Days for Girls Poulsbo WA Chapter

Congratulations to Cathy, our 2024 Raffle Quilt winner!
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Whew!

It's been a busy couple of weeks for DfG Poulsbo! We had our late spring Sewin on the 27th (see pics), it was a whopping success! Then, our volunteers spent Saturday selling quilt raffle tickets at Town and Country Market in Poulsbo.

What's that? You still haven't bought raffle tickets? Well, you're in luck! Today is your last chance, tomorrow one lucky winner will take home our beautiful Exploding Hearts quilt. DM us (or reach out to one of our volunteers) to get yours.

This quilt, like all the DfG Poulsbo raffle quilts before it, is emblematic of so much more than just a chance to win. It's a symbol of our effort and commitment to help girls, women, and menstruators all over the world-and right here at home. We strive not only to give the tools they need to manage their periods, but to provide them with health education and a pathway to economic empowerment.

Want to be part of this? It's easy:

1. Volunteer
2. Get Educated
3. Spread the Word
4. Donate

DM us anytime to get involved, and be sure to watch for upcoming events, we would love to see your smiling faces!

Get ready for our next big Sewin! We'll be working on drawstring bags, see you there!

Send a message to learn more

Our spring sewin was a rousing success! It was so good to see all your happy faces, especially on such a beautiful day!

Our next sewin is on June 8th at 10:45 Kitsap Regional Library in Silverdale

And don't forget, raffle tickets are available until May 13th, $1 a piece. DM us or contact one of our volunteers to get yours!

And we're live!

Volunteering happening right now! We'll be at the Poulsbo Kitsap Regional Library for the next couple hours, stop by and say hi!

Want to know more about what Days for Girls is all about? Want to learn why Girls all over the world miss out on Days of school every month? Stop by and see what beautiful Kits are volunteers are busy crafting.

We send Kits both abroad and to those in need right here at home. Our current partnership is with North Kitsap Fishline , where we distribute our Sustainable Menstrual Health Kits.

See you soon!

March 8th is International Women‘s Day!

(Yes we're a little late in posting, but, life happens)
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DfG Poulsbo would like to give a huge shout-out to the efforts of to reach girls, women, and menstruators all over the globe.

We believe in advocating for the need to invest in women and promotegender equality. Gender and menstrual equality are key to building a better future,and we're proud to be a part of it.


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Check out our 2024 Raffle Quilt, handmade by own of our incredible volunteers! Aptly dubbed "Exploding Hearts", all proceeds from our raffle (tics are 1$) go towards materials and freight costs for Kits.

DM us if you want a raffle ticket or 2! Drawing will be held in May.

Check out these beautiful Kits! has committed 100 Kits to the Etta Projects/ Proyectos Etta in Bolivia in 2024. In addition, we continue to provide North Kitsap Fishline with PODs (Personal Objects of Dignity) for girls, women, and menstruators in our very own community.

Want to get involved? Volunteer, donate materials, or just donate cash, we welcome all! In particular, DfG Poulsbo is looking to add a few more home sewers in 2024.

Know someone who loves to sew/craft, and wants to make new friends in the community, all while creating Kits that will end up in the hands of girls, women, and menstruators who desperately need them?

Dm us on Facebook or Instagram, we'll get you sewing/crafting in no time!

CAPTIONS
1. Completed shields
2. More completed shields
3. Folded washclothes
4. Completed bags
5. 2 bags stuffed with Kits, packed and ready to go

Interested in donating directly to our Chapter? Scan this QR code, or go to https://donate.daysforgirls.org/team/196676

🧡 Happy February from Days for Girls Poulsbo! 🧡

We're thrilled to announce that the first Volunteer Sewing Day of 2024 will be held on March 16th Kitsap Regional Library, see our events for all the details.

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And, without further ado, we present our 2024 raffle quilt: "Scattered Hearts"

Handsewn by our very own Laurie Gatzke, this quilt is a symbol of hope, and love, in this time of so much suffering in so many places. Raffle tickets are $1 each, with every cent going towards purchasing materials and paying shipping costs to get our Kits where they need to go.

