Volunteers gather on Saturday, Feb. 11, to sort through more than 200 donated handbags, stuffing them to the brim with personal care items for women in need. Photo: Courtesy of Toni Nelson

Volunteers from the Dana Point Woman’s Club (DPWC), the Living Help Center and United Way OC gathered at the DPWC Community House on Saturday, Feb. 11 to sort through donated handbags and personal care items that will go to women in need.

Donated bags were stuffed to the brim with shampoo, conditioner, hair brushes, dental care items, hand lotions, nail care and other personal items as part of the local philanthropy, Handbags for Hearts.

Each bag also included handwritten notes of encouragement like “you are loved,” “you are beautiful,” or “you are important.”

One hundred of the handbags donated will go to women enrolled in SparkPoint OC, United Way OC’s financial literacy program at RH Dana Elementary School. The remaining bags are dedicated for LivingHelp Center of Downey.

In 2022, Handbags for Hearts distributed approximately 140 handbags stuffed with personal care items.

This year, Handbags for Hearts Coordinator Lucinda Lambros said she was “thrilled to see us top last year’s record with over 200 bags assembled for distribution next week.”

“I am deeply grateful for the support of so many individuals and the generosity of local philanthropies,” Lambros said in a media release. “Your donations will put a smile on so many faces, helping vulnerable women know they are not alone.”

Breeana Greenberg is the city reporter for the Dana Point Times. She graduated from Chapman University with a bachelor of arts degree in English. Before joining Picket Fence Media, she worked as a freelance reporter with the Laguna Beach Independent. Breeana can be reached by email at bgreenberg@picketfencemedia.com.

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