Julie’s Purse Project is a donation-based project that Julie Nakayama started in the fall of 2015. Being a new mom and using diaper bags more and more she noticed that she had an abundance of old purses she was no longer using and thought “there must be a way to re-purpose those purses while helping those in need in her local community.” Her passion has since grown into a year-round non-profit organization. What started as a passion project in the fall of 2015, is now a fully recognized 501c3 non-profit organization. The initial mission was to give back to those in need during the holidays. She doesn’t just collect and donate purses; She fills them to the brim with essential items that recipients would want in their purse if they were starting over with nothing or homeless.
Julie wanted a way to give each woman who received one of the purses a boost of confidence, to empower them, and to let them know that someone cares. Inside each purse is a small note that says “I care about your situation. I wish you peace, safety and the kindness of strangers.” The purses are then donated to local organizations that assist victims of sex trafficking, domestic violence, and homeless women in the Northern California area. She started in Sacramento County and have since expanded to Placer, Butte, Yuba, El Dorado, and Sonoma Counties.
Julie’s Purse Project works with Stand Up Placer, Chicks in Crisis, 3 Strands Global Foundation, The Lazarus Project, The Gathering Inn, and a host of other nonprofit organizations to get the purses to those that need them.
You can read about Julie’s Purse Project at https://juliespurseproject.org/