence is the third leading cause of homelessness for families
- 10 million children are exposed to domestic violence each year
- Domestic Violence victims lose nearly 8 million days of paid work per year in the US alone.