Donate a Purse to Support Women in Need: How Handbags With Hope Makes a Difference In communities across the country, a simple act of donating a gently used purse can provide critical support to women facing homelessness, abuse, or addiction. Organizations like Handbags With Hope are turning closet cleanouts into meaningful contributions by filling donated purses with essential toiletries and delivering them to shelters and outreach programs. Handbags With Hope is a Cherokee, Iowa-based nonprofit founded by Tamerra Henderson. The organization collects lightly used purses, bags, and backpacks and fills them with hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine care items, lotion, and body wash. These kits are then distributed to homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and organizations supporting survivors of sex trafficking. Henderson emphasizes that the mission goes beyond providing physical supplies. “You don’t have to walk this alone,” she said. “So many times, we think we are the only one, nobody else has been through what we’ve been through.” The purses serve as a tangible reminder that help is available and that recipients are not forgotten. Donations can be dropped off at the First Church of Christ in Cherokee. Henderson also arranges pickups in Sioux City for those unable to travel. Volunteers are welcome to assist with sorting donations, assembling kits, and distributing the finished purses. For more information or to get involved, Henderson can be reached at 309-231-5216. The organization specifically requests new or gently used handbags or purses, along with full-size or travel-sized toiletries. Items like mouthwash (non-alcoholic), shampoo, conditioner, soap, and little handmade items such as journals or washcloths are also accepted. Notably, shaving razors are not accepted due to safety concerns in shelter environments. Similar initiatives exist nationwide. Love Purse, another nonprofit, accepts only large new purses and new toiletries, donating gently used purses to Goodwill. Purses for a Purpose collects purses and travel-sized toiletries to distribute to unhoused women, refugee women, and survivors of domestic violence across the U.S. And internationally, focusing on restoring dignity and affirming self-worth. These programs highlight how everyday items, when repurposed with care, can grow powerful tools of empowerment. A purse filled with hygiene essentials and a note of encouragement does more than meet immediate needs—it reinforces a message of hope, resilience, and community support. As spring cleaning approaches, consider clearing out unused purses and donating them to a local organization. What may seem like a small gesture can make a lasting difference in the life of a woman rebuilding her future.
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