Donation drive collecting menstrual hygiene products for local people in need.
Submitted. Many of us take buying the essentials for granted; a $10 box of tampons or pads every month or so, depending on how many are used in a menstruating person’s cycle, goes into the shopping cart without a second thought. After all, we need them. But what if they were a luxury, not a given? What if you were forced to choose between sanitary pads or food for yourself or your children? Abbotsford resident Danielle Windecker wants to help local people in need obtain the essentials many of us take for granted.
Inspired by British and Canadian campaigns such as Canadian Menstruators and The Homeless Period, she’s placing a local focus on the menstrual hygiene needs of women, trans and genderqueer individuals in our community who may have limited incomes, live on social assistance or be homeless. To that end, she’s collecting donations of menstrual hygiene products and donating them to the Abbotsford Food Bank. “Anyone who menstruates and needs to access The Food Bank can benefit from having hygiene products provided to them,’ says Danielle. ‘Even those of us who work full time notice how expensive a box of tampons or pads can be, let alone extras like pain relief for cramps. I can’t imagine having to choose between eating or having a tampon, and I don’t want others in my community to have to make that choice either.” In fact, it’s been estimated women will spend up to $9,000 on hygiene products, toilet paper and cramp medication in the 40-odd years they menstruate, not to mention additional expenses like reusable menstrual cups or pads, sanitary wipes or birth control pills (commonly prescribed for those with especially heavy periods or painful cramping.)
From May 1st to 31st , Danielle will be encouraging Abbotsford residents, businesses and community organizations to gather menstrual hygiene products such as pads, tampons and Lunapads for her first “Prepared. Period.” drive. All proceeds from the drive will be donated directly to the Abbotsford Food Bank. Anyone interested in helping collect menstrual hygiene products can contact Danielle to receive a donation box. She’ll distribute them throughout April to local businesses and organizations and collect the donations in the first week of June to personally deliver to the Abbotsford Food Bank.
To receive a donation box, contact Danielle directly at preparedperiod@gmail.com . The donation drive can also be followed on Twitter @preparedperiod and in their Facebook event.