Local nonprofit Libera, a nonprofit organization serving women and girls in West Virginia, celebrated a grand-opening and ribbon-cutting for its Morgantown office on Friday.
The offices are located at 8 Suburan Court, behind the bowling alley.
Libera recently introduced a subscription box service to its offerings and this space will serve that endeavor.
The Lila Bear Explor(her) Club encourages young girls in West Virginia by highlighting prominent Appalachian women.
Kelsey Riggi described the boxes for a recent feature story.
“It is an inspirational and educational subscription box that features women and places from the Appalachian region and West Virginia,” she said. “It inspires them to love themselves, to love the planet and love their community.”
While the boxes are targeted at girls, Riggi believes they are appropriate for any young person ages 7-12.
This project received funding largely because it helps to serve youth who are aging out of foster care by providing jobs.
Riggi said, “Whenever people are purchasing our boxes, they’re giving kids a fun and inspirational kit, but they’re also helping to fund Libera’s aging out foster youth and providing employment opportunities to youth in Appalachia.”
Libera has been working with foster children in the state for the past several years offering “Love Packs” to children in foster care. These include age-appropriate books on anxiety and depression, journals, videos on body safety, a stress ball and other items to help the child feel loved and safe.
The Lila Bear subscription boxes are separate from that program, but still help underserved children in the state.
The website has a way for interested parties to donate a box directly to a child in need.
Boxes ship anywhere in the U.S. They can also be picked up in Morgantown. Boxes are $30 each and there is a limited supply available.
Boxes can be ordered at lilabearexplorherclub.com.
