The ability to put on a clean pair of underwear every day is something a lot of people take for granted. So, Christina Pattison decided to do something to help those who don’t get that privilege.

Pattison started an initiative called "Wine and Panties."

“It’s women helping women,” Pattison said. “I think it’s a really specific cause, and we all don’t want to see other women not having that basic need met.”

The concept is simple: the public is asked to donate ten dollars and any bottle of wine. The ten dollars goes towards buying new underwear for women in need, which will be donated to Carmichael Outreach in Regina.

The bottles of wine will go to winners of a reverse draw – those who donated to the initiative.

Pattison would like to have all money collected by the end of November, to give her time to purchase and deliver the underwear before the holidays.

The Regina Transition House is one of a few organizations that cares specifically for women in need in the city. Stephanie Taylor, the executive director, said it’s not often that people think to donate underwear, but it’s a huge need.

“We need to have them on hand,” said Taylor.

While ‘Wine and Panties’ focuses on underwear, another initiative organized by a different group focuses on a broader set of needs.

The Regina branch of Soroptimist International is getting set to host their second annual ‘Purse Party.’ There, they take donated items such as toiletries, snacks, toys for children and winter gear, and put them in donated purses. The stuffed purses are then donated to organizations in Regina that help women.

“They can give those women a purse full of items that can get them through several days, until they can get themselves back in a good position,” said Beverly Balaski, the president of the Regina chapter of Soroptimist International.

The Regina Transition House said initiatives like these – that are targeted to helping women in different ways – are crucial to their success, and the success of organizations that do similar things.

“These are things that women need all the time, and they’re not something that we can necessarily supply at the volume that would be required,” said Taylor.

Both initiatives say they’re happy to accept help and donations from anyone who is willing to pitch in.