The Texas Advocacy Project aims to collect 5,000 bags and distribute to 40 shelters, with donations accepted through June 28.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Advocacy Project (TAP) is leading an initiative to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault through its annual “Handbags & Backpacks for Hope” campaign held this month.
The effort gathers new and gently-used handbags, fills them with essential resources and inserts a discreet tag into each collected item. The tag features the organization’s confidential legal line – 800-374-HOPE – which connects survivors to resources and information about free legal and social work services.
This year, the campaign is expanding its focus to include backpacks for children, to help ensure they’re equipped with school supplies for a fresh start in the upcoming academic year.
“This year, we’ve decided to combine them two together because we believe we’re going to be able to amplify the voice of the campaigns a little more with them together,” Texas Advocacy Project CEO Heather Bellino said.
She said the organization has been helping people through this campaign for 17 years, but TAP also helps people through its free legal assistance. In 2024, TAP officials said they helped nearly 12,000 clients and their children across the state.
“These abuses, these atrocities, they shouldn’t be happening in our backyard. They shouldn’t happen to our sisters, our moms or aunts, our brothers, the people that we’re running into at the grocery store or in our church,” Bellino said. “We need to make sure that we stand together united and say abuse is not acceptable.”
The initiative runs now through June 28. TAP hopes to collect 5,000 bags and distribute them to over 40 shelters, clinics and agencies statewide.
Donations of purses, tote bags, backpacks and school supplies can be dropped off at more than 20 collection sites in Austin.
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