The lucky winner will be drawn on May 12th. Tickets can be purchased either from a DfG Poulsbo volunteer, or at one of our sewing events.

🧡 We love all of our volunteers; without you, we couldn't impact the lives of girls, women, and menstruators both around the world and right here in Kitsap. We hope to see your beautiful faces at the March Sewing Day! 🧡

What a spectacular Kit packing day we had at the Lisa Stirrett Creative Warrior Studio last week!

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Thank you to everyone who came by, without you, we couldn't do what we do.

🧡 Just know that every single component you touched---whether that be soap and washcloths, or shields and liners---will end up in the hands of a girl who might have been using garbage or old rags to manage her period. 🧡

🧡 Many of these Kits will make their way to Liberia with Lisa later this year. But, it's not just the Kits that make a difference in girls' lives---it's the health training that goes with them. 🧡

In the DfG health training, girls learn things like:
🧡 What a uterus and ovaries are
🧡 What human trafficking is
🧡 Basic self defense
🧡 How pregnancy happens

There's so much more, but we'll end it here, with a quote from Cheryl, one of our speakers who has personally distributed Kits and given health trainings in Malawi:

🧡 "Educating these girls, is saving their lives." 🧡

Check out www.daysforgirls.org to learn more (you can even take the health training-for free.

If you would like to donate specifically to the Poulsbo Chapter, go to https://donate.daysforgirls.org/team/196676

Happy almost New Year from Days for Girls Poulsbo! 🧵✨

This December, we're celebrating 8 YEARS of DfG Poulsbo doing our small part to help and empower girls, women, and menstruators all over the world, as well as right here in

Over the past 8 years, our incredible volunteers have sewn a whopping 6000 kits.🧡 That's 6000 lives changed, all thanks to the love, support, and hardwork of our community.

In 2023, DfG Poulsbo sewed, packed, and sent:
🧡 190 Kits to Liberia
🧡 50 Kits to Bolivia
🧡 100 PODs to North Kitsap Fishline in Poulsbo

Additionally, we sent 1000 distinct Kit components to the DfG International Distribution Center in Utah for emergency responses.

A heartfelt shoutout to our 2023 Volunteers of the Year, Brandi and Vanessa! 🌈 Your commitment and passion are the driving force of our work. Thank you for being the heart and soul of our community! 🌟💖

We believe in a world where periods are never a problem, where girls and menstruators never have to miss school because of their periods.

Every Girl. Everywhere. Period

Check out our Events to see how you can get involved, or shoot us a DM! We'd love to hear from you!

HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!!!
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"We believe in a world where periods are never a problem."

It's time for a great big Days for Girls Poulsbo update. First off, we have two more sew-ins at the Poulsbo Library (downstairs meeting room) this year:

🧡OCTOBER 14, 10:45-3ish🧡
We will be working on kits that will be headed to Liberia in February with our partner, Liza Stirrett (Lisa Stirrett Creative Warrior Studio).

🧡DECEMBER 9, 10:45-3ish🧡
Our holiday gathering! We will have a holiday gift market, door prizes, giveaways, and holiday treats. We will also be announcing the volunteers of the year. Stop by for great sustainable gifts (by donation), or just to see what DfG Poulsbo is all about!

🧡Even more announcements!🧡

🧡Celeste Mergens, the founder of Days for Girls, has her debut novel "The Power of Days" coming out on Oct. 3rd---it should be a powerful read.

🧡This month, we partnered with the Ettaproject to send 42 kits to new mothers with HIV in Bolivia. We also delivered an additional 15 PODs to Fishline.

🧡Along with their Global Empowerment Mission, DfG International is putting together 2500 hybrid (including both disposable and reusable products) kits for Morocco to help women, girls, and menstruators impacted by the Sept. 8 earthquake. These needs are often overlooked in humanitarian responses to crises. Our distribution centers have enough sewn components for all 2500 kits. However, they do not have enough underwear or other non-sewn components. So, DfG Poulsbo will be donating $600 to purchase these items for the kits going to Morocco.

