Pack-a-Purse: An Easy Way to Give Back to a Forgotten Cause

Tuscaloosa is home to countless opportunities to give back to the community. Nonprofits, churches, businesses and schools can be found hosting fundraisers and awareness events across town year-round that benefit one cause or another. Many of these causes are high-profile crises like disaster relief, child literacy, and animal rights. However, there are some causes that do not receive such a magnitude of attention yet still warrant ample support. One of these such programs is the Pack-a-Purse drive, put on by the University of Alabama’s Women and Gender Resource Center. This toiletry drive seeks to provide women who are just getting out of prison with a bag that takes care of some of their basic necessities as they reenter society. Those wanting to donate can drop off items at the Women and Gender Resource Center in South Lawn Office Building from now until Feb. 16. Pack-a-Purse is a program started by Montgomery-based organization Aid to Inmate Mothers. The Pack-a-Purse drive offers the campus community and beyond an opportunity to give back to a group that often goes unnoticed.

“One of my favorite things [about Pack-a-Purse] is that you don’t have to have a lot of money to be able to give something back,” said Program Coordinator Paige Miller. Situated on UA’s campus, the Women and Gender Resource Center seeks to be accessible to students, faculty and staff regardless of financial status. Contributions of shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, feminine products, lotions and many other items are welcome from any member of the community. More information on donations can be found on the AIM website, inmatemoms.org.

In 2016, when the Women and Gender Resource Center began the Pack-a-Purse drive, it was able to donate around 25 bags. Last year, it packed 53 bags. Miller aims to sustain around 50 bags and hopes to increase their impact even more.

“It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it would add up to a lot,” Miller said. “We’re hoping just to give those women a little bit of a basic need—basic necessities that they can start out with, and the money that have, they can use on more important things.”

“That way, when women in Alabama are being released from prison, they have at least one thing.” Miller said. In the Alabama prison system, 23.3% of women return to prison within three years of release, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections 2016 Annual Report. Pack-a-Purse along with other AIM programs seek to lower this statistic. Among the women who participated in AIM programs, the recidivism rate was down to only 11%. Reintegration into society after prison is a rarely discussed struggle, and AIM’s goals are to help women beat the odds and give them opportunities to become productive and successful members of society.

Aside from raising awareness about inmate mothers and women leaving the prison system, the Women and Gender Resource Center has evolved its programming to include more education and advocacy projects as well as volunteer opportunities for those wanting to help.

“A part of the mission of the Women & Gender Resource Center is that we want for each student to experience the most opportunities on campus and in the world.” Miller said. “To make sure that every person, which includes people of all genders, has an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams, or their education, or whatever it is that they need.”

“Providing knowledge, information, education to the community is to me one of the most important things that we can do.”

Miller’s focus is not only on programming like Pack-a-Purse, but also on raising awareness about gender issues. She hosts programs like Start Smart that teach college women how to negotiate salaries and benefits when they enter the workforce. The Women and Gender Resource Center also organizes awareness events for global women’s issues and International Women’s Day, mentoring programs for children in the community and also an annual film festival. A great deal of planning goes into these events, so volunteers are always needed in a variety of fields. Miller encourages people to come by the Women and Gender Resource Center, drop off a donation for Pack-a-Purse, and see what it has to offer. The center is home to a library where books and DVDs are available for check out and volunteer forms are available for application. Visit their website for forms and more information at wgrc.ua.edu.

