Purses With a Purpose Is Collecting Again Until November 22

That purse sitting unused at the back of a closet has a job if you want to give it one. The Purses With a Purpose charity drive is collecting again, through to Sunday, November 22, and the filled bags go to local agencies working with women in need.

A gently used or new medium to large purse is the starting point. The organisers ask for twelve essentials:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo and body wash
• Deodorant, lip balm, body or hand lotion
• Tampons or sanitary napkins
• Warm socks, mitts or gloves, a hat or scarf
• A personal note of encouragement, which the group says is the item recipients hold onto

Coffee or gift cards, a comb, packaged treats, tissues and a notepad are all welcome extras. Empty purses and loose items get accepted too, so a half filled bag is still worth handing over. The target this year is to match or beat the 1,557 purses collected last year.

Drop off runs through volunteers rather than one central depot. Nine community representatives cover Burlington, from Aldershot and downtown to Maple Avenue, Millcroft, Orchard, Alton, Headon Forest, Mountainside and the Lakeshore, with another in Waterdown. Each one is listed with an email address on the Purses With a Purpose website, and you contact the one closest to you to arrange a time.