“Little Black Dress” campaign aims to raise awareness and money to fight poverty

BISMARCK, ND (KFYR) – You've probably noticed that some of us are wearing black dresses this week.

As part of the Missouri Slope Areawide United Way's annual Little Black Dress campaign, we will wear the same black dress every day through Thursday.

The goal is to raise awareness of poverty in our community and to raise money to support families in need.

The good news: This year there are more teams taking part than ever before. This includes the team from Bismarck Elementary School, for whom this campaign has a very special significance.

Everly Hintz thinks her teacher is pretty great.

“She is nice and friendly,” said Hintz, a second-grader at Miller Elementary in Bismarck.

She especially likes her sense of style.

“I like rompers, and she’s wearing one!” said Hintz.

Her teacher, Jaycee Gilland, will wear the same onesie all week as part of the United Way's annual Little Black Dress campaign.

“The 'Little Black Dress' is a poverty awareness campaign,” explained Sydney Helgeson of MSA United Way. “We have individuals and teams from across the community wearing black dresses for four days to raise awareness for those in our community who have experienced poverty and to bring attention to some of the barriers they may face.”

Gillund knows that too many of her students have had this experience.

“We are a Title One school. Many of our families are affected by this,” she said.

By wearing the same outfit all week, she hopes she and her colleagues at the Miller Teachers School can raise awareness about an issue that so many people face.

“We raise awareness among families who don't have the privilege of having clothes to wear every day like we do. So we just put ourselves in their shoes… what is it like not to have clean clothes? To wear the same clothes every day?” says Gillund.

And she hopes that the four days in this outfit will also help her students learn compassion, understanding and kindness.

28 Miller teachers are participating in this year's campaign, with a goal of raising $1,500 this week.

We have the same goal here at KFYR.

You can donate to any team of your choice here.

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