10,000 Purses to Mothers in Need Shows the Power of a Purse

Elmhurst, IL – Forty-nine chapters of Mothers & More in 24 states collected 10,000 purses for mothers in need this Mother’s Day season. The success of the effort has been so great that the campaign will continue through the summer.

For Mothers & More’s 2010 Mother’s Day Campaign, chapters around the country partnered with organizations that help mothers in crisis.  Together they reached out to their communities’ most vulnerable women.  Through the act of collecting new and gently used purses for mothers in need, Mothers & More not only showed support for these women, but also gave them a symbol of their own power – a purse.

“The nationwide response we’ve received from this campaign has been awe-inspiring,” says Tara Brettholtz, project manager for the campaign.  “We have heard so many heart-warming stories from our members and the mothers who received purses about their experiences connecting with each other.  It truly shows the sisterhood mothers share.”

The Power of a Purse Mother’s Day Campaign was designed to give purses and other items to mothers in need while educating the public about the social and economic factors that put mothers at greater risk for poverty – an issue especially pertinent in today’s economy.  In many chapters, the purse donations were accompanied by a Mother’s Day celebration where the mothers and their children shared in food, fun and often haircuts and inspirational speakers.

“Today, more than ever, it is important to empower mothers when it comes to their finances,” says Brettholtz.  “We all fall somewhere on a spectrum of risk, but by connecting with each other, sharing our stories, lending a helping hand and celebrating mothers and all the work they do, we hope to raise awareness about these risks and inspire all mothers to address them.”

Mothers & More is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of mothers.  It is committed to creating a place for mothers to feel a part of a larger community of women who are experiencing the challenges that all mothers face, not only in raising children but also in fulfilling their sense of self and understanding society’s often mistaken assumptions about them.  The organization addresses mothers’ needs as individuals and members of society and promotes the value of all the work mothers do.