People wanting to help those who have been victimized by crime can do so now by donat­ing items to the Wylie Police Department’s Evening of Em­powerment.

Evening of Empowerment is an event or­ganized by var­ious nonprofit organizations, crime victim advocates and police agencies to empower crime victims who need items so many people take for granted.

The event offers legal aid, a clothing closet (adult and chil­dren), health and beauty aids, cleaning products, nonperish­able foods, makeup and hair­cuts/styles, full-service dinner and free child care. Additional­ly, all the social service agencies in Collin County are offered a resource table. Victims can get assistance with legal questions.

“It’s just providing resources to the victims and then provid­ing an evening where they can be pampered and loved on and supported, just in a therapeutic environment,” said Kisha Voss, WPD crime victim advocate, who noted the event has been held for a number of years. This year, the event will be held Aug. 6 and is invitation only.

“And if there is someone out there that is just inquiring about it or maybe they need some help or something like that, I can talk to them and we can go from there,” she said, adding people can contact her at [email protected].

Nonprofits, hospitals and mental health facilities that the police work with participate in the event, said Voss, who noted the event’s location is confiden­tial for safety purposes. Sgt. Donald English said police can help people who are in re­lationships in which there’s been domestic violence.

Clothes donated to the event must be brand new or gently used, with a preference given to brand new.

The Wylie Police Department will have a box in its lobby — 2000 N. Hwy 78 — where donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., through Aug. 5.

The following items may be donated:

• Shampoo/Conditioner

• Body Wash/Hand Soap

• Diapers, Wipes, Baby Food,

Baby Formula

• Detergent, Cleanser, Bleach,

Fabric Softener/Dryer Sheets

• Cleaning Products:

Clorox Wipes, 409, Windex,

Toilet Cleanser

• Toothpaste/Toothbrushes

• Feminine Products

(Pads, tampons)

• Sponges

• Deodorant

• Hand Sanitizer

For more stories like this, see the July 21 issue or subscribe online.

By Don Munsch • [email protected]