St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport got a special delivery Wednesday—bags filled with news sweatsuits, underwear and bras for patients who come to the hospital after a sexual assault.

It's there that survivors undergo a forensic exam and have their clothing taken as evidence. The donation means staff can give them something other than scrubs or paper clothing to wear.

“It helps them feel more human. It helps us provide a level of compassionate care that is so meaningful after they've experienced such a traumatic event,” said Ann Conlon, RN, a sexual assault forensic examiner at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

“If we can give them a brand-new warm outfit, a clean pair of underwear and a bra that they can leave in - to have that small sliver of dignity makes all the difference for their healing journey to begin,” added Tara Flynn, an administrative assistant for the Department of Medicine at St. Vincent’s.

Flynn helped spearhead the donation drive as a member of Jane Doe No More, a nonprofit that empowers victims of sexual crimes. Flynn also has a personal connection to the effort. She was sexually assaulted when she was 14.

“It's not easy to come in for one of these exams so we are giving the power back to the survivors. We're giving this small piece of hope to them,” Flynn explained.

The drive collected hundreds of items from people across the state, something hospital staff couldn’t believe.

“The overwhelming amount of strangers who donated to this, who said, ‘I'm a survivor I want to do this,’—that part, I think, we weren't expecting,” Flynn shared.

Hanes also gave a generous contribution to the drive.

Conlon told News 12 those everyday items can make an extraordinary impact and are very much in demand at St. Vincent’s Medical Center and across the state.

“I could get very emotional talking about that. It is such a wonderful gift that they are giving to this community and this really underserved population,” Conlon said.