Simply Give seeks 10,000 bras, other gifts for 10th annual 'Mardi Bra'

PLAIN TWP. − Ten years ago, Alivia Hershberger was a stay-at-home mom with four children younger than 6.

But she still wanted to do something to help others. Utilizing Facebook, the North Canton resident launched a charity called Simply Give as a means for people who wanted to help others but didn't know how to go about it.

On Feb. 22, the nonprofit will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a "Mardi Bra" event from 6 to 9 p.m. at House Three Thirty at 532 W. Market St. in Akron. The former Tangiers supper club houses the LeBron James Museum.

Homeless women get place to stay: Refuge of Hope opens temporary overnight shelter for homeless women in Stark County

"It started as just a Facebook page, encouraging people to do random acts of kindness," Hershberger said. "Like buying the coffee of the person in line behind you, leaving your 25 cents in the Aldi's cart, or just being friendly to people and giving compliments. I guess I started it because I feel like so many people want to give back, they just don't know where to start. So, by giving them this opportunity, we realized how generous the community is. People want to give for a greater good and for a good cause."

Simply Give is collecting monetary donations as well as in-kind donations of new bras and underwear, and feminine hygiene products to distribute to women's shelters, schools and other nonprofits.

Simply Give enjoys support from other local organizations such as the Stark Community Foundation and the Canton Collective.

Who is the Canton Collective? What is the Canton Culture Collective? New group to promote Stark arts, culture

"It's just a fun girl's night," Hershberger said. "Our goal is to collect for our 10-year anniversary, 10,000 items to give to the local shelters, schools and local women's organizations. Did you know that teachers use their own money to have pads and tampons for girls? People don't know that government assistance doesn't cover these items for women. So, it's just bringing awareness that, hey, every woman should have access to these items. They're not a luxury, they're a necessity."

The event also includes a $100-per-entry competition featuring bras decorated by local businesses, artists and organizations. The audience will decide the winner.

In partnership with the Canton Collective, the winning bras will be featured in a window display managed the by Patina Arts Center on Cleveland Avenue NW, across from Luca restaurant.

Hershberger said Simply Give hosted its first 'Mardi Bra" at La Pizzaria in Jackson Township in 2014.

"We had 30 women in attendance and collected 300 items that year," she said. "We donated them to the YWCA in downtown Canton, the Domestic Violence Project and two or three other places, but those were to main ones."

In the years since, Simply Give has provided assistance to thousands of people. In recent years, volunteers assembled and distributed "period-packs" to local teachers, school guidance counselors and Lighthouse Ministries.

Simply Give also does a cancer-survivor outreach in September.

"We come together and hear a cancer survivor share her story, and we assemble now over 500 chemotherapy care bags, but we started assembling 50," Hershberger said. "When I started, we used to have six events a year but as my kids got older and we started growing, we just focus on those two events each year."

Hershberger lost her father to cancer in 2020, and her mother-in-law a couple of years later.

"Starting this, I didn't know anybody directly that cancer impacted, so the meaning that it became for me was like, so much more," she said. "Actually, the year, my dad passed, I was going to take the year off because we were super close, but I thought like if there was any year people need to be encouraged, it's this year (2020) because people are going to appointments alone."

During the COVID-19 outbreak, Simply Give conducted a drive-thru cancer care bag giveaway outside the Canton Cultural Center.

"We usually host these big events and have people come together to assemble our bags, but one thing that we did put in our bags was a handwritten note of encouragement," Hershberger said.

When a health problem forced Jamey Petit to retire from managing a restaurant four years ago, she sought a way to stay involved in the community.

"I made a deal with God and I said, 'If you let me be able to retire from the restaurant business and be able to afford that, then I'm gonna volunteer and give back," she said. "I saw Simply Give's impact in the community and that's what drew me to her."

Petit said the two met for coffee after she reached out to Hershberger for help with a doll giveaway for sick children.

"I'm like, I can't do anything with this doll. I'm not connected, but this this woman can," Petit recalled. "She is just full speed ahead."

Hershberger asked Petit to join her board.

"She's one of my most active board members and is just like, in for whatever, " Hershberger said of Petit. "She's also very creative. She's been a huge blessing."

For people who can't attend events, Simply Give offers an Amazon Wish List where donors can purchase items.

Hershberger and Petit said the work has been rewarding.

Petit said the handwritten notes for cancer survivors has been one of the most popular things they've done.

"It's just knowing that what we're doing really is making an impact," Petit said. "Hearing from cancer survivors when they e-mail us about the bags that they get; hearing from the school guidance counselors that are handing out the feminine products, just hearing from people directly who it impacts."

Petit said the response to Simply Give strengthens her faith in people.

"People have shocked us with how generous they can be," she said. "I worked with the public a long time, and I always have said, there's more good than bad."

Hershberger said seeing the positive impact on those who help has been a blessing.

"Seeing the joy that it brings other women to give back to the community," she said. "That's it for me, bringing the awareness to the community and just women helping women, that's what we encourage. Women don't know who these items are going to, but they're so happy to do it, and they're so generous and happy for the women to be receiving them."

To learn more about Simply Give, visit the group's Facebook page, Instagram page or email simplygiveah@gmail.com. To buy tickets to the event, check out https://buytickets.at/simplygive/1085036.

To see Simply Give's Wish List scan the QR Code:

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Simply Give seeks 10,000 donations for 'Mardi Bra' donation event