🧡We want to extend an enormous thank you to our incredibly generous community and the continuing support we receive; none of this would be possible without you. Dear reader, thank you, and thank you once again to all those in our community who seek to help others in whatever way they can---we hope to see you at one of our sewins, even if it's just to say hi!

Finally, the news we've all been waiting for....the winner of the 2023 Days for Girls Poulsbo Quilt Raffle!

First, all of us at DfG Poulsbo would like to extend a warm, heartfelt thank you to everyone who purchased raffle tickets, and to all those who simply wanted to donate money, no tickets needed. Your generosity, empathy, and kindness are what give us hope for tomorrow. Again, thank you to all.

Drum roll!!!

Congratulations to Ann of Poulsbo on winning this year's raffle quilt!

In other news, we are proud to say that Days for Girls International has won two incredible awards so far this year!

The first is the 2023 People's Choice Award, presented by Classy-the online fundraising platform that so many of you generous people have used to make donations directly to our chapter.

The second award comes from the National Coffee Association (NCA), which recently named DfG their 2023 Origin Charity of the Year.

If you would like to get involved, or keep up with DfG International news, head on over to https://www.daysforgirls.org/get-involved/ and sign up for the newsletter.

Finally, there are a few more sew-ins planned for 2023. These have been both tremendous fun and tremendous successes so far this year. If you haven't been to one yet, we would love to see your face! DM or email us at [email protected] for more info.

Hello all! We recently released our 8th chapter newsletter (DM or comment on this post if you would like to be added to that mailing list). Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve been up to, as well as some lovely pictures!

🧡 2023 Quilt Raffle 🧡

First, it’s quilt raffle season! This year our own chapter president, Shirley Wilder, pieced an absolutely stunning quilt from the ‘Happy Together’ pattern (Sew Kind of Wonderful). The quilt features fabrics from Africa. It represents everything DfG stands for—health, dignity, and opportunity for all through menstrual equity.

100% of raffle ticket proceeds will go towards purchasing materials for Kits, as well as shipping costs associated with getting Kits and components where they need to go.

How do you get your chance to win this beautiful quilt? Stop by Kitsap Bank in Silverdale until May 11th to purchase your tickets, and see the quilt in person. We will also be at Town and County Market in Poulsbo on May 13th—the perfect opportunity to give that Mom in your life the chance to win this wonderful quilt! Alternatively, DM us, and we’ll get you taken care of.

🧡 2022 Volunteers of the Year 🧡

We have many incredible volunteers. But in 2022, three people stood out for their hard work, dedication, and compassion. We are pleased to announce that Laurie, CL, and Kathy are our 2022 Volunteers of the Year!

🧡 The Power of Days 🧡

Big news from headquarters, our founder, Celeste Mergens, has a book coming out! ‘The Power of Days: A Story of Resilience, Dignity, and the Fight for Women’s Equity’ will be released by Penguin Random House on October 3rd of this year. Check it out at your local bookstore.

🧡 DfG International Year to Date Distributions 🧡

So far in 2023, the DfG Distribution Center has sent 10,000 kits to Cuba, 5,000 kits to Turkey, and 10,000 kits to Bolivia. We are so proud to say that we’ve had our own small hand in contributing to these staggering numbers!

🧡 DfG Poulsbo and Lisa Stirrett Creative Warrior Studio 🧡

We are pleased to announce that in February we partnered with Lisa Stirrett (The Glass House, Silverdale) and her non-profit Creative Warrior Studio to send 166 kits directly from our chapter to girls, women, and menstruators in Liberia. We hope to work with Lisa again on future distributions, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing our own handmade kits in the hands of those who need them!

🧡 DfG Poulsbo and North Kitsap Fishline 🧡

We haven’t just been busy with international distributions and contributions to DfG’s Distribution Center. This year, DfG Poulsbo partnered with Fishline Food Bank of Poulsbo to get PODs (portable objects of dignity) on the shelves in the food bank.

