Giving back
At Poplin, giving back is part of our personal style.
Giving back is woven into every aspect of Poplin and has been since the first day. After all, Mellicia’s first career and education are in philanthropy and we are committed to doing our part to make the world a better place for all.
We focus our energy on 1-3 nonprofit organizations at a time. Here are a few of the ways we give back now, some info about our past giving and some ways for you to give back, too.
We Engage
“I have to rave about Poplin Style not only because Mellicia is so fiendishly stylish, but also because she is using her platform to do so much good! Mellicia used her blog to highlight the work of my employer, Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, for the work we are doing in Eastern Washington. We engaged with so many fantastic (and highly fashionable) new supporters that we NEVER would’ve connected with because of her efforts. And she makes giving back a baked-in part of her business model. It means so much that she would promote us and connect us to her community. Highly recommend!”
-Emily, Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho
Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho
We partnered with Office of Ordinary Architecture and raised over $20,000 for Planned Parenthood along the Idaho border. Enormous thanks to the Poplin Community who stepped up to support women’s healthcare.
Washington Women’s Foundation
Poplin founder, Mellicia Marx, is an active Board Member of the Washington Women’s Foundation, a collective of strong, informed, and purposeful women who share a passion for community transformation in Washington State. Poplin sponsors a table each year at the Foundation’s Pop Up for Women and Girls. Currently, she is leading the Membership Task Force to nurture a sustainable membership base. Previously, she was a member of the Grantee Engagement Team, working to support grantee agencies with a trust-based philanthropy approach. Essentially, she worked to ensure that nonprofit organizations and leaders who are experts in their fields have the support and resources they need to improve the world in strategic and long-lasting ways. In that role, her energy went to Yakima Music in Accion (YAMA) and Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and Northern Idaho.
We Donate
Poplin gives back financially, too. Below are a few of the organizations that have received monetary donations or gift certificates.
Woodland Park Zoo, Broadview Thompson School, Early Learning and Development Center, The Ruby Room, YouthCare, the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho , The Center for Reproductive Rights, Earth Justice, Stolen Youth, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, The Inc. Co-working space for parents, Vacaville High School Scholarship Fund, Washington Women’s Foundation.
How you can help: Donate to your favorite organizations to empower them to do great work in the community.
We’ve Been Giving Back Since Day 1
We’ve been super fans of several organizations over the years. In the past, we’ve been focused on supporting these two.
Our volunteer styling team supporting YouthCare. Chad Everett, Matthew Dill, Mellicia Marx (owner Poplin Style Direction), Courean Napolitano (owner Vixen Day Spa & Boutique), Craig Gibson, Randi Eseltine, Maggie Burns (owner re-souL, not pictured).
Styling Sessions for Homeless Youth ages 16-24
From 2014-2020, Poplin partnered with YouthCare and FareStart to conduct monthly styling sessions for homeless and at risk youth who are in an 8 week training program to become baristas. Whether you are a CEO or a young person on the street, if you don't feel good about how you look, your confidence suffers. These young people, a disproportionate number of whom are LGBTQIA+ or people of color, enjoy an afternoon exploring their personal styles, learning what's appropriate for job interviews and shopping from clothes donated by the community. The sessions are fun and sometimes silly. They also include questions like, "do you have somewhere to store clothes," and often include help with transitioning for trans individuals or learning to feel pretty without feeling objectified.
Poplin clients were also actively involved: donating clothing for the styling sessions and attending the YouthCare Annual luncheon.
…Mellicia and the Poplin team do an amazing job of not only teaching youth about appropriate work and interview attire, but also empowering them and building up their confidence by helping them to look and feel great. They provide our youth with individualized attention and advice, and are conscientious and respectful of their personal boundaries. They are wonderful at taking into account their unique needs, and offer practical advice and suggestions in light of the fact that homeless youth need multi-functional, comfortable attire….
The Ruby Room is a nonprofit that provides formal wear to low income teens, foster youth, and those experiencing homelessness. Poplin Style owner, Mellicia Marx, is among the people advocating in the video.
Styling Sessions for Prom
The Ruby Room offers young people the opportunity to look and feel their best at prom, regardless of their financial situations. Poplin is a longtime supporter including volunteering to style youth, attending the Ruby Room gala, donating services and more. In fact, one year Mellicia was a judge for the Ruby Room Ion Fashion Event and you can also see her advocating for youth in the video.