Annabelle Barth’s introduction to the trauma of domestic violence came from helping one of its youngest victims—a second-grader living in a New York City shelter. The Greenwich Academy sophomore was just 12 and volunteering as a literacy tutor in Manhattan (where she lived at the time), when she was paired with the little boy. His mother had moved into the shelter to keep her family safe from an abusive partner.
Annabelle Barth, founder of GLOW
“Because of the things he had been through, his life had been turned upside down. He was already so far behind,” recalls Annabelle. “He was having trouble with the most basic school things. Even finding a piece of paper to write on was hard for him to do in the shelter.”
Week by week, Annabelle saw the difference a few hours her one-on-one attention made in her young pupil’s complicated life. Their bond grew. “Just me being there as a constant had an impact,” she says. “He got more confident in himself and his schoolwork. It was fun to see him change and grow.”
When the school year ended, she was disappointed to find out that, for confidentiality reasons, she could not stay in touch with the boy. But she was curious to learn more about what brought this child to a shelter in the first place.
“Before this, I didn’t understand how much domestic violence is a problem, really, in every community,” she says. “I learned so much, it changed my life, too.”
This experience was the impetus for the two-year-old nonprofit GLOW (Giving Love to Our Women), which Annabelle founded at 14 to help survivors of domestic violence rebuild their lives by supporting their well-being through self-care. To that end, GLOW’s efforts include partnering with cosmetic companies, retailers and beauty influencers to create bags packed with products that are gifted to the clients of programs in New York City, New Jersey and Fairfield County, which she now calls home.
Annabelle with her Greenwich Academy friends at the YWCA’s annual Walk the Walk and 5K Run Against Domestic Violence
Annabelle with Nikkia Ellis, manager of DVCC education, training and outreach, at GLOW’s annual holiday drop
Greenwich Academy GLOW Club’s bake sale to benefit the YWCA’s Harmony Project
Annabelle with Stamford mayor Caroline Simmons
“I’m interested in the idea of helping people find their self-esteem again,” Annabelle explains of GLOW’s core mission. “These survivors have been through such heavy things. So it’s about bringing their sense of beauty back on the inside and out, which I think can also help restore their sense of confidence.”
Locally, GLOW has made donations of product-packed self-care bags to the Greenwich YWCA’s Domestic Violence Services, The Rowan Center, Domestic Violence Crisis Services (DVCC), the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County and the Henry Street Settlement in New York City. This past holiday season, Annabelle was able to donate more than 1,000 self-care products to local women impacted by domestic violence. And in April, GLOW hosted its second Family Fun Day with the DVCC and partnered with the Chapin School for Chapin Day of Service.
Reaching out to beauty influencers who are inundated with free products from cosmetic companies eager for shoutouts, paid off. “They get piles of PR packages and so much product that they can never use it all,” Annabelle explains. She’s also received donations from the Greenwich-based CVS, Greenwich Pharmacy and Sephora. Recently, a partnership with clean beauty brand AmaSKN also yielded generous donations. “They are enthusiastic and are all about uplifting women. They are so aligned with what we’re doing,” she says. And word is spreading. In recent months unsolicited donations have increased dramatically.
In between tennis practice for GA and the demands of her schoolwork, the busy student philanthropist, now 16, has her sights set on expanding GLOW’s visibility and impact. She’s started a GLOW club at Greenwich Academy. Last October, Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons (a GA alum) invited Annabelle to join her when the city hosted a domestic violence awareness event. “Having her support and encouragement was amazing,” says Annabelle.
Future goals include building a network of student ambassadors in the tri-state area as well as creating a similar network of professional ambassadors—adults who can lend support to abuse survivors with services ranging from pro bono legal help to counseling and professional mentorship. “Yes, it’s ambitious, and we’re just getting started,” Annabelle says. “But I think there’s so much more we can do.” glowtoday.org