FASHION
GOOD MORNING, GLAM4GOOD
JUNE 29, 2020
WORDS
by KRISTOPHER FRASER
PHOTOGRAPHY
COURTESY of MARY ALICE STEPHENSON
Between the global pandemic and civil rights protests, charity organizations have become as important as ever. GLAM4GOOD certainly hasn’t been resting on its laurels during this time, and recently launched a COVID-19 Critical Aid Initiative. This is already on top of the several other programs they have to empower and uplift women across America.
Founded by Mary Alice Stephenson, GLAM4GOOD was her brainchild to help honor courage, raise awareness, inspire confidence, ignite joy and enhance the lives of everyday heroes and people in need. After spending over 20 years in the fashion and beauty industries working for some of the world’s most prestigious fashion magazines, brands, media outlets and celebrities, she wanted to do something to give back.
Stephenson has been a style commentator for CNN, the fashion director of Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar, and has held stints at Vogue and Allure too. GLAM4Good began as a personal mission for her, and in 2016 it became an official non-profit organization. Throughout the course of her work, Stephenson has had some deeply inspiring moments.
“There have been times when we when I was in a shelter, in a hospital room, in a domestic violence safe house and a woman or a girl came up to me and my team with an expression of happiness, relief, and love,” Stephenson said. “The looks on their faces when they feel someone cares, when they have been validated and most importantly, they feel good about themselves makes it all worth it all. Clothing, toiletries, and beauty products are essential in life. GLAM4GOOD provides the tools to help people feel confident to go get that job, to fight that illness, to start a new path, to empower courage to go after their dreams, to help their kids. The fashion and beauty industry have the ability to change lives with the excess it produces and the platform it has to raise awareness.”
While there are many unfortunate reasons women and young people connect their self-worth with physical appearance, when they are given the tools to permit themselves to feel and look their best it propels their confidence. Stephenson’s GLAM4GOOD events have seen miracle moments from teens battling life-threatening illnesses to getting up from their wheelchairs and hospital beds with recharged resilience. “We have worked with women to reclaim their femininity and re-enter civilian life after serving our country, and had them say, ‘today was the first day I feel truly feel beautiful and it’s liberating,’” Stephenson said.
In her initiatives for hospitals, homeless and domestics shelters her team styles, pampers and creates wardrobes for women and girls for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they are just inspiring hope, health, second chances or a confidence or moral reboot. The various forms of self-esteem enhancing support include, but are not limited to, clothing, accessories, beauty products, personal care items, and confidence building services and experiences. The six impact pillars that GLAM4GOOD surrounds its mission around including homeless, natural disaster, victimization of women and girls, health underserved youth, and gender equality.
