I Can Still Shine (ICSS) is an agency that provides multi-faceted services to support to women and their families in DFW. The agency helps women leave abusive homes and assists women coming from substance-abuse programs. Since 1995, ICSS has helped over 500 women and children, each year, escape from violent situations.
The District 5790 Rotary Online Across the Metroplex (ROAM) e-Club, led by Romy Martin, organized a toiletry and school supply drive to support this powerful and inclusive agency further their mission. In the words of the ICSS leadership, "When women leaves a violent home, they don’t know how they will survive. They’ve been told they can’t make it on their own. We show them how they can!"
Just days after hearing a ZOOM presentation detailing their service and the increasing need in the DFW community from the leadership team of I CAN STILL SHINE, the ROAM 5790 Rotary Club was energized to action. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the needs of the women and families serviced by ICSS has increased dramatically and they are challenged to keep up.
The ROAM 5790 eClub is a creative and flexible club, by their very nature. Under the leadership of Club President Romy Martin, members, friends, and families organized themselves through What'sApp to do a virtual toiletry and supply drive for I CAN STILL SHINE. Participants gathered or purchased items and then met up for a socially-distant drop-off and tour. Members reached out to the social media community groups and asked for donations, engaged their children in packing toiletry bags, and contacted local shops for donations during the course of running their family errands. It was remarkable to see how much this young club got done in a short period of time!
ICSS offers a number of services for their clients, including provision of food, clothing, linens, and personal care items, exercise and art classes, rent and utilities support, and college tuition to TCC as funds permit