Dallasites in the mood to give had a worthy place to direct their energy on November 29: the Frost Bank and CultureMap donation drop-off, benefiting Genesis Women's Shelter & Support.
Bags upon bags of coats, hats, gloves, toiletries, and masks were handed over at Pacific Plaza during the two-hour event, and those who donated received a few surprises in return.
If you showed up with five or more items to give you were handed a Frost It Forward card, the idea being that you'd spread optimism and use the money to pay it forward to someone else.
The generous gesture from Frost Bank echoed the Optimism Starts With You mural, which served as the backdrop to the donation event. The mural's artist, Mari Pohlman aka Marpohl, even dropped by with her own items to donate.
Those who attended the donation drive-through also got a head start on entering the social media contest by snapping a selfie by the mural and using #OptForOptimism to enter.
If you'd like a shot at winning a one-night staycation at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel and $100 to spend at downtown Dallas businesses, there's still time. Get your post up before December 31, when we'll pick one lucky winner.
The items received from the event are more important than ever to Genesis Women's Shelter, which provides safety, shelter, and support for women who have experienced domestic violence, and raises awareness regarding its cause, prevalence, and impact.
Genesis was founded in 1984 with a goal to not only shelter and support women who have been victims of domestic violence, but also raise awareness regarding its cause and impact — with a hope to one day completely eradicate domestic violence. In the last year alone, Genesis saw 3,700 women and children at its emergency shelter, transitional housing apartments, and nonresidential counseling office.
Recessions like the one caused by the pandemic, coupled with stay-at-home orders and quarantine measures, can be particularly challenging for women and children trapped in abusive homes. Donations like the ones received here make a huge impact for women and children seeking a safe way out of dangerous situations.
If you missed the event but would still like to contribute to Genesis’ important mission, please make a donation this holiday season.
Donors posed in front of the Optimism Starts With You mural for a chance to win big.