Volunteers spent three days in April manning a table at the food bank to raise awareness to those in need that our PODs are now available to anyone who uses the food bank. Volunteers personally handed out over 20 PODs, and 40 more went to the shelves. We’re so excited for this partnership, and look forward to working with Fishline for a long time!

(a POD includes 2 shields, 8 liners, 1 carry pouch, and instructions)

🧡 Want to Get Involved? 🧡

DfG Poulsbo is, and has always been, a 100% volunteer run organization. We are always looking for new volunteers—sewers and non-sewers alike! If you’re interested in volunteering, be sure to DM us to get on our mailing list. We have regular sew-in days at the Poulsbo Library that are open to all, and we’re also able to accommodate those who would rather volunteer on an individual basis.

If you would like to be part of our mission to transform periods in pathways, but don’t have the time to volunteer, you can also donate funds or supplies. Use the QR code (see pictures) to donate directly to our Chapter (donations go towards purchasing material, underwear, washcloths, and more). Finally, you can also contribute supplies directly to our chapter. DM us if you’re interested and we’ll give you the details as to what we need.

Finally, thank you to everyone for contributing, and especially to our tireless volunteers. Without you, none of this would be possible. Thanks to volunteers like you, Days for Girls has changed the lives of over 2.8 million girls, women, and menstruators in 145 countries—and counting!

Happy 14th birthday to Days for Girls! DfG Poulsbo is proud to celebrate girls and women everywhere, can you believe that Days for Girls has been changing the world for 14 years?

We're thrilled to share the story of Nokuthula Mangwe-Zulu, one DfG's first seamstresses.

"She joined Days for Girls Eswatini after losing her job in one of the textile factories in Matsapa."

"Nokuthula is a typical Swati woman who survives on subsistence farming of maize, as well as goat farming. Her normal day includes taking care of her family and ensuring that her boys are ready for school, taking the goats to the open field for feeding, before coming back home to put in a few hours of sewing and other house errands. When Nokuthula joined DfG she spent her time sewing on an old manual sewing machine."

"Fast forward several years to date, and now Nokuthula produces high quality DfG pads and liners in record time on her electric sewing machine and serger. Through her employment with our DfG Eswatini Enterprise, Nokuthula has managed to build and complete her modest family house and even has her own sewing room! "

In Nokuthula's own words: “Days for Girls has literally changed my life. Life is better than it has ever been.”



---Photos and words courtesy of Days for Girls International

Happy International Day of the Girl, 2022!

DFG Poulsbo supports girls worldwide by creating washable, sustainable, and affordable period products---as well as providing health education and training. We're here for every girl, everywhere, period.

Check out https://www.daysforgirls.org/blog/international-day-of-the-girl-2022-get-involved/ to learn more about what Days for Girls is doing to celebrate .

Did you know that girls (10-18) make up 8% of the world’s population? For this year’s , we’re vowing to:

If you’d like to get involved, DM us! We have two sewing days coming up (Oct 15 & Nov 12), and we’d love to see you!

Summer is officially here, and with it, an update from Days for Girls Poulsbo!

This year, our chapter sent Kit components, including underwear, washcloths, and soaps, along with DfG International's shipment to Ukraine. All together, Days for Girls sent 7,536 hybrid kits and four pallets of disposable period products to Ukraine in response to the needs of displaced communities.

We at DfG Poulsbo are proud to do our little part to help those suffering in Ukraine. We continue to support our Enterprise in Senegal, and we look forward to getting even more Kits into the hands of girls, women, and menstruators this year!

If you would like to get involved, or you just want to know a little more about what we do, we have a sewing day coming up! Saturday, August 6th, at the Poulsbo Library. We'll be there from 10:30-3ish, and would love for you to stop by! If you'd like to sew, please message us, and we'll make sure there's a spot for you!

And finally, check out our brand new QR code! This code will take you directly to our chapter's fundraising page at https://donate.daysforgirls.org/team/196676.

