Hospice Halifax asks Maritimers for luxury handbag donations

Handbags for hospice Hospice Halifax turns quality handbags into quality time with loved ones as they near end of life.

Hospice Halifax is seeking gently used designer handbags, purses, clutches and totes for a silent auction next month.

"We have been collecting bags all throughout the year, we started right after our last event in February, and we started collecting. We have about 50 bags or so right now but we are kind of doing that final push right now,” says Mackenzie Darbyshire, Hospice Halifax annual and planned giving manager.

Each donated bag, wallet, tote or purse is screened for authenticity and used for the Hospice Halifax silent online auction from Feb. 1 until Feb. 8. The bags will be on display at the “Feeling the Love” event and auction.

Darbyshire says the collection is quite impressive so far.

“I just walked in and saw a Tory Burch this morning, solid navy blue, looks beautiful. We’ve got a number of Kate Spade, we’ve got some Calvin Klein, some Coach, a little something for everyone,” says Darbyshire.

All proceeds will go to back to Hospice Halifax, benefiting their end-of-life services

“Hospice Halifax was the first hospice in Nova Scotia, so it was groundbreaking. There are additional hospices in Nova Scotia now, but it is a wonderful way to offer end-of-life care to people who might not be able to die at home as an alternative to hospital. It also takes the pressures off the hospital in that it provides the care that people need at that time of life,” says executive director Rachel Boehm. “Hospice Halifax is a 10-bed hospice in the south end of Halifax. We opened our doors in 2019, and we provide end of life care to about 150 people and their families, caregivers each year.”

Boehm says this annual event is important as it helps fund the services they provide.

"We create our online auction and we put the bags up on the site and the bidding takes place for one week and closes the last day which is the same day as our big event,” says Boehm.

The last day to donate is Jan. 17, but if you can't make that deadline, they are still happy to take your donations and use the luxury bags for next year's auction.

"The more the merrier because at the end of the day, the more we get, the more that we sell, the more that we raise which the more we will be able to give to Hospice Halifax,” says Darbyshire.

The event, which has been around for years, only recently added handbags and jewelry.

“One of our showstoppers this year is a bracelet valued at about $10,000,” says Darbyshire.

The event will be held at the Convention Centre in Halifax on Feb. 8. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Boehm says it's also about spreading awareness about the services they offer and sharing the meaning of hospice care.

"Not all Nova Scotians even know what a hospice is so it gives us a chance to talk about that and how it can make a big difference for people to have hospice care," says Boehm.

Marriam Andrews has donated multiple bags herself.

"I brought in an Armani, a Mink clutch, I brought in a Seven for All Mankind clutch, I brought in a Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B and a Furla tote bag so all high quality for the auction,” says Andrews. "I love it, it's just helping someone else.”

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