It’s probably more than a coincidence that developer Tanya Ragan of Wildcat Management is both hard at work fixing up the Purse Building in downtown Dallas’ West End and hosting a “Pack the Purse” event from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 27. While the Purse building will likely be packed full of occupants by its completion, Ragan is getting a chance to pack a different kind of purse in the meantime.
The event, a partnership with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, is a way to get new and gently used handbags full of the kinds of everyday necessities women and children require to look and feel as successful as possible. For Pack the Purse, Ragan is asking the community to donate these handbags, as well as hygiene and grooming products that will fill the purses. The bags will then be donated to the Strong Start program, which focuses on providing the foundation for the lifelong love of learning and giving parents the tools they need so their children have the skills to enter kindergarten ready for a strong start in life. The event will be held at Full City Rooster Roasting Company in Dallas located at 1810 S. Akard St., #100 Dallas, TX 75215.
“It is so important for women to be a support system for each other and empower one another through acts of kindness and encouragement,” Ragan said. “It’s an honor to be able to use my time to support these women and help provide them with the essentials needed to successfully manage their day to day activities.”
“United Way of Metropolitan Dallas is committed to equipping and empowering new mothers as they work to establish bright futures for their children,” said Ashley Brundage, Senior Vice President, Community Impact, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “This effort will help provide busy parents the tools they need to be confident first teachers for their children, ensuring a strong start to school.”
The Pack the Purse initiative began in January of 2017 as an effort of the women’s engagement group of United Way of greater Atlanta. There have since been Pack the Purse drives held along the East Coast, but Ragan will be the first to bring the event out west. All those in Dallas and the surrounding areas are invited to join the Purse Building developer and support Dallas women by donating and packing purses. Participants are asked to share their efforts on social media using the hashtag #PackThePurseDallas in an effort to gain awareness of the initiative.