Happy summer everyone!

Thank you to everyone who bought tickets for this year's quilt raffle! It was so wonderful to see all the caring people in our community. Thanks to you, we have the funding we need to carry on our mission of giving girls everywhere the dignity they deserve!

Pictured here is our winner, Kim! She was thrilled to receive this beautiful quilt!

We have a few small sewing days coming up this summer, please, message us for details! Space is limited, so reserve your spot today!

Today is Menstrual Hygiene Day! We at Days for Girls Poulsbo are excited to announce that to community outreach in the coming year.
In honor of , we'd like to remind everyone that we have several sewing days coming up over the summer. If you'd like to get involved, and learn more about and the mission of Days for Girls, shoot us a DM (direct message). We would love to hear from you, and sew with you, if you're up for it!

Days for Girls International Partners with This is L. - Days for Girls International Days for Girls International is excited to announce a renewed partnership with This is L. This partnership provides a grant to Days for Girls International for projects in the United States that advance menstrual equity through policy, advocacy, DfG Kits and menstrual health education. An additional...

Raffle quilt day at ! Stop by and see what we do before you hit the parade! All proceeds go to girls, women, and menstruators through our menstrual health kits and supplies.

Hi everyone! It's time to announce our 2022 quilt raffle!

This beautiful quilt top hails from the 1940s or 1950s. It's in incredible condition, and features a hexagon pattern variation of Grandmother's Flower Garden. Our volunteers finished the antique quilt top into what promises to be the coziest, prettiest quilt you'll see all year!

Tickets are $1 each. The quilt will be displayed at Kitsap Bank in Silverdale from May 9 to May 18, you can get tickets there. We will also be at Central Market on May 21 from 9-3 selling tickets.

And, if you can't get to either of those places, feel free to stop by the Poulsbo Library (downstairs meeting room) on May 7, between 10:30-3, to see the quilt, or just to see what goes into a Days for Girls Kit!

We'll be picking the lucky winner on June 1st (notification by contact info). As you know, 100% of raffle quilt ticket sales go towards purchasing materials for Days for Girls Kits. So, every raffle ticket gets one girl closer to menstrual freedom!

Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day and reflect on the theme of 'gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.'

Days for Girls social entrepreneurs are changemakers for climate action. We increase access to eco-friendly reusable period products so that women and girls can reach their full potential and lead the way to a greener tomorrow.

On another front, Days for Girls is actively pursuing partnerships to get kits to women and girls in Ukraine. We at DfG Poulsbo are steaming ahead completing kits so that, when the call for kits for Ukrainian refugees comes, we are ready to help.

Please, if you would like to help get reusable period products to women, girls, and menstruators who need them, shoot us a message. We're always looking for volunteers!

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Happy fall everyone! The rainy season is officially upon us and we hope that everyone is staying safe and warm out there.

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers and donors, Days for Girls Poulsbo has had a stunning year sending kits to girls and women throughout the world. We just sent 200 kits out for the Jordan Humanitarian Relief effort, which brings us up to a whopping 800 kits sent out this year!

Be sure to check back towards the end of the year, we'll post our total numbers for the year. If you're interested in volunteering, donating, or learning more; please direct message us, or email us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

Days for Girls International is in the middle of their end of year 'Equity is Priceless' campaign--you can make donations to support the campaign at https://www.daysforgirls.org/, or if you would like to donate directly to the Poulsbo chapter, please go to https://donate.daysforgirls.org/team/196676.

Enjoy these pictures of our last 'packing' day 🙂

Our summer sewing days are officially behind us, welcome fall!

At our last two summer gatherings we were privileged to be joined by the North Kitsap Soroptimists and the reigning Miss Poulsbo and Miss Kitsap.

We appreciate their time and interest!

We sent out another 270 kits for menstruators in need this month, bringing our year total up to 570.

The Poulsbo chapter will spend the rest of 2021 building more kits and continuing to support our Social Entrepreneurship in Senegal.

