Handbags for Hope Program brightens day for domestic violence victims
By Bobby Horn Jr.
LINDEN—The Cass County District Attorney’s Office recently teamed up with the Texas Advocacy Center to help make Mother’s Day a little brighter for residents of women’s shelters in Northeast Texas.
Amy Varnell, with the DA’s office, said that this past February she happened to be visiting the Texas Advocacy Center’s website, looking for project ideas when she came across the “Handbags for Hope” campaign.
“The Texas Advocacy Project in Austin collected bags to distribute to women’s shelters across Texas in order for children in those shelters to give their mom and handbag for Mother’s Day,” Varnell said. “Inside each handbag will be information on free legal services, safety planning and economic empowerment literature for women.”
The Cass County DA’s office served as one of the drop off locations during the Feb, 17 thought March 31 collection period. Varnell said that she contacted her counterpart in Upshur County and they also agreed to be a collection site for purses, making them the only two sites in far-Northeast Texas.
Varnell said that in her role as victims assistance coordinator, she said is always looking at ways to promote awareness.
“This is the first time I heard about the program and I thought it would do some good,” she said. “Women love purses and so many women have closets of purses they don’t use to it seemed like a good fit.”
And the donations came. Varnell estimated that they collected more than 200 purses, 13 boxes in all.
She said that she also wanted to thank everyone for their donation and in helping make their first year a huge success.
“I contacted the (women’s) shelter in Texarkana and found out they were part of the program so we know that the donations will stay local,” she said.
This is the first year the county has been involved in the project, but it will not be the last. “I got so much positive feedback and I am looking forward to it next year,” Varnell added.
In addition to the shelter in Texarkana, there is also a shelter in Longview. Domestic Violence Prevention also maintains an office in Atlanta.
According to the Texas Coalition on Family Violence in 2014 there were 185,815 family violence incidents reported and 132 women were killed. Also in 2104, 23,311 adults and children were placed in shelters.
If you are someone you know needs assistance call 903-796-8847 or the Domestic Violence Crisis line at 903-793-HELP (4357).
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