Swimsuit

How the SI Swimsuit Community Is Paying It Forward for Giving Tuesday

Giving back is a regular occurrence for brand models and community members alike.

Cara O’Bleness

Jena Sims speaks at Pageant of Hope event
Jena Sims speaks at Pageant of Hope event / Courtesy of Pageant of Hope

Today is Giving Tuesday, an annual occasion celebrated the week after Thanksgiving. The global movement is meant to inspire people and organizations worldwide to give back to their local communities.

Giving Tuesday or not, SI Swimsuit models and individuals connected to the brand give back regularly. Their kindheartedness is only one of many traits that make these women excellent representations of the brand. If you’re looking to give back today or this holiday season, consider drawing some inspiration from the following three women and the organizations they’re involved with.

Boosting confidence in children

Jena Sims, a rookie in the 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue, is the founder and president of HBBQs (Has Been Beauty Queens), Inc. She founded Pageant of Hope, the most inclusive beauty pageant in the world, in 2005, and has been working to celebrate children in challenging environments for nearly 20 years.

“The most important part is, we teach the importance of inner beauty and self-confidence,” Sims recently told us of Pageant of Hope. “And it’s the most inclusive pageant in the world. What’s so special about it is that every participant leaves a winner. We do little mini makeovers, they come in and we do their hair, nails, makeup. We teach them the pageant walk, we do an interview and carry out the entire pageant, and at the end of the day, everyone leaves with a unique title.”

Sims, a 35-year-old mom of one, stated that the best part of her work with Pageant of Hope is watching children’s confidence transform before her very eyes. For more information, click here.

Mentoring young girls to help them thrive

Christen Harper, a four-time SI Swimsuit star, also gives back through her work with children. The 31-year-old Detroit resident regularly works with young girls at the Detroit Lions Academy, where she mentors young girls through self-esteem and positivity workshops.

“The overarching theme is self-esteem building [and] confidence, because that kind of just trickles into everything that they will do. So it kind of starts there,” Harper has said of her work with the alternative school. “But we like to keep it interesting ... I did a lip gloss lab where we were making science fun by making little lip gloss kits, which the girls really loved, and just getting them interested and excited about different fields so they can figure out what they’re interested in in life and go after it.”

Christen Harper leads DLA Girls workshop at Detroit Lions Academy
Christen Harper leads DLA Girls workshop at Detroit Lions Academy / Courtesy of Christen Harper

The 2022 co-Rookie of the Year also works closely with Metro Detroit organizations like Forgotten Harvest and Toys for Tots. Read more about her activism here.

Supporting the hard-of-hearing community

If you’ve flipped through an SI Swimsuit Issue in recent years, you’ve likely come across more than one look by the Gigi C swimwear brand. Cofounder Gigi Caruso not only has an eye for design, but a fondness for giving back. Earlier this year, she launched Hear With You, an organization dedicated to supporting the hard-of-hearing community through awareness, educational outreach and more.

“It’s my mission to create a space where people can connect, feel understood and get the support they need to navigate life with hearing loss,” Caruso, who was born with bilateral hearing loss, stated of the organization. “That’s why I founded the Hear With You foundation—to raise awareness, provide resources and build a community where those who are hard of hearing or deaf can feel supported and empowered. I believe that everyone deserves the chance to fully experience life, hear the world around them, and know they are never alone in their journey.”

Learn more about how Caruso is making an impact here.

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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.

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