More than 130 women and children who have experienced homelessness came in shifts to Women’s Empowerment on Dec. 12 to pick up holiday gifts and a Craft Party in a Box donated by the community. Local residents contributed to the group’s Holiday Gifts and Crafts Drive that included specific fillers for children, teens and women, including warm hats, gloves, socks, gift cards, holiday candy, water bottles, notebooks and more. Donations of craft supplies allowed Women’s Empowerment to provide a Craft Party in a Box for each family since this year the group could not hold its annual craft party for women and children to make holiday gifts for their loved ones.
“The holiday spirit was alive and well as we saw recent graduates and those we had not seen in years come by to pick up these special gifts from the community, even though we could not hold our annual craft party,” said Lisa Culp, executive director, Women’s Empowerment. “We are grateful to the community for their generous donations that allowed us to provide each family with a Craft Party in a Box so they could still experience the dignity of gift-making during this season of giving.”
Women’s Empowerment’s programs combine employment readiness, self-esteem courses, health classes and services, support services and paid job training to help women overcome homelessness across diverse ages, races and cultures. Women’s Empowerment was featured on NBC’s The TODAY Show in 2015 for offering the most comprehensive job-readiness program in the Sacramento area designed specifically for women who are homeless and their children. The award-winning organization has graduated 1,697 women and their 3,792 children. Last year, 70 percent of graduates found homes in the midst of the housing crisis, and 79 percent secured jobs or enrolled in school or training. Women’s Empowerment is funded through private donations from the community and grants. To donate: Womens-Empowerment.org.