In Jupiter, Florida, two teenage girls have taken on the challenge of providing young female athletes with essential items often overlooked, demonstrating the spirit of giving in a tangible way. Jessie Baxter, 17, and Holly Milsom, 16, the founders of the nonprofit Ta Ta for Now, met as freshmen in high school and cemented their friendship on the soccer field at Jupiter High. They have since then extended their teamwork beyond the pitch to bring sports bras, underwear, and hygiene products to those in less privileged circumstances, a movement that has impacted over 1,300 young athletes to date.
"Then we started playing soccer together in our high school, Jupiter High. From there on, we became pretty much best friends," Baxter said, according to a WFLX interview. Through their athletic experience, they recognized a lacking for essentials among their peers, which many of us might take for granted. Baxter and Milsom's efforts have gathered momentum and support, marking nearly three years of their organization's existence, and successfully collecting over $50,000 in aid, according to their statements to WPTV.
The pair's initiative, which started locally, has expanded its reach globally, providing support to young women in five different countries. "We have been able to help five different countries as well," Baxter told WPTV. The support from donors has not only scaled their capacity to assist but also helped in building trust within their network, bolstering the nonprofit's credibility and outreach to communities far and wide."
This week's donation round included a large shipment of Victoria's Secret underwear, made possible by a $35,000 grant—serving as a late Christmas surprise for the recipients. Baxter and Milsom's hands-on approach to charity is evident, "We love driving to different places, donating it, packaging everything, unpackaging it," Milsom expressed her enthusiasm in a joint interview with Baxter reported by WPTV. Their journey continues to represent not just an aim to level the playing field for underserved female athletes but also to inspire confidence and comfort in a realm so often rife with challenges.
