Undies for Everyone raises self-esteem one pair at a time
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Volunteers in Houston are working to help children who go without a basic necessity, clean underwear. It can help build confidence and even stop bullying.
"It just seemed like a really basic need that was not being addressed," said founder of Undies for Everyone in Bellaire. "We're wanting to encourage self-esteem and dignity and confidence so that the kids will stay in school."
This year, the non-profit is expected to distribute more than a quarter of a million pairs of boys and girls underwear.
Their mission is to serve elementary and middle school aged children. Weiss said she got the idea to start collecting new underwear in 2008 when she wrote a blog about the need. Weiss said four years later, a delivery to an elementary school motivated her to keep going with her mission.
"A nurse had contacted me at a low income school and I went over there with some underwear," said Weiss. "I looked down and there was a little girl who had an accident and there was no underwear. "
Since 2012, the group has received millions of new underwear for distribution. Many of those donations came in the months after Hurricane Harvey. Weiss said from August to December of 2017, Undies for Everyone received more than 1.5 million pairs from all over the world.
"We had boxes and bags to the ceiling," said Weiss.
The group is still distributing the underwear to hurricane victims through other organizations. The group doesn't directly distribute to individuals at their headquarters.
