Steven’s Wings: Global Youth Adventures is hosting a “Purses for Passports” Designer Handbag Bingo fundraiser to raise $15,000, providing underserved youth with life-changing travel opportunities.
United States, 26th Sep 2024 – Steven’s Wings Global Youth Adventures, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering underserved youth through international travel, has announced its upcoming Purses for Passports Designer Handbag Bingo fundraiser. The event will be held in West Chester, PA on October 19th from 12 PM to 4 PM, with a goal of raising $15,000 to fund three full scholarships for the Global Explorer Program, set to take place in July 2025. This initiative aims to provide life-changing cultural immersion experiences for youth who otherwise would not have access to international travel.
Erica Wright, founder of Steven’s Wings, launched the organization in 2023 to honor her late brother, Steven Wilkes, a Navy veteran and nurse who dedicated his life to helping others. Speaking on the mission of the event, Wright said, “We created Purses for Passports to bring our community together in support of underserved youth. Our goal is to empower young people with the transformative experience of travel and help them realize their potential as leaders and global citizens.”
Bringing Steven Wright’s Legacy to Life Through Youth Empowerment
Steven’s Wings was inspired by the life of Steven Wilkes, a Navy veteran who served in Desert Storm and later worked as a nurse in Philadelphia hospitals. His commitment to serving others became the foundation for the organization’s mission: to provide youth with opportunities that foster leadership, cultural understanding, and personal growth. The Purses for Passports event is central to this mission, directly supporting the Global Explorer Program, which sends students on fully funded trips to countries like Spain and Colombia for cultural exchanges and service-learning projects.
Wright emphasizes the personal importance of this initiative: “Steven was dedicated to helping others throughout his life, and this organization reflects that. We want to give young people the chance to step beyond their daily environments, broaden their horizons, and return home with a new sense of purpose and community responsibility.”
A Night of Fun with a Purpose: Designer Handbag Bingo
Attendees of the Purses for Passports fundraiser will have the chance to win designer handbags from top luxury brands, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Coach, while contributing to a meaningful cause. The event will feature multiple bingo games, with each winner receiving a high-end handbag. In addition to bingo, guests will have access to a silent auction featuring donated items from local businesses, light refreshments, and the opportunity to learn more about Steven’s Wings and its impact on youth.
With each bingo card sold, Steven’s Wings moves closer to its goal of raising $15,000, enough to fully fund three travel scholarships. These scholarships will cover all travel costs for selected participants, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent deserving youth from experiencing global travel.
The Impact of the Global Explorer Program
The Global Explorer Program, made possible by fundraisers like Purses for Passports, offers underserved youth the opportunity to travel internationally, where they engage in immersive cultural experiences, leadership training, and service-learning projects. For many participants, it will be their first time leaving their neighborhoods, let alone the country. These experiences not only broaden their perspectives but also equip them with the confidence and skills to return home and create positive change in their own communities.
Erica Wright, reflecting on the importance of these experiences, said, “Travel opens doors and minds in ways few other experiences can. These young people return with a deeper understanding of the world and a renewed sense of what’s possible for their own futures.”
Through this initiative, Steven’s Wings continues to carry forward Steven Wilkes’ legacy, ensuring that his passion for service and helping others endures through the next generation of leaders.
Get Involved: How the Community Can Support Purses for Passports
Steven’s Wings is calling on local businesses, community members, and supporters from all walks of life to participate in this exciting event. Whether through purchasing bingo cards, sponsoring a youth scholarship, or donating items for the silent auction, there are multiple ways to contribute to the success of the fundraiser and help underserved youth take their first steps toward becoming global citizens.
The Purses for Passports event is not just about raising money—it’s about investing in the future of young leaders. The impact of these scholarships goes far beyond a single trip; it inspires participants to dream bigger, grow as individuals, and give back to their communities.
About Steven’s Wings: Global Youth Adventures
Founded in 2023 by Erica Wright, Steven’s Wings: Global Youth Adventures is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering underserved youth through life-changing international travel opportunities. Inspired by the legacy of Erica’s brother, Steven Wilkes—a Navy veteran and nurse whose life was devoted to service—Steven’s Wings seeks to develop young leaders through cultural immersion, leadership development, and community engagement. The organization provides fully funded scholarships to ensure that financial barriers do not stand in the way of deserving youth discovering the world.
For more information, visit stevenswings.org or follow us on social media at @stevenswingsgya.
Media Contact:
Erica Wright
Founder & Executive Director
stevenswings.org
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Media Contact
Organization: Steven’s Wings: Global Youth Adventures
Contact Person: Erica Wright
Website: https://www.stevenswings.org/
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Country: United States
Release Id: 26092417283