Same Dress for 5 Days: Junior League of Clearwater Dunedin Fights Poverty With Little Black Dress Initiative

Nonprofit members will be wearing black dresses for a week-long campaign to raise funds and awareness of poverty-related issues in the community. 

 

Dunedin, Fla. (Jan. 11, 2021) —The Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin (JLCD) will hold its 4th annual Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) on January 25, 2021. LBDI is a week-long awareness and fundraising campaign to shine a light on issues surrounding poverty in Pinellas County. The campaign will run from January 25 – 29, 2021. 

 

Little Black Dress Initiative JLCD 2021During LBDI, participants wear one black dress for five consecutive days, illustrating the impact of limited resources on access, opportunities, and self-esteem. The campaign sparks conversations about poverty and raises funds to support the on-ongoing community work of JLCD.

 

Children in Pinellas County face hunger each day. In Pinellas County, 1 in 5 children is considered food insecure. An estimated 15.6% of children in Pinellas County live in poverty. Poverty can disadvantage a child for life. Several studies have shown poverty and financial stress can impede a child’s cognitive development and, consequently, their ability to learn. 

 

The LBDI campaign is a platform to engage in open discussions about the effects of limited resources on a family, and its detrimental repercussions on literacy and education, while undermining hope for their future. All of the funds collected by the League’s initiative will go towards outreach programs in North Pinellas County.

 

 “The COVID-19 pandemic has led to compounded poverty and unemployment in our community. Children are the most vulnerable and affected by food insecurity. Missed meals can lead to missed opportunities due to difficulty focusing and learning,” states JLCD President Mary Ellen Shaffer, “With the Little Black Dress Initiative campaign, we hope to continue raising awareness and funds for our community work helping the most vulnerable in North Pinellas.” 

 

For more information on The Little Black Dress Initiative, its impact, and how to donate, visit JuniorLeagueLBD.org.

 

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Click here for the official press release