Who We Are?

The #IAmVIStrongTee movement was borne as a creative solution to overcome the financial challenge of getting critical relief shipments home to the Virgin Islands to help with the recovery process after two category-5 hurricanes hit the Virgin Islands.   After these catastrophic natural disasters struck, a team of lifelong friends sprang into action and formed several non-profit organizations to collect and distribute goods to aid the islands.

Collectively, these organizations have raised over $40,000 and shipped over 100 tons of water, food, aid, supplies, medical equipment, tarps, clothing, personal hygiene items and school supplies to the territory.  In addition, this network of charities has provided food and clothing to displaced medical evacuees across the eastern seaboard and awarded $12,000 of the funds raised to local charities in the Virgin Islands.   These donations were split evenly between four organizations with $3,000 going to each of the Family Resource Center, Hope Inc., My Brothers Workshop and the St. Croix Foundation.

During the early response to this disaster people gave frequently and generously, but as the storms began to threaten the mainland United States, the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands which were also impacted by these devastating hurricanes faded into obscurity and the funding inevitably slowed. We designed and started selling the t-shirts to try to continue the momentum of the good works we’ve started as well as continue to shine a light on our resilient, but struggling Virgin Islands.  We used a social media as a form of viral marketing to keep the #VIStrong motto in the hearts and minds of people that continue to support us as well as make others aware of the plight that people in the Virgin Islands continue to suffer… and the response has been OVERWHELMING!  So, thanks for the love!

It is important to note that ALL the proceeds of the #VIStrong shirts benefit the organizations mentioned above and local schools trying to regain their footing in the territory.

 

-Team#VIstrongtees