Stay tuned for more updates on potential fall/winter sewing days.

Until then, stay safe! And remember:

Another great day of sewing in the books! Remember, we hold small, outdoor group gatherings on select Tuesdays and Saturdays during the summer. Email us at [email protected] for the schedule if you'd like to stop by! It's a great chance to catch up, enjoy the nice weather, and work on some kits.

Many of us never think about the need for menstrual supplies; but imagine being forced to leave your home with little to no warning and no way to pack any supplies. That is the exact situation that thousands of women are facing right now, today, in refugee camps in Chad and across the world.

Periods don't stop. So what do you use? The list of things used is heartbreaking: cardboard, leaves, old rags, corn husks, even chicken feathers! Unsafe and not hygienic.

One Days for Girls Kit contains all the materials necessary to safely and hygienically manage a period for a minimum of 3 years. (See the second picture for a glimpse of what a Kit contains). Days for Girls Poulsbo will be contributing 300 Kits to the 24,000 Days for Girls USA is sending to refugee camps. 21,000 Kits will go to girls in refugee camps in Chad, and 3000 will be sent to to Nicaragua for the relief effort.

Days for Girls Poulsbo Chapter volunteers spent a collective 1500 volunteer hours sewing and crafting these kits, all for the materials cost of about $10 per Kit. Want to get involved? You can donate time, money, or materials and be part of the effort to provide menstrual hygiene Kits and health education to girls and women all over the globe. Message us if you would like to volunteer or donate materials, and follow the link below to donate directly to the Poulsbo Chapter.

https://donate.daysforgirls.org/team/196676

Happy International Women's Day everyone!

The theme for is . Days for Girls Poulsbo is happy to challenge, let's create a gender equal world together! All women matter! Let's continue to push forward with making sure that every girl, every where gets the opportunities she deserves!

Though we are still not planning any in person gatherings, you can still help by donating materials or doing some sewing of your own, message us for details!

Don't worry if you're not the sewing type, you can still help by donating to our chapter at: https://donate.daysforgirls.org/team/196676

And don't forget to check out the brand new Days for Girls International website, you can find it at: www.daysforgirls.org.

We have some exciting things coming up this year, stay tuned for updates soon!

Photo courtesy of www.internationalwomensday.com

2.1 million women and girls served by Days for Girls International! Thank you to all of our local supporters. Our chapter sent oit 400 kits last year. We want to top that this year!

Our commitment to gender equality is ongoing. Celeste Mergens, our CEO and founder, in a recent update stated " It's no secret that the global pandemic is disproportionately harming women and girls. Through its impact on gender -based violence, period poverty and more, COVID-19 has left a "Shadow Pandemic " in it's wake that threatens our hard won progress toward gender equality."

Poulsbo Chapter along with over 1000 chapters worldwide will continue working toward mitigating these setbacks through our sustainable feminine hygiene kits, education and development of Enterprises. Thank you again for your continued support and encouragement for what we do.

Thank you for all that you do, and as always stay safe and be kind.

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Photo Credit: Brandi Allred

Guess which Enterprise got a shout-out from International? That's right, the St. Louis, Senegal enterprise! We are so honored to have been a part of these women's journeys. They are doing incredible things now, 40,000 masks for an NGO?! That's amazing! We are so excited to be a part of this journey, here's to the equal rights and economic enfranchisement of girls, women, and menstruators everywhere!
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We love seeing small-but-mighty Enterprises making a big impact!

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This St Louis, Senegal Enterprise, which began as a tiny operation in a local girls school, just fulfilled an order for 𝟒𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 face masks for an NGO 🙌

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With support from the North Kitsap Rotary Club, Enterprise leaders were able to purchase new sewing machines, move into their own space and even hire 40 more seamstresses for the project - allowing them to make a profound impact on the health 𝘢𝘯𝘥 livelihoods of their community.

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See the sign on their new storefront? The Enterprise's name is 𝑺𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒍 𝑱𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒆𝒏, which means "honor women." Which exactly what they're doing, in every possible way. 😍