 

 

About The Author

2 Responses

  1. PorganPotly

    If you return your used supplies you’ll not receive a credit and the materials shall be discarded. Mechanisms of Antimuscarinic medicine bind to the muscarinic receptor, where they act motion as a aggressive inhibitor of acetylcholine. We simulate regular flow and current the solution (velocity and strain) and its gradients (by way of the shear stress) in Subsection 3 androgen hormone optimization [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Speman.html]order 60 pills speman visa[/url].
    Study limitations included the fact that the majority of patients had prior experience with cannabis, and that the study was unblinded since most of the patients were able to tell apart the placebo from the active treatment with cannabis. Use: Management of indoor urine marking, inappropriate scratching M and modifications to the animal’s bodily environment at residence or outdoors. Myelin acts as insulation much like the shapeable or rubber that is in use accustomed to to keep apart electrical wires blood pressure chart in pregnancy [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Betapace.html]order cheap betapace line[/url]. Isavuconazole: pharmacology, pharmacodynam� severe invasive fungal infections receiving these newer ics, and current scientific expertise with a new triazole anti� azoles because of unreliable serum levels because of either fungal agent. See bundle insert for complete indications, contraindications, cross via the interstices of the stent. This has enabled her to entry secure and supportive accommodation, mentoring and restoration assist cholesterol lowering diet plan [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Prazosin.html]generic prazosin 5 mg free shipping[/url].
    This description is are classifed as such because they won’t trigger classic for ffth illness, which is brought on by par hypoglycemia in a euglycemic particular person or a pa vovirus B19. Discontinue common antihistamines for three-10 days therapy of systemic reactions ought to be fastidiously thought of before a Do not use this extract or allow its use till you have learn this insert, and and longacting antihistamines corresponding to Astemizole for as long as 60 decision to deal with is reached. Normal androgen ranges and subsequent development of secondary sex characteristics (in cases of onset of hypogonadism before puberty) and a eugonadal state could be achieved by androgen replacement alone women’s health clinic sacramento [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Capecitabine.html]capecitabine 500 mg buy mastercard[/url]. Behaviour-associated elements include refusal of liver biopsies, issues related to adherence to antiviral therapy, and wider behaviour related to substance misuse. Diagnosis of BowenпїЅs illness and squamous cell carcinoma of the nail unit is commonly delayed or incor- rect. Review Review goals with patient to establish specifc areas of focus for physician session erectile dysfunction hypertension drugs [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Levitra.html]generic levitra 20 mg with visa[/url].

    Reply
  2. BenInjus

    If more than two inguinal nodes are meta date administration of carcinoma of the penis. However, there are a few case stories of fluoroquinolones getting used safely in being pregnant. The second study included 179 employees concerned in the demolition of 3M perfluoroalkyl manufacturing services examined over a imply interval of 164 days (Olsen et al women’s health issues class [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Capecitabine.html]capecitabine 500 mg discount[/url].
    Gastric dysrhythmias refer to deviations in the normal three/minute gastric contraction cycle. Salicylates can be very effective; nevertheless issues about salicylate toxicity and the association with Reye syndrome have decreased its usage within the United States. Fetal renal insufficiency following trastuzumab remedy for breast cancer in pregnancy: case report and evaluation of the present literature blood pressure low heart rate high [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Betapace.html]order betapace with a mastercard[/url]. Cri-du-chat syndrome morbidity and mortality charges lower after the primary few years of life. Eruptive xanthoma (Incorrect) the mobile infiltrate relies upon upon the age of the lesion in eruptive xanthoma. Although, homoeopaths use it in potency 6, it is my expertise that no matter is effective in efficiency 6 have to be more practical in efficiency 30 and 200, somewhat extra so erectile dysfunction after drug use [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Levitra.html]buy generic levitra canada[/url]. This is the healthiest approach to shed pounds and provides one of the best probability of long-term success. Restriction or avoidance of alcohol may be • Protein consumption must be no less than 0. Sample gels from purication utilizing the centrifugation protocol and instrumentation-primarily based purication are proven beneath in Figure 9 man health urban athlon [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Speman.html]order 60 pills speman visa[/url]. The topic did not have a history of alcohol abuse, persistent pancreatitis, or liver cirrhosis, and prior medication use was not relevant. Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis: a possible complication of remedy with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition. Extra-articular illness manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis: incidence developments and danger elements over forty six years cholesterol levels by age [url=https://documentaryheaven.com/sale/Prazosin.html]discount 2.5 mg prazosin overnight delivery[/url].

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.