Valentine's Day may bring to mind hearts, chocolates and flowers, but V-Day stands for much more. V-Day is the name of a global grassroots movement founded in 1998 by playwright Eve Ensler; in its first decade, it's already raised millions of dollars to stop violence against women and girls worldwide.

From small college towns to the world's largest cities, audiences have turned out to support V-Day benefit performances of Ensler's groundbreaking play, The Vagina Monologues.

Nearly all of the funds raised in each community have stayed close to home; the beneficiaries are local programs that prevent or end violence against women and girls.

Although Valentine's Day is all about couples, you don't need a significant other in your life to celebrate V-Day. Unlike the holiday, it's not what you get but what you give that matters.

Below are five suggestions on how you can get involved:

1. Learn more about V-Day. Not the holiday, but the international anti-violence women's movement founded by Eve Ensler.
2. Locate and attend the V-Day event nearest you. Although most feature productions of The Vagina Monologues, Ensler's play is just one of five artistic works that are performed in conjunction with V-Day. Keep in mind that V-Day events take place from February through April; even though you may have missed Valentine's Day, upcoming V-Day performances may still be scheduled in your area.
3. Become a part of V-Day as a performer, crew person or production team member. Although the big-city benefit performances frequently feature well-known actresses and prominent figures in the women's movement, many local V-Day performers are ordinary women (many of whom have never acted before) who believe in V-Day's mission and want to work toward ending violence against women. (To connect with a V-Day group in your community, click here.)

1. Become a V-Day organizer or team member. Organizers can be affiliated with colleges and universities, high schools, or community groups. There are no age restrictions and diversity is encouraged.
2. Support V-Day with a donation. Ninety-four cents out of every dollar donated goes straight to ending violence against women and girls. V-Day is a 501(c)3 non-profit and all contributions are fully tax-deductible.