A new charity is using dresses to help build confidence and end cyberbullying.
The nonprofit “Believe in Yourself” travels around the country to areas with high poverty rates to provide underprivileged girls with new dresses for special occasions. Founder and President Sam Sisakahti says the organization provides more than dresses.
"So the way it typically works is I'll go into a city and I'll work with the Boys and Girls Club within that area, and they'll compile a list of girls with their names and dress sizes. We'll provide each girl a brand new dress based off need," said Sisakahti. "And we actually have each girl fill out an index card with what her goal is for the school year or extracurricular goal. If they achieve that goal we'll send them another dress as well. The whole thing is towards inspiring young women to be confident and pursue their dreams, is the whole concept behind the charity."
The agency works with Boys and Girls Clubs of America to get names and dress sizes.
"Another cool thing we're doing is we're actually going to start rolling out online streaming videos of mentors. Where kids around the country can actually go on believeinyourself.org and sign up and speak with a mentor live weekly," said Sisakahti.
Community organizations interested in receiving dresses, as well as anyone wanting to donate or volunteer as a speaker or mentor can visit: www.believeinyourself.org.
