Power of the Purse 2025
Chairs: Mara Portillo & Olivia Zepeda
Honorary Chair: Isha Rogers Santamaria
The Women's Fund of El Paso signature event, Power of the Purse (POP), is BACK! Join us on February 27th, 2025 at St. Rogers Depot for a night of shopping to support our scholarship fund for women in the Borderplex region.
This year’s POP event will honor the late Dede Rogers, an El Paso philanthropist, businesswoman and dedicated advocate for empowering women by providing them with the essential tools and access to resources to uplift themselves and transform their families’ life trajectories. Her longstanding financial contributions to the Women’s Fund of El Paso have enabled numerous women in our region to receive scholarships to attend school. We take pride in celebrating her legacy as a dedicated supporter and champion for women in our community.
POP attracts over 300 guests and includes a silent auction featuring new and vintage handbags and other gift packages, as well as a mercado with approximately 200 new and gently used handbags valued at $5 or more. All proceeds go towards our scholarship fund, and further our mission of advancing the education and leadership of women in our community, like it helped Noemi, a Texas Tech Health El Paso student.
“Thanks to the Women’s Fund of El Paso, I have been able to ensure that my children have a safe place to be and learn while I am getting my degree.” – Noemi, Texas Tech Health El Paso student.
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History of Power of the Purse
The inaugural Power of the Purse event was held in 2006 in a warehouse donated by the El Paso Chile Company. Hoping to raise $25,000 for that first event, the Women's Fund was overwhelmed by the interest and genreosity of donors raising more than $100,000 for scholarships for single mothers. Thus begun the tradition of the Power of the Purse -- held every 18 months at unique locations featuring silent auctions, live auctions and a boutique/mercado. Women gather to shop but more importantly to support the empowerment of other women in the community. Hundreds of volunteers make these unqiue and fun events possible. Inaugural Chairs: Tina Yamada & Carol Brey-Casiano
Power of the Purse 2007. The second Power of the Purse was staged at the OLO Gallery in the Union Plaza. This home to Creative Kids became the place to shop for your new handbag (or two or three) and support a great cause. Chair: Stephanie Dodson
Power of the Purse 2009: "Bubbles, Baubles & Bags" was the theme of the 2009 POP, again at the OLO Gallery, but taken up a notch as the gallery was transformed into a truly "urban chic" event featuring more high-end bags than ever before. Chairs: Caroline North & Maria Klein
Power of the Purse 2010: As popularity continued to grow, the Power of the Purse moved to the Union Depot where there was record attendance anchored by the "Tree of Giving" and a record number of handbags to bid on. Chairs: The Honorable Cortney Niland & Dana Frank
Power of the Purse 2012 was held in the Transtelco building, another downtown space converted to accommodate the event. Chairs: Taylor Moreno and Amanda Petersen
In 2013, the Power of the Purse paid homage to one of
fashion’s greatest female icons, Coco Chanel, at the Radisson Hotel, space generously donated by Rose and Amen Ayoub. it had one of the most successful live auctions in the event's history and new technology where guests could bid in real time via smart phones. Chairs: Nichol Ayoub & Rose Ayoub
Power of the Purse 2007. The second Power of the Purse was staged at the OLO Gallery in the Union Plaza. This home to Creative Kids became the place to shop for your new handbag (or two or three) and support a great cause. Chair: Stephanie Dodson
Power of the Purse 2009: "Bubbles, Baubles & Bags" was the theme of the 2009 POP, again at the OLO Gallery, but taken up a notch as the gallery was transformed into a truly "urban chic" event featuring more high-end bags than ever before. Chairs: Caroline North & Maria Klein
Power of the Purse 2010: As popularity continued to grow, the Power of the Purse moved to the Union Depot where there was record attendance anchored by the "Tree of Giving" and a record number of handbags to bid on. Chairs: The Honorable Cortney Niland & Dana Frank
Power of the Purse 2012 was held in the Transtelco building, another downtown space converted to accommodate the event. Chairs: Taylor Moreno and Amanda Petersen
In 2013, the Power of the Purse paid homage to one of
fashion’s greatest female icons, Coco Chanel, at the Radisson Hotel, space generously donated by Rose and Amen Ayoub. it had one of the most successful live auctions in the event's history and new technology where guests could bid in real time via smart phones. Chairs: Nichol Ayoub & Rose Ayoub
