WIT will use the branded WIT Mobile to distribute WITKITS of menstrual, dental and hygiene supplies, incontinence supplies, food and other emergency supplies to families.
In August 2024, the American Red Cross of Central Alabama donated an Emergency Response Vehicle to the Women in Training, Inc. as part of the national Red Cross Community Adaptation Program. Women in Training, Inc. will use the new WIT Mobile to deliver WITKITS of menstrual, dental and hygiene supplies, incontinence supplies, as well as other emergency supplies, to underserved families in schools, shelters and community events.
Women in Training, Inc. 17-year-old founders, Breanna and Brooke Bennett, will unveil the WIT Mobile at the second annual WIT International Day of the Girl Festival being held on Sept. 28, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the City of Montgomery Union Station Train Shed, 210 Waters Street in Montgomery, Alabama. WIT volunteers will distribute WITKITS of menstrual, dental and hygiene supplies at the free community event.
This collaboration between Women in Training, Inc. and the Red Cross is part of the American Red Cross Community Adaptation Program which provides enhanced support in select communities across the country that are at high risk for extreme weather and face socioeconomic challenges. The program focuses on enhancing local nonprofits specializing in health, hunger and housing to strengthen their programs before a disaster and to serve families hit hard by this new increasing state of climate disasters.
"Women In Training, Inc. is already a vital force in building a stronger, more resilient community in and around Montgomery County, reducing missed school and workdays for women in underserved areas,"said Shannon Randoph, community disaster risk reduction manager for the American Red Cross Community Adaptation Program of Montgomery County. "With the addition of this vehicle, we hope Women in Training, Inc. can expand their reach even further, increasing their inventory capacity and streamlining delivery routes."
Women in Training, Inc. first connected with the American Red Cross in January 2023. At that time, Women in Training, Inc. volunteers provided disaster relief services for girls, women and families affected by both the Selma and Mississippi Delta region tornadoes.
"We are so excited about this generous donation from the American Red Cross because transportation was a major challenge for us in getting food, menstrual products and other cleaning and hygiene supplies to families in Selma and the Mississippi Delta who lost their homes and jobs in the tornadoes of 2023," said Adeyela Bennett, President and CEO, Women in Training, Inc. "This tremendous resource of a large vehicle will positively impact our ability to respond quickly and efficiently to help meet the needs of girls and their families, especially in times of disaster. Help can’t wait!”
In January 2023, WIT volunteers drove multiple personal cars from Montgomery to deliver 100 WITKITS of menstrual, dental and hygiene supplies to girls and their families affected by the tornados that devastated Selma, Alabama. The WITKITS distribution took place at the American Red Cross Shelter at Selma High School and in hotels that served as temporary shelters.
United States Congresswoman Terri Sewell greeted the WIT team at the Red Cross Shelter at Selma High School.
In February 2023, WIT volunteers again traveled from Montgomery to Selma.
"This time, we delivered nearly 29,000 pounds of packaged food, sanitary pads, tampons and other dental and hygiene supplies to families who lost their homes in the tornado. Volunteers from the United States Air Force delivered the supplies to the Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church in Selma for distribution to the community," Bennett said.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provided a 53-foot truck load of supplies for this disaster relief project. The supplies could serve 672 families in need.
Then, in April 2023, WIT donated about 200 packs of Always period products by Procter & Gamble to the Southern Poverty Law Center to distribute to girls and families in the Mississippi Delta region where a tornado killed 14 people and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses.
"Their track record includes delivering essential supplies to Red Cross shelters during disasters, and they’ve now committed to adding incontinence supplies for shelter residents," Randolph said. "WIT continues to make a lasting impact. The American Red Cross is deeply grateful for their partnership and dedication to our community."
Each year, the Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters across the country by providing food, shelter, emotional support, financial assistance and supplies. Here in Montgomery County, this includes more than 300 disasters a year.
One in four American girls and young women skip school or miss work because they cannot afford sanitary pads or tampons to stay healthy and clean during their period. To alleviate
period poverty, Women in Training, Inc.'s teenage twin co-founders, Breanna and Brooke Bennett, successfully advocated for unanimous passage of Alabama State Rep. Rolanda Hollis’ HB 50 that allocates $400,000 annually to Title I schools to provide menstrual supplies for more than 50,000 menstruating girls statewide.
WIT also distributes WITKITS of menstrual, dental and hygiene supplies to girls and women in need to help end period poverty. Since July 2019, Women in Training, Inc. volunteers have given away more than 30,000 WITKITS at schools, shelters and at community events. The nonprofit organization also provides menstrual education training, and operates the WIT Leadership Development Academy for middle and high school girls.
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