Step 4: Getting Our EIN (Like a Nonprofit’s Social Security Number!)

Let’s talk about another big step in starting my nonprofit: getting our EIN!

First of all—what even is an EIN?


When I first heard it, I joked that it must mean “Extra Important Number”… because it sounded important, and, honestly, it kind of is! But it actually stands for Employer Identification Number.

We had to apply for one through the IRS, which made me feel like a real adult (even though I still don’t like Brussels sprouts and I forget to charge my tablet sometimes).

An EIN is basically like a social security number for a nonprofit or business. It helps the government know we exist, and it’s what we need to:

Open a bank account for Empower Her Care Kits


Accept donations (legally!)


File taxes (ugh, grown-up stuff!) 


Keep everything organized and official

We applied online through the IRS website. I was ready to wait a long time—because paperwork usually takes forever—but surprise… we got our EIN the same day!

That moment was huge. With our EIN in hand, we could finally start setting up things like a real bank account and applying for grants and donations. It made everything feel more official—like, Empower Her Care Kits was no longer just something I worked on after school. It was becoming a real organization with its own identity.

Even though EIN doesn’t actually mean “Extra Important Number,” it kind of does in my book. Because now we can grow, give, and help more people in Washington and beyond.

So yeah—Step 4: Check!


Ava

Filing With the Secretary of State (Big Kid Paperwork!)

Okay… deep breath.

This was the part where things started to feel super official—like, not-just-a-school-project kind of official.

To make Empower Her Care Kits a real nonprofit, we had to file paperwork with the Washington Secretary of State. (Yep, sounds like a big deal—and it was!)

Basically, this step makes your organization legal in the state you live in. So we went online to the Secretary of State’s website and found the form we needed to fill out. I sat with my mom and went through each part of it. It asked for some serious stuff:

Our official nonprofit name


Our mailing address


The names of our board members (I’ll talk more about that in another post!)


And a short plan about what Empower Her is going to do

This was the first time I realized how much real work goes into starting something like this. I wasn’t just making kits anymore—I was building something bigger that could keep going and growing.

We typed everything in carefully and triple-checked it before we hit submit. And then… we waited. And waited. And waited. 


(Okay, maybe it wasn’t that long, but it felt like forever because I was so excited!)

While we waited, I kept thinking:


“What if they don’t approve it?”
“What if I forgot something?”
“What if I actually did something big enough to get registered as a real nonprofit??”

And then one day—it happened.

We got the official confirmation:


Empower Her Care Kits was now a real, registered nonprofit corporation in the state of Washington!

Cue the happy dance!


I remember thinking: Wow… I’m only 11, but I really did that.

Filing with the Secretary of State taught me that big dreams take paperwork, patience, and a whole lot of passion. But once that approval came through, it felt like my idea had grown up into something even more amazing. This was just one step—but it was a BIG one. And I can’t wait to keep going.

Thanks for cheering me on!

Ava

Choosing a Name & Writing My Mission (AKA: Figuring Out My Why)

When I started the process of turning my project into a real nonprofit, one of the most important steps was choosing the name and writing my mission. Even though it might sound like just a few words, your name and mission tell people what your heart is all about—and why you're doing what you’re doing.

The name was actually easy for me. I had already been using Empower Her Care Kits since I began this project back in New York, and it just felt right. The word “Empower” is so strong—it means giving someone strength or confidence—and “Care Kits” are exactly what I make. But the “Her” part is really special to me…

It’s me.

When I came up with the name, I thought:

What if I was the girl who didn’t have what she needed during her period?

What if she was someone just like me?

So “Her” started as me, Ava. But over time, I realized it also stands for every girl, woman, and person who needs support. Every “her” who feels left out, embarrassed, or stuck without period supplies. Every “her” who deserves to be cared for with dignity.

After that, I started working on my mission statement—which is just a fancy way of saying why I do what I do. I thought about all the kits I’ve made, all the places I’ve given them, and the big dream I have to build period pantries across. I wrote:

“Empower Her Care Kits exists to fight period poverty by providing free, thoughtful care kits and building free-standing period pantries in areas where vulnerable people can access them—no questions asked.”

