Who knew? You can help stop the insidious cycle of domestic violence by donating a purse! Children in shelters across the state, including SafePlace in Austin, will now be able to give their mothers a Mother’s Day gift thanks to the Texas Advocacy Project‘s Handbags of Hope purse drive.

The project, along with The Allstate Foundation and the Travis County SheriffÍs Office, are collecting new and gently used handbags from February 10th until March 1st with the aim of “putting life-saving information in the hands of the victims” by having tags with the number for the project’s toll-free domestic violence hotline (1-800-374-HOPE) and pamphlets detailing ways to get and stay safe inside the bags. The partnership is centered on The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program, which is committed to targeting long-term resources to ending domestic violence.

Texas Advocacy Project has raised more than 8,000 bags through Handbags of Hope since it first launched four years go. Purses can be dropped off at any Austin-area Allstate Agency (to find an agent click here) or the Travis County Sheriff’s offices.

This article appears in February 4 • 2011.

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