Saheli Raises Over $8,000 in Purple Purse Challenge for Women’s Economic Empowerment

By Gouri Banerjee, President of Board of Directors

In 2016, Saheli launched a bold online fundraising challenge to new donors called the Purple Purse Challenge in which over 250 domestic violence agencies nationwide reached out to supporters, friends and families for online donations. Agencies that raised the most received additional funding from the Allstate Foundation, who underwrote the Challenge. Saheli is proud to report that it raised $8,274 in October as well as  bonus funds. We thank you, our generous donors; your generosity means a lot to the women in Saheli’s Economic Empowerment Program.

Saheli was lucky to have three extraordinary young women on our team: Amrith (volunteer), Shivangi (volunteer), and Katy (Program Coordinator). They not only managed the technical/web side of the campaign, but also created the images, videos and messages. Once the Challenge launched, they worked persistently for nearly four weeks by calling supporters at home to motivate them to donate, writing letters and attending Board meetings. Saheli thanks these wonderful women; we could not have done this challenge without your help.

Saheli also launched the first ever letter-writing campaign to past donors in November. We wrote letters to 200 friends and family who had not participated in the Purple Purse Challenge. As donations continue to come in every week, we remind those who have not had a chance to donate that there is still time. Our Friends and Family challenge continues through December 31^st. Thank you for considering a donation to Saheli. Your generosity will help a woman and child in our community to have peace and hope in the new year.