That’s my heart in one sentence. And now, every time I say the name of my nonprofit, I remember why I started and who I’m doing it for—including the girl who first dreamed it all up.

Thanks for reading and cheering me on!

Ava

Giving Out My First Kits in Washington State

This year has been full of change. My family moved all the way from New York to Washington State, and even though it was hard to leave my old school and my friends, I knew I wanted to keep working on Empower Her no matter where we lived.

One of the first things I did when we got settled was start figuring out how I could keep helping people here. I found out that there wasn't an organization in our new city that had period pantries. I also found out that the schools don't always have period items (like my kits). They have the basic, but they don't have all the things my kits provide. They also don't have them in spaces outside of the bathrooms or nurses station. I remembered what it felt like the first time I heard about period poverty, and I thought, “Okay, I can do something about this.”

My mom helped a lot with this. My mom and my little sister (she's in the picture, isn't she cute?) were able to deliver the kits to my school and my younger siblings' elementary school. I know it helped and I'm glad I have my family to help support me and my kits.

It is always really special to know that something I made could help someone feel seen, supported, and confident. That’s what Empower Her is all about—giving people dignity and showing them they’re not alone. I also learned that even if I’m in a new place, my mission still matters, and I can always find a way to keep going.

I’m so excited for what’s next because I know I want this to be bigger than Girl Scouts and bigger than just handing out kits. I want to make sure that anyone can get these kits. I know for sure I Want to start a nonprofit but I Don't know how. I know my parents will help me. I know its a lot of work.

For now, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me so far. Every little kit makes a BIG difference.

Stay empowered,


Ava

Wait… What’s a Nonprofit? (And Why It Might Be My Thing)

So I want to tell you about something I learned recently that kind of blew my mind a little: I learned what a nonprofit is.

Before, I didn’t really know that word. I just knew I wanted to help people. I was making Empower Her care kits and giving them out at my school and to others who needed them, and that made me feel good...like I was doing something that mattered. 

But then, I heard my mom say, “Wow, you’re basically running a nonprofit!”
And I was like… What’s that?

So I asked more about nonprofits, I looked it up, and learned that a nonprofit is an organization that exists to help people, not to make money for someone. They raise money or get donations so they can do good things... like support communities, protect the environment, help animals, or in my case… make sure people have period products when they need them.

When I learned that, something kind of clicked.
I thought: Wait. This is a real thing? Helping people like this can be a whole job? A real-life mission?

It made me feel excited and curious, like maybe this is what I want to do—not just as a project for school or a Girl Scout project, but something I really care about for a long time. I don’t know exactly what’s next, but I do know that learning about nonprofits helped me see that what I’m doing matters and there’s a whole world of people out there trying to do good things, just like me.

And that?


That makes me want to keep going.

Thanks for reading,


Ava

Restocking with Capital Region Menstrual Health

I got the chance to do something really special. I helped restock period pantries with an amazing organization called Capital Region Menstrual Health. They’ve been doing this work for a while, and I was super excited when I got to help place period products in their already existing pantries around the area. I attended a period party earlier this year and it was actually organized by Capital Region Menstrual Health. 

We went to different locations where the pantries are placed within the community and filled them with things like pads, liners, and wipes. It felt really good to know that someone walking by could take what they needed, no questions asked.

I learned a lot about how much work goes into keeping these pantries full and cared for. It’s not just about putting products in a box—it’s about making sure people in the community feel supported and seen. I also realized just how quickly products go in some areas and pantries compared to others. Some pantries have to be filled more times in the week and I really was excited to be able to fill the pantries that are used more often.

Helping restock showed me that this isn’t just a local issue... period poverty is everywhere, and there are so many people working to make it better. It also gave me ideas for how I want to set up Empower Her pantries of my own once we move. That's right! We are moving back to Washington. Everything I learned from helping out and growing my own cause made me feel even more sure that this is the right path for me.

Thank you Capital Region Menstrual Health for letting me be part of your mission! I’ll always be cheering you on from across the country.

Stay empowered,

Ava

Big News (Literally!): My First Interview with CBS 6 in New York