LIMESTONE Coast residents can now donate to the national Share the Dignity campaign, which collects female sanitary items to be distributed by charities to women in need.
Donations of items such as pads, tampons, period underwear and menstrual cups can be made during March, with the campaign partnering with businesses to help collect items to benefit women experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence or in need of support.
The initiative was launched in 2015 by Rochelle Courtenay who collected sanitary items with her local community and distributed it to local shelters.
It has since grown to over 5000 volunteers nationwide, including Mount Gambier’s Melanie Riley, who started volunteering after making a donation last year.
“I jumped on board more towards the end but it does get bigger and bigger each year,” Ms Riley said.
“More businesses are also getting on board with each Woolworths store across Australia having a donation bin and other Mount Gambier businesses have also
put their hands up for it too.”
Ms Riley said this year volunteers expected to collect more products than ever before for women in need.
“We have been pretty consistent and at the moment we are also just trying to raise more awareness because although a lot of people know what it is about they do not know when it is happening,” she said.
“People have been a bit taken aback when it starts and then they do not have time to organise themselves and donate.”
Hoping to become more involved in the campaign, Ms Riley said she was surprised at the extent of volunteers support.
“It is really interesting to see how much work actually goes into each campaign and the raising awareness of it all,” she said.
The latest campaign will end on March 31, however another is scheduled for August.
Mount Gambier’s Marketplace and Commercial Street Woolworths stores are both donation points, along with Bare Necessities and Mimpi Life.
