Maria Castro

I honestly think that people understand the power of women helping women. Most of our volunteers, our angels, are women, though I do have at least 10% who are men with daughters and wives who believe in helping these women when they are at their lowest point. We've been blessed because people really believe in this mission - it's simple, and yet it's very profound. I also have a great media person who gets me a lot of airtime and stories in magazines and newspapers, and that visibility has been crucial. Everything that we do, everybody that puts time in to help us, they're all volunteers. None of us get paid to do this. But we have been blessed a million times over because people seem to give more and help us spread the word, even though we don't have a budget for that kind of stuff. It's really a team effort - even my husband, who's very shy and reserved, goes with me everywhere. Everybody calls him Mr. Love Purse because he helps get the purses and toiletries, and if I'm going to New York, he's coming to New York and helping me pack everything in.

Maria’s development has been influenced by community leaders in philanthropy, women’s advocacy, and media who modeled the power of collective action. She also draws inspiration from family traditions of service and volunteering, which shaped her lifelong commitment to giving back.

I think at the end of the day, when people think that they can't make a difference because they don't have money, you know, philanthropically, people always think of the word philanthropy as money, right? One of the things that I tell, especially students, young students, is that we all have T times 3s, and that's time, talents, and treasures. Those three things you can give away every single day. Simple things, like in the summer I put a cooler outside of my front door with ice-cold water so that when my mailman comes by, or my UPS guy, or my Amazon guy can grab a nice, really cold bottle of water, and it doesn't cost me much, $6 for a case. I tell these young students especially, y'all have them. You have time, talents, and treasures. Time is probably your biggest asset that you can give someone, an hour of your time. Go read to some kids who never get read to. Go to a senior center and talk to these seniors. I think that everybody can do at the end of the day, but they just have to use what they have, and those are with two times threes. When I grew up, that's what my mom did, that's what my grandmother did. They volunteered with the American Red Cross all the time, and with United Way. So, you know, for me, to give back is not unusual. My grandkids do the same thing. They're always volunteering with me, helping me sort things, helping me to put things together.

The biggest opportunity I see right now is visibility and partnerships. When people see an article about us or meet me, a lot of times they'll say, oh my god, there's a shelter in Atlanta, can you help them? Or, hey, I volunteered at this organization, and I'm Indian American, and we don't get a lot of support, can you help us? Just visibility of people who have not known about us, but yet should and could help us to help somebody else. I'm certainly open to anything and everything. I just want people to know that we exist and that we're there to answer some prayers for some women who just might be having a really hard time in their shelter. We're also working on grant applications now that I have more time since losing my job in December, and we're hoping to expand our reach. My hope and prayer is to have recognition of our brand in all 50 states, at least one city in all 50 states, and right now we're only in 14.

The most important values to me are giving back through time, talents, and treasures, and treating people with dignity and compassion. When I decided to give purses instead of just plastic bags, and to write a note of inspiration in every single one, it was because I wanted these women to know that they matter, that someone was praying for them. Everything in those purses is only for them, they're not sharing it, it's not something they have to give back. That personal touch, that dignity, is so important. For me, to give back is not unusual - when I grew up, that's what my mom did, that's what my grandmother did. They volunteered with the American Red Cross all the time, and with United Way. Now my grandkids do the same thing, they're always volunteering with me. It's about consistent acts of service and kindness. Even simple things matter, like putting out ice-cold water for the mailman or UPS driver in the summer. It doesn't cost much, but it's about being kind and thinking of others. I believe everybody can make a difference if they just use what they have.