News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Sparta Women’s Club is gathering suitcases for its new project Rolling with Hope.
The project provides suitcases to children taken from their homes. Sparta Womens’ Club Vice President Tish Leap said many of these children put their belongings into whatever is handy. Leap said she first got the idea from a relative who works with the Department of Children’s Services.
“They sometimes have to take what little belongings they have in plastic bags,” Leap said. “And you know how uncomfortable could that be for a child being removed from their home but having to take their things in a plastic bag.”
Leap said she decided to ask people for suitcases that they weren’t using anymore. And then when a DCS agent has to remove a child from their home, they can have their stuff in a suitcase.
“We feel there’s a need,” Leap said. “These children are being removed from their homes, their siblings, and we just kind of want to give them a sense of something that’s theirs.”
Leap said if members of the community have little suitcases that they don’t need or if they want to purchase a new suitcase and donate it, they can bring it to Sparkle City on East Bockman Way.
“Sparkle City will store them for us and then we’ll be able to get them where they need to go,” Leap said.
Women’s Club member Stefani Abernathy said Sparkle City is giving 15 percent off purchases for gently used suitcase donations and 20 percent off for new suitcase donations.
“We just want to give them a sense of something that’s theirs,” Leap said. “We kind of thought this would bring a little bit of joy in a very difficult situation.”
