LYNN — The Rotary Club of Lynn gathered Thursday at the Old Tyme restaurant to fill “Purple Bags of Hope” with personal care items for the Jasmine Grace Outreach program.
The bags, which are filled with basic items that we take for granted every day, are given to women who are living on the streets or in programs throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
In collaboration with programs serving women affected by trafficking, prostitution, addiction, and homelessness, Bags of Hope is driven by the community. Many different groups of people donate the items, fill the bags, and hand them out. By doing this, we let women in need know that there is a better way, they are treasured people, and that we are here to help.
Members of the Rotary Club donated enough items to fill 40 Purple Bags of Hope. And there were enough items left over to fill at least an additional 15. The purple bags are a trademark for the program.
When one of the club members was checking out at a local store, she was asked why she was buying five each of a multitude of items. After explaining the purple bags, the cashier told her that several years ago, she received one of the bags and was most grateful for the items in it. You never know who you might be helping when participating in something like this.
