SALT LAKE CITY — A little Mother's Day magic is happening in Utah thanks to donations from local businesses and the help of dozens of volunteers.
Mother's Day can be a difficult holiday for many, including single moms and survivors of domestic violence.
For the third year in a row, a group of Utahns assembled in the driveway of Beverly Aston with a goal to help lift mothers up by reminding them of their worth.
"The bags are donated from Nuskin, Albion Fitness, we have tons of products, lotion, hair stuff shampoo conditioner, makeup," Aston explained.
Aston said the cause is dear to her heart because she's lived it and has a soft spot for single moms after seeing her own mother struggle.
"On average it takes seven attempts before someone can successfully leave," she explained.
Brook Muir, the executive director at Fight Against Domestic Violence, is one of the volunteers and helps deliver finished bags to 16 shelters across Utah.
"When you are fleeing abuse, and you arrive at a shelter, you are in incredible distress," Muir said. "Oftentimes, most of the time you are arriving with nothing."
Victims of abuse are housed in a secret location for safety reasons and Kayla Jensen helps distribute the gifts.
She said the bags for Mother's Day are an important show of support but the true gift is something most women have not felt in a long time.
"It provides an opportunity for them to actually think about themselves for a moment, instead of this world of crisis and trauma that they've been experiencing," Jensen explained. "Seeing that growth for me is what gives me hope in the world.”
