(Boise) – Women’s clothing company LuLaRoe recently donated 2,500 pieces of new clothing to Idaho’s domestic violence and human trafficking community programs. LuLaRoe, the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, and the Idaho Attorney General’s office collaborated to bring the donation to Idaho and distribute the items throughout the state.

DeAnne and Mark Stidham, co-founders of LuLaRoe, stated: “Our mission is to create freedom, serve others, and strengthen families through fashion. It’s a community where lives are being improved through love, purpose, confidence, trust and growth. We are grateful for opportunities like this to provide beautifully designed clothing, with a lot of heart behind it, to victims of domestic violence and human trafficking within our communities. On behalf of our family, our team, and the thousands of independent fashion retailers all across America, thank you for letting us serve.”

The donation comes at a time when Idaho’s domestic violence shelters are seeing increased rates of Idahoans seeking services, related in part to COVID-19.

“I’d like to thank LuLaRoe for its generous donation to these members of Idaho’s community who face such a need,” Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. “The pandemic has upended all of our lives, and this act of kindness helps to bring light to those facing such darkness.”

Chauntelle Lieske, Executive Director of Safe Passage in Coeur d’Alene, explained some of the ways that the LuLaRoe donation directly benefits individuals: “We are so thankful for the generous donation from LuLaRoe for our survivors. So often our survivors are leaving their homes in the middle of the night to seek safety. They are leaving with nothing but the clothes on their backs or small bags packed for their children. A victim of sexual assault is asked to leave their clothing at the hospital as evidence and is forced to walk out of the ER in a hospital gown. Clothing donations are so very important for our survivors because it’s a small way to say you matter and here is one less thing you have to worry about. When they come to the shelter or we meet them at the hospital and we can tell them not to worry we have new clothes for them, the sense of relief on their face shows. It takes a whole community to address domestic and sexual violence; thank you for standing with us.”

Community-based programs are often funded by federal grants that require a match from fundraising and in-kind donations. The pandemic has impacted the ability of domestic violence and sexual assault programs to meet match requirements. The LuLaRoe donation helps fill this gap for many of those programs.

“This donation is such a bright spot during this time,” said Heather Cunningham, Executive Director of the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance. “Domestic violence and sexual assault programs in Idaho’s communities work so hard to provide essential services to survivors, while meeting stringent grant requirements. We are grateful LuLaRoe reached out to our state to benefit survivors and also the programs that make safety and healing possible.”

Additional media contact: Heather Cunningham, Executive Director of the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance: 208-332-1540.