Hope in a handbag—delivered to Women’s Center

Staff at the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRC) accepted a donation of more than 50 fully stocked purses and totes from Handbags of Hope, a southeastern Michigan non-profit agency that has been donating purses to domestic violence shelters throughout the state since 2006. 

The purses are filled with a variety of everyday essentials such as wallets, hair brushes, calendars, toiletries and lip balm.  Many of the purses also contain comfort items like gloves, scarves, slippers and pajamas.  Jackie Bobcean, the director of Handbags of Hope said, “We give 3,000 gifts of handbags a year to 21 shelters and six teen programs.   We even have a waiting list.”

“We really appreciate the huge effort Jackie and her team of volunteers puts into assembling this massive donation drive,” said WRC Marketing Director, Dena Sydow.  “The women are so grateful to receive these purses, especially because many of them arrive at the Safe Home without any personal possessions at all.  For these domestic violence survivors, receiving a Handbags of Hope purse is a positive step toward rebuilding their lives.”

Learn more about Handbags of Hope online at handbagsofhope.webs.com.   If you or someone you know is experiencing violence in their personal relationships, call the WRC’s 24-hour crisis line at (231) 347-0082, or for long distance callers (800) 275-1995.  For more information on WRC programs and services visit their website at wrcnm.org.