Silver Spring resident’s nonprofit named ‘Good Neighbor of the Year,’ awarded $100K on Kelly Clarkson Show

I Support the Girls founder Dana Marlowe jumped for joy upon learning the news

December 23, 2024 11:40 p.m.

Silver Spring resident Dana Marlowe, founder of the locally-based nonprofit I Support the Girls, jumped for joy upon learning Friday that The Kelly Clarkson Show had selected the organization as its 2024 Good Neighbor of the Year, a distinction that came with a $100,000 donation from Starbucks.

Marlowe cheered, jumped around the TV studio and excitedly waved a giant cardboard check in the air after Clarkson surprised her with the news during an episode of the NBC daytime talk show, according to a YouTube video.

In that moment of joy, Marlowe told MoCo360 on Monday evening, winning felt “unbelievable.”

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“It didn’t feel real,” she said. “Donations like that don’t come around every day. So, we’re extra grateful and mindful about them.”

Marlowe said the $100,000 check will help the organization run local pop-ups across the Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Virginia areas. At the pop-ups the organization will provide free bras, underwear, menstrual products and toiletries.

Marlowe’s nonprofit was a finalist in the TV show’s 2024 Good Neighbor of the Year contest, which aims to highlight people around the country who are making a difference in their communities. I Support the Girls runs several programs, including collecting and distributing hygiene and menstrual products, bars and underwear to people and families experiencing homelessness, poverty or distress, according to the nonprofit’s website. The organization has 51 affiliate locations in and outside of the United States.

“This is my favorite segment because I love getting the word out on these superheroes in these communities doing incredible things,” Clarkson said.

During the show, Marlowe explained “the need is really great” when it comes to hygiene products. She noted that in the last nine years I Support the Girls has distributed between 3 million and 4 million products to recipients every year.

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“We hear every day in my inbox, women and girls and moms in need are saying, ‘Can you please help me out? You know, I have to choose between packing my child’s school lunches, and pads and tampons.’ And so, that’s not a choice, this is about dignity,” Marlowe said.

Marlowe noted that in December alone, the organization has distributed more than 500,000 products and was expecting to have distributed a total of 11 million products by the end of 2024.

Part of the organization’s success stems from strong local support for the nonprofit since its inception, Marlowe said.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today, having donated 36 million products, if local friends weren’t like, ‘Hey, this is a good idea. This is a need. I want to help you out.’ It’s really been a collective community effort that has moved us along,” Marlowe told MoCo360.

Local schools, restaurants and neighbors have been involved by hosting collection drives and volunteering at the organization’s headquarters, she said.

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“There were so many people involved in supporting what was just a little idea in 2015,” Marlowe said. “I think that’s the important element that I think is neat to harp on, is that this started as just like a little idea in trying to do good locally here. And it really grew.”

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