A Moncton group has started a Christmas charity for struggling moms called Princess and the Purse.
Lorraine Cormier, founder of the charity, says they’re handing out gift bags to single moms who don’t have the means to treat themselves for the holidays.
“It’s moms that go to food banks and shelters,” said Cormier.
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She and her volunteers take new and gently used purses and fill them with donated little goodies for moms who live on limited means so they too have something to open on Christmas morning.
“There are scarves, there are mitts, there are large samples of perfume and makeup and shampoo. Everything that we have in our purse that we take for granted that a woman would look and say oh my god this is all for me,” said Cormier.
The single mother says she started the group because she knows first-hand what’s it’s like to be a struggling mother. Cormier said she spent years working four jobs simply to make ends meet and like with most moms, the kids’ needs came first.
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“I used to go to the doctor’s office and take samples out of the magazine because I couldn’t afford makeup and I couldn’t afford perfume and I would take the samples and put them on my dresser,” said Cormier.
Now that her kids are all grown she is focusing on helping other moms who are struggling.
Princess and the Purse has, since its launch in 2016, spread across the country and North America. Provinces such as Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Manitoba, Alberta have all started up the same program, and so far roughly 10,000 women have received the gift of a purse at Christmas.
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“Last year we hit Florida and California and we hit New York,” said Cormier
Lisa Ouellette volunteers to collect and fill the purses that are handed out to organizations that support mothers.
“I think it is amazing. I think if we can all just give a little but of time across our daily routine that it will go a long way.”
Cormier said she doesn’t want to see another mom have to steal from a magazine simply to treat herself.