A designer donated her inventory of 1,000 purses to healthcare workers after the pandemic halted her business

• Hannah Fastov is the founder of Go Dash Dot, a New York City-based handbag company.
• In spring 2020, Fastov had an overstock of crossbody bags due to the impact of COVID-19.
• She donated all 1,000 of her surplus crossbody purses to healthcare workers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her business, Hannah Fastov, the founder of accessories company Go Dash Dot, found a new purpose for her brand's carry-all handbags.

Fastov's brand, Go Dash Dot, sells tote bags, backpacks, duffles, and crossbody bags designed to make traveling and commuting easy. Fastov founded Go Dash Dot in 2016 after graduating college and struggling to find a stylish tote bag that could work for the office, the gym, and other activities.

In March 2020, travel, workout classes, work commutes, and other in-person activities that warranted a carry-all tote bag were put on hold.

That left Fastov, along with many other retailers, with a surplus of luggage and purses that weren't in demand.

But an Instagram message from a nurse in Nashville, Tennesse - who was a former Go Dash Dot customer - gave Fastov the idea to repurpose her handbags to help healthcare workers.

Fastov donated all 1,000 of her brand's crossbody bags to nurses

Fastov told Insider that after hearing from the Nashville-based nurse - who told her that she relied on the brand's convenient crossbody bag during her long hours at her hospital amid the pandemic - she decided to donate the same style bag to other hospitals.

In March 2020, Fastov had a surplus of 1,000 crossbody bags sitting in the Go Dash Dot warehouse.

The next month, she donated all of the purses to healthcare workers in New York City.

Fastov said that donating her inventory was a hard business decision to make, but she loved knowing how her products were helping essential workers in the pandemic.

"I want them to feel like they can take on the whole world," Fastov told Insider of healthcare workers. "I want them to feel like they can conquer everything and they will be able to get through their day without having to sacrifice anything."

Go Dash Dot's crossbody/belt bag retails for $88. The version Fastov donated to New York City healthcare workers has numerous pockets, can be worn three different ways, and is machine-washable.

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Fastov said that according to healthcare professionals who wear her belt bags, the purses have enough pockets and space to hold supplies they need while making rounds in their facilities.

In addition to donating her inventory of purses amid the pandemic, Fastov now offers US healthcare workers a 40% off discount to use across the website.

Go Dash Dot also offers customers a discount code for donating their gently used purses. The brand then donates the used handbags to Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that empowers women to become economically independent by supplying professional attire and a network of support.

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The founder said that when she created her brand, she knew she wanted the products to be useful and fashionable for people of all professions.

That sentiment led her to come up with the brand's name, which is inspired by the Morse code translation of the word "go."

"Just like Morse code is a universal language, the bags are universal for life," Fastov said.