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HanesBrands, Free The Girls to Support Women Rescued from Human Trafficking



August 16, 2019

HanesBrands, Winston-Salem, N.C., has partnered with nonprofit group Free The Girls to help women re-establish their lives after being rescued from human trafficking.

The company’s more than 200 retail stores in the United States and Puerto Rico are accepting new and gently used bras to be donated to Free The Girls. Donated bras are used by the nonprofit to help human trafficking survivors in Mozambique, El Salvador and Costa Rica establish secondhand apparel resale businesses to earn sustainable incomes.

“Partnering with Free The Girls is a natural fit for HanesBrands, a company known for producing a wide array of apparel designed to empower women,” says Missy Sage, the company’s vice president of retail store operations. “We are pleased to put the power of our retail operations behind this visionary organization to raise awareness of this important issue and provide an opportunity for the millions of people who visit our stores each year to take part in addressing the needs of survivors.”

Stores already are reporting a positive reaction to the partnership. In fact, a consumer shopping in a Locust Grove, Ga., HanesBrands store was so inspired by the program that she returned the next day to donate 50 bras, according to the company.


“We are so grateful HanesBrands chose to make a tangible difference in the lives of human-trafficking survivors by partnering with Free The Girls,” says Courtney Skiera-Vaughn, executive director of Free The Girls. “For nearly a decade, we have been working to help previously exploited women lead vibrant and successful lives — and we rely on influential brands and compassionate individuals to help make this vision a reality.”

Free The Girls provides survivors with initial bra inventories at no cost, along with free financial planning, budgeting, inventory management and other critical support services to assist the women as they start their businesses. The organization also provides low-cost inventory replenishment once businesses are up and running.

For more information about Free The Girls, click here. — D.S.


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