For many Australian women, dealing with their monthly period is something they take for granted.
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It may mean a quick dash to the shop for last minute supplies or possibly some discomfort for a few days, but beyond that, for the most part, it is fairly easy to continue with everyday life.
For homeless women in Australia, their monthly period is something very different.
When faced with the decision of buying pads and tampons or feeding their family, these women will always put themselves last and go without sanitary items.
Share the Dignity believes that access to sanitary items should be a right not a privilege.
With the support of the Australian public their team of more than 1,000 volunteers across 200 Australian locations have successfully collected over 450,000 packets of pads and tampons in an 18 month period.
The ongoing nature of a woman’s period means that each year this supply is exhausted.
The charity relies on donations during their April and August #dignitydrives to continue the supply of products to homeless women.
The first of Share the Dignity’s 2017 sanitary drives kicked-off on April 1 and runs for the rest of the month.
Drop off points in the Shoalhaven include Cutting Point Hair Design and That Hair and Beauty Place in Sanctuary Point, Woolworths, Tilly Lane and Hopes Pharmacy in Vincentia and Huskisson Pharmacy.
Nowra collection points include Terry White Pharmacy, Knickerboxers, Australian Hearing centre, Shoalhaven Women's Health Centre, Curves, Junction Street Family Practice and Nowra Library.
Berry drop off points include Berry IGA, Berry Pharmacy and Berry Remedial Massage Centre.
In conjunction with the sanitary item collections, Share the Dignity has begun the roll out of its latest Dignity Vending Machines.
Aptly nicknamed the #pinkbox, dignity vending machines will be installed in key public locations across Australia and supply free sanitary items to women in need.
Find more information at http://www.sharethedignity.com.au/