Full of genuine compassion and unwavering dedication to others, Cathlene’s work highlights this through the impact she leaves every day.

She started Hopeful Handbags, a nonprofit helping domestic abuse survivors and their children, with her mom in 2017. Her mom grew up in an abusive household, and it left Cathlene wondering—Why did her grandmother stay? What did she have to do to get help if she did reach out for it?

Inspired by trips to JCPenney, it all started with once-loved handbags filled with essentials. They would quickly learn, however, that so much more needed to be done—much more.

Hopeful Handbags is often a survivor’s first call. That phone call is just the start. When the survivor is ready to leave, if they haven’t already, they go far beyond just a referral. Their mission isn’t just about passing people along to others. Their mission is safety, health, wellness, and long-term financial stability. They utilize their programs to establish a support system, following through and providing assistance with necessities, counseling, shelters, and other essential services.

It’s about looking forward, not backward, and Cathlene works closely with our community and the survivors to work toward a bright, stable future.

Cathlene’s organization runs entirely on volunteers and donations. Everything stems from the desire to help. Whether you buy one of their once-loved handbags on Poshmark or make a monetary or in-kind donation, the donations they receive stay in the area where they are donated, unless otherwise specified. She did this so that people would know that, even though they are a global organization, they can still have a huge local impact.

She believes that if we can make an impact at the local level, it can have a domino effect and spread nationwide and worldwide.

Awareness is also a key factor. This year, Cathlene is partnering with Phi Alpha Omega at Flagler College to host the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event, raising awareness for domestic and dating abuse.

Everything Cathlene does is out of pure passion and purpose. Her mission is to raise hope for domestic abuse survivors and their children. And as Cathlene always says: “Together We Are Stronger.”