Why BRAWS Was Started

Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters (BRAWS) was launched out of necessity in 2014, when founder Holly Seibold discovered new bras, underwear, and menstrual products were not being provided by shelters, social services, and other charitable organizations. See more in the video below.

About our Founder

HOLLY SEIBOLD

Holly Seibold is the Founder of BRAWS - Bringing Resources to Aid Women's Shelters. Holly is a fierce advocate for women's rights, currently serving in the House of Delegates District 35 in Richmond Va. Until stepping down to pursue her political career full-time in 2021, she served as the organization’s first Executive Director.

Holly also is a co-founder of the Virginia Menstrual Equity Coalition (VMEC), a statewide coalition that mobilizes supporters to collectively take action on the injustice of menstrual inequity. She has participated in several prominent panels, including Netroots Nation 2018, “Menstrual Equity: Practical Action to Public Policy” and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), “The Case for Menstrual Equity: How Policies Surrounding Menstruation Affect Outcomes for Women.” Holly presented a TedX Talk on menstrual equity and has also been featured in multiple national and local media outlets.

Holly was named the 2017 Emerging Influential Leader of the Year by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Rising Star Heroine of the 2017 Heroines of Washington Awards, the 2020 DAR Community Service Award, and designated a Citation of Merit from the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations 2020 Citizen of the Year. 

Holly is a graduate of George Washington University with a M.Ed in Elementary Education, as well a B.A. in the interdisciplinary study of Communications, Law, Economics and Government from American University in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of the 2018 Emerge Virginia program.