Midvale Merc’s Purse project assists women

The Midvale Mercantile has been collecting items donated by generous community members for the Purse Project.
 This is the third year the Merc has teamed up with ROSE Advocates in Weiser to distribute the new and gently used purses filled with useful items for women in need.
 The nonprofit ROSE Advocates works with victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, some of whom are leaving  bad situations.
 The donations were collected at the Merc through Feb. 10. Once all of the donations have been collected, the purses are cleaned. Merc employees will fill each one with toiletries and other necessities. As in previous years, they will also include a handwritten personal note to each woman.
 Merc staff will stuff the purses on Wednesday and drop them off at the ROSE Advocates office in Weiser on Friday. ROSE Advocates will hand out the purses.
 Merc owner Elsa Freeman said people have been generous with items to fill the purses. One lady from Boise buys hundreds of dollars worth of hats and socks and donates them for the Purse Project.
 People have donated lots of personal care items to be included in the purses, ranging from unopened toiletries, personal care items, brushes, combs, nail files, clippers, shavers, Kleenex, socks, gloves, scarves, unopened cosmetics, non-perishable snacks and more.
 “We have quite a bit of stuff we are going to be sorting through,” Freeman said. “We have had contributions from all over. It’s wonderful.”
 In the first year of the Purse Project, a total of 20 filled purses were given out. Last year was a banner year with 60 purses donated and then filled.
 It was such a success that the Merc staff wanted to continue with the Valentine’s Day tradition.
 “It was amazing,” Freeman said.
 There are many similar Purse Projects across the country organized by different groups. They all have in common the goal of giving out purses or backpacks filled with necessities to women who could use the items.