Just over 12 months ago, Thread Together launched a Wardrobe and Capsule Service designed to assist women and children feeling domestic violence. Leaving a domestic violence situation rarely allows time for the victim-survivors to collect their personal belongings and they often arrive with just the clothes on their backs. Shelters across the country save lives but often didn’t have a dignified solution for clothing. Thread Together identified a gap to provide immediate clothing on arrival for women and children escaping domestic violence.
Thread Together marked a major milestone this week in the lead-up to International Women’s Day, with its Wardrobe and Capsule service now installed in 100 women’s shelters across Australia, all stocked with brand new, essential clothing for women and children donated by supporting fashion partners. Wardrobes include underwear, socks, sleepwear and tracksuits. Since the program was launched, nearly 3,000 women and children have been able to access new clothing on arrival, with dignity.
Given the need and heightened demand, this ground-breaking emergency clothing service is set to expand. Thread Together’s Wardrobe and Capsule service is planning to expand into another 100 women’s shelters across Australia as more women and children seek help to start a new life free of violence.
Thread Together Chief Executive Officer Anthony Chesler said: “We have developed a scalable solution that supports victim-survivors as they restore their dignity. Given the importance of the service and the demand, there is currently a waitlist of 30 shelters. We believe every woman and child deserves to have the dignity of new clothes on arrival after leaving in such traumatic circumstances.”
“As a domestic and family violence refuge, we work with women who have left home in unsafe situations,” said Sallianne Faulkner General Manager Bayside Women’s Shelter.
“When we see them, they can take a breath, because their children are safe, they have a roof over their heads and then what does the next steps look like. Which is where Thread Together wardrobes come in beautifully. The wardrobe is fully stocked with all sizes of brand-new underwear and clothing. Most of the time they don’t have a lot with them, so we are able to start with dignity, talking to them about what they need, and we are able to provide that for them.”
“The wardrobe service is important because its empowering. It’s that choice that this wardrobe gives them, and that choice is power. It’s giving them power back that they haven’t had before,” said Peggy, a caseworker at Bayside Women’s Shelter.
While this program is about closing the gap for women and children who need immediate clothing upon arrival at shelters, once settled into their temporary accommodation, recipients will have the opportunity to order a more substantial wardrobe for themselves and their children via the Thread Together online service.
The program has been made possible by the financial and clothing support of Payce Foundation, The Saunders Family, Commonwealth Bank and Goodman Foundation.
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