(Canton, OH) January 21, 2020 – Passionate about their community and serving others, a committee championed and brought together by Massillon Mayor, Kathy Catazaro-Perry, is at work planning a volunteer event to support women seeking safety and shelter in the Massillon area.
United Way of Greater Stark County is delighted to spearhead the Purse Project to the Massillon community. Through a partnership with the Mayor’s Office and event planning committee, United Way is hosting a volunteer event at Massillon Museum to assemble purse kits filled with feminine personal care items and notes of hope and encouragement.
Organizations and individuals throughout Massillon are collecting personal care items leading up to the event in February. With a goal to fill 200 kits, everyone is rallying together to accumulate enough items. Should any organization be interested in donating or collecting additional items, please contact Laura Prengaman at [email protected] for the current list of needs. Purses will be provided by event attendees as well as 100 donated by Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc.
Massillon Museum is providing space for the event in their newly renovated Gessner Hall, allowing 150 people to attend and assemble the kits. Taking place from 5 – 7 PM on Wednesday, February 12, the event will include a selection of desserts, a cash bar and access to some of the museum’s galleries. Registration to attend the event is available online at www.uwstark.org/the-massillon-purse-project.
The event was inspired by United Way’s first ever purse project in early 2019 where over 1,500 purse kits were distributed throughout Stark County. “I wanted to bring this project to Western Stark County to allow our community leaders the opportunity to come together and be a blessing in the lives of women in this area who are working so diligently to rebuild their lives for themselves and their families,” says Massillon Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry.
Thanks to the generous support of the event’s presenting sponsors, QUOTA of Massillon and Rotary Club of Massillon, as well as additional corporate sponsors Canton Chair Rental and Massillon Lions Club, we will be able to provide a fun evening to help celebrate Valentine’s Day while also supporting others in the community. The purse kits assembled will reach women and girls affected by homelessness, domestic abuse and substance misuse through partner programs of United Way of Greater Stark County.
“We are excited to host a fun ladies’ night out bringing women together to help other women,” says Maria Heege, President and CEO of United Way of Greater Stark County. “We are expecting a full house so make sure you register soon and join us for a glass of wine, some desserts and an inspiring evening.”
We are very grateful to the many local businesses and organizations supporting The Massillon Purse Project by collecting donations, hosting a public collection site and/or volunteering their time towards this effort. These include Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc., Massillon Lions Club, Massillon Museum, Massillon Public Library, Massillon Woman’s Club, QUOTA of Massillon, Rotary Club of Massillon, Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County and TimkenSteel. Many individuals in the community also generously donated items and time for the project.
If you would like more information about this event or other volunteer opportunities from United Way of Greater Stark County, please contact Laura Prengaman, Director of Corporate and Volunteer Engagement at [email protected] or (330) 491-9953.
About United Way of
Greater Stark County
United
Way of Greater Stark County fights for the health, education and financial
stability of every person in every community. We win by living United. By
forging unlikely partnerships. By finding new solutions to old problems. By
mobilizing the best resources. And by inspiring individuals to join the fight
against their community’s most daunting social crisis. Our mission is to
improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our communities in Greater
Stark County. In order to live better, we must live United. For more
information about United Way of Greater Stark County visit www.uwstark.org. Offices are at 401 Market Avenue North, Suite 300,
Canton, Ohio 44702. (330) 491-0445.