No-one should go without this Christmas.
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Charity organisation Share the Dignity is urging the community to spare a thought for the women and teenage girls experiencing homelessness, sleeping rough, or seeking refuge in domestic violence shelters.
In an effort to ensure that these women and girls do not go without, the charity has launched its 2019 'It's in the Bag' Christmas Appeal.
One of seven Nowra Share the Dignity volunteers, Jeanine Leyshon, encouraged everyone to help spread the cheer this December.
"We want to give local women and girls doing it tough over the holiday period a reason to smile and feel cared for, as well as restoring some of their dignity by providing them with handbags filled with essential hygiene products, as well as a few extra little treats," she said.
This is the fifth year the charity has run the Christmas campaign, and Jeanine is hoping for the biggest response yet.
"We've been blown away by the support this collection receives each and every year, and we'd love the communities support to show these women and girls that they are in our thoughts this Christmas," she said.
The It's in the Bag campaign has a simple premise:
- Donate a handbag in good, used condition that you no longer use.
- Fill it with items that will make a difference to the daily life of a woman experiencing homelessness, domestic violence or period poverty;
- Include the essentials such as pads and tampons, roll on deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner and soap.
- Add little luxuries like lip balm and new socks, a magazine - anything that would make a woman or teenage girl feel special.
Individuals who donate bags are encouraged to pop a thoughtful note into the bag to show these women and girls that someone cares and that they matter.
The campaign will run until December 7. Bags can be dropped off at South Nowra Bunnings.
Local Share the Dignity volunteers will collect the donated bags and distribute to shelters and charities, ensuring these lovingly prepared bags are available for women and girls in time for Christmas.
- In Australia, domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and their children and most women leaving a violent relationship move out of their home.
- Each year 1 in 42 women aged 15-24 will access a specialist homelessness service*.
- In 2017 over 2,200 women in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out** and we can only expect that with increasing poverty that this number could well now be higher.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are also 35 times more likely to be victims of domestic violence.
- 3.2 million Australians are currently living the below poverty line with many women and young girls experiencing period poverty on a monthly basis unable to afford sanitary items.
