March is Women's History Month, which is a celebration of women's contributions to history. We cannot even begin to count the ways we are indebted to and grateful for the women who came before us. In an effort to celebrate women in history while supporting women and girls of the present, we are continuing with our Good. Works. Wednesday program. Penny Post and Red Barn Mercantile will be giving 20 percent of our (non-custom) sales every Wednesday in March to an organization that specifically supports and empowers women. 

The schedule is as follows: 

March 2: The Spitfire Club is an extracurricular book club built around a collection of children's literature featuring strong, diverse female protagonists. By creating demand for and building an inclusive community around diverse girl-positive books, The Spitfire Club enhances literacy and social-emotional skills, nurturing each Spitfire's love of reading, love of self, and love for Spitfires across all communities.

March 9: Friends of Guest House helps women successfully reenter the community from incarceration. Since its founding in 1974, Guest House has helped more than 4,000 women break the vicious cycle of incarceration, reunite with their families, and reintegrate into their communities.

March 16: Bringing Resources to Aid Women's Shelters (BRAWS) provides menstrual supplies and undergarments to women and children in crisis who do not have access to critical, basic needs in our community and around the world. Their goal is to provide resources for economic and educational success, aid in achieving stability, as well as increase long-term health benefits and well-being. Since 2015, through partnerships with shelters, schools, food pantries, and community organizations, BRAWS has distributed over four million pads, tampons, new bras, and underwear to women and children in crisis.

March 23: Together We Bake is a comprehensive workforce training and personal development program for underserved and underrepresented women. They help women gain self-confidence, transferable workforce skills, and invaluable hands-on experience, which will allow them to find employment and move toward self-sufficiency.

March 30: Space of Her Own (SOHO) is committed to helping girls make good choices, live healthfully, communicate openly, progress academically, and give back to others in order to lead fulfilling lives. The SOHO Club provides activities and services to SOHO girls and their mentors throughout their middle school years, promoting long-term mentoring relationships and ongoing learning opportunities.

We are so happy to be able to spotlight and support these wonderful organizations. Our weekly donations are just a small thank you to the incredibly important work they are doing in the DMV region. Spending a little bit of time this month learning more about women's history and the organizations dedicated to lifting women up feels like a good way to honor them. We hope you'll take the time to learn a bit more about the work they're doing, and don't forget to shop on Wednesdays.