Annual Purse Project Brings Holiday Joy to Area Women's Shelters

Annual Purse Project Brings Holiday Joy to Area Women's Shelters

December 13, 2019 Robert Lane

Students in the Alpha Phi Sigma honor society along with the Indian River State College (IRSC) Association of Florida Colleges (AFC) Chapter took time during this season of giving to share some holiday joy with victims of domestic violence—collecting over 150 new and gently used purses for the annual Purse Project. The purses—filled with goodies such as nail polish, lotion, soap, makeup accessories, and more—are then donated to area women's shelters.

The project was started by Dr. Kimberlie Massnick, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, in 2015 with the goal of bringing joy to kids in shelters by providing them with gifts to give their mothers. The gifts ensure that the children have something to give to their mothers while providing each woman or teenage female a fully stuffed purse with fun and necessary items at Christmas. This year, the project will provide holiday happiness by delivering over 500 purses to shelters, their outreach programs and to other organizations. To date more than 2,000 purses have been gifted, and the program has grown to cover shelters within the four counties serviced by IRSC.

For more information about the Purse Project, contact Dr. Kimberlie Massnick at kmassnic@irsc.edu.