Women Helping Women: A Benefit for Women Living in Shelters

Imagine a better match- a local non-profit organization that distributes gently loved purses filled with toiletries and other small necessities to women who were living in homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and recovery centers, and a women’s clothing stylist willing to donate a portion of all sales for one week to help those in need.

It started when Mary Omberg, an independent stylist for cabi, approached the co-founders of the Alliance for Greater Good with that offer. A few weeks later, the Alliance was selected by GoodWork, a nonprofit incubator, to be one of eight idea stage and early-stage nonprofits that will receive free strategic and operational support in 2021. That process kicked off on March 5th with a virtual orientation and kick off celebration, at which the Alliance co-founders met Latonya Wallace, founder of Purseverance 207.

And, as they say, the rest is history -- Women Helping Women was born. According to Kathryn Garcia, one of the co-founders of the Alliance, “This is a win-win for women on so many levels. Women transitioning out of homeless shelters or recovery centers are empowered by the filled purses they receive from Latonya’s organization. Women can feel good about donating gently loved purses they no longer use, and women can shop confidently and guilt-free with Mary for new spring clothes knowing that a portion of each sale will go to help Purseverance 207 achieve its mission of helping women.”

Women Helping Women will be accepting donations from March 26 – April 22 of gently loved purses and wallets, as well as toiletries and other essential necessities (donation wish list). Drop off locations are at the Portsmouth Senior Activity Center (125 Cottage Street in Portsmouth) and Lizology (16 Market Street in Portsmouth).

To update your spring wardrobe with a portion of all sales going to Purseverance 207, you can shop with cabi stylist Mary Omberg from April 8-15. Please visit the Alliance for Greater Good Facebook page for the details.

For more information or to share ideas for future events, email the Alliance for Greater Good at alliance.greatergood@gmail.com and follow it on Facebook to learn about future events.