Church filling purses for homeless women
More than 70 purses with hygiene products will be donated to those in need at Westview Centre 4 Women in St. Catharines
It’s a simple idea: women helping women.
The outreach committee members from Trillium United Church in St. Catharines have been at work collecting purses filled with personal hygiene products. They will be donated to Westview Centre 4 Women, which will distribute them to women experiencing homelessness and poverty.
In all, more than 70 purses will be filled with shampoo, hand lotion, facial tissues, a comb or brush, deodorant and other hygiene products, including tampons, to ensure women have access to these items when in need.
Called Pack a Purse, the project was the brainchild of Trillium United Church worship leader Cheryl Dillon, who saw the need of women struggling to obtain personal hygiene products and decided to answer the call.
Dillon stresses the effort is not about glorifying the church — rather it’s about the women who need the help at this juncture in their lives.
“We wanted to do that with as much dignity to them as possible,” she said, “and that’s why we put the supplies into the purse.”
Providing dignity is important to both Trillium United and Westview Centre 4 Women (WC4W). Helping women experiencing homelessness get access to purses might seem trivial to some but means a great deal to others as it helps provide a semblance of normalcy.
Dillon said having a purse gives women the confidence they need in situations where they might not normally have any.
“If they feel good about themselves then it will help them jettison into a next stage and help them feel secure, not only in themselves, but perhaps to give back to someone else,” she said.
Westview executive director Jane Lavacca said there’s dignity in carrying a purse, as it’s a more socially acceptable holder of belongings than, say, a shopping bag.
She said she prefers the idea of purses for women rather than other types of bags, as people experiencing homelessness or poverty tend to have their bags taken from them when entering some stores.
“I have nothing against backpacks or duffel bags, but every other container you’re going to be stopped going in somewhere,” she said.
“Nobody ever says, ‘Can I look in your purse?’”
Lavacca said moments like these help people come together as a community and build ties that have frayed in recent years.
“It’s women helping women, women that have and can come together and do something, helping women that are struggling,” she said.
The ability to help these women is priceless, Lavacca said.
“Some women are sleeping in tents, some are sleeping at shelters, or even if you’re renting a room money’s tight just to have that deodorant … that helps,” Lavacca said.
Purses are a great addition for women as they have everything they need inside while leaving room for other essential items, Lavacca said.
“The purse is not over-full, it’s got the supplies in it you need, but there’s still room for her wallet, I.D.,” she said.
“To me it’s a lovely idea.” Anyone interested in donating to Westview Centre 4 Women can do so through email money transfer at Wc4w17@gmail.com or can drop off supplies at 17 Gale Cres.