Handbags loaded with love:

Share the Dignity Shines with It's In the Bag 

.. feeling all the feels as women support women 

Share the Dignity's It's In The Bag campaign is over for another year and as a volunteer, I have had the privilege of contributing to one of the most important initiatives taking place over the Christmas period. The role of a volunteer is to collect the bags from collection points at Bunnings Stores and then distribute them to affiliated charities. I don't want to harp on about their work (who am I kidding, OF COURSE, I do it's AMAZING) but I do believe in bringing things full circle so I thought it only appropriate to write a follow- up post so all my avid rheaders (jokes.. Hi Mum and Dad) were in the loop and hadn't missed a thing!!

Volunteering for Share the Dignity no matter how big or small the contribution, your assistance in collecting and distributing bags makes a difference to so many women. Women fleeing domestic violence, refugees in temporary accommodation and women and girls who find shelter in refuges, all receive bags over the Christmas period and peoples generosity doesn't go unnoticed, bringing a smile and immeasurable hope to those who receive them.

Volunteers select a day and time slot when they are able to go to their nearest Bunnings Store (where the collection points were held all over Australia) to collect donations. My first pick up came away with two bags, they were brand new and were still kept in their plastic wrapping with all the right essentials (minus a razor pack or two). Success! 

My second collection a week later was a huge success with over 30 bags collected and squeezed into the back of my Honda Jazz. A few days later I also collected another 35 bags from my workplace (which had registered as a collection point) so let's just say my living room floor was covered with bags, I forgot what colour our carpet was...( brown, grey.. who knows?)

The bags I collected were filled with thoughtful necessities and unique luxuries, making the task of going through the bags to ensure they were of high quality and contained all the required essentials, removing items that are inappropriate (as listed on Share the Dignity website) extra special and all the more touching. The generosity of the public and their willingness to recognise that a stranger's needs are as important as their own was humbling.

Perhaps the most touching aspect of participating in the It's In The Bag campaign is seeing or hearing about the influence of the donations on those who receive them. When I delivered my collection to a refuge in Redfern, the ladies were so thrilled to see so many bags they could pass on to the girls and women they provide services for. It is heartwarming to realise, you are passing on a bag to a woman you will not meet, but you now share a connection with, because of the love and kindness that is put into the bag to make the recipient feel special.

I thought I would finish the post with a story that reminded me of how lucky I have been throughout my life and how normal it has been for me to receive lovely presents every year at Christmas. An employee of one of the charities was on the roster to distribute the donated bags last Christmas morning. As he was making the rounds, he gave one to a woman. She burst into tears as the unzipped the bag and saw all the thoughtful gifts a complete stranger had put together for her. She had not received a Christmas gift in over ten years. 

I feel so honoured and extremely happy to have made a small contribution to the campaign. If you feel as though you are able to spare a few hours over a couple of weeks throughout the year or even next Christmas, please visit the Share the Dignity website to become a volunteer.

Your contribution could see a woman receive her first Christmas present in 10 years, and what a wonderful gift for yourself that could be!