Periods are a fact of life. For women living in poverty, there is an added challenge of acquiring monthly feminine hygiene products. For women who are experiencing homelessness, it is an even bigger challenge.
On Tampon Tuesday, March 6, United Way and the Comox Valley Transition Society will join a nationwide Tampon Tuesday campaign to gather and distribute menstruation products to help women living in poverty maintain their dignity. Each year United Ways across Canada hold simultaneous Tampon Tuesday events on the Tuesday in March that coincides with International Women’s Day.
The local Tampon Tuesday event, supported by United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island, will take place March 6 from 4-6 p.m. at the Comox Valley Transition Society (625 England Ave., Courtenay, BC). The event is open to the public.
The price of admission is one unopened box of feminine hygiene products. Heather Ney, executive director of Comox Valley Transition Society, will be there to talk about how we can help women living in poverty in our community. Appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
“Imagine as a woman not having a stash of monthly supplies when you need them,” says event organizer Lindsay McGinn of United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island. “Sadly, that’s often just one challenge for the women who stay at Courtenay’s homeless shelter – 220 women per year, according to the last homelessness count funded by United Way.”
From now until the day of the event, anyone can drop off feminine hygiene donations at the Comox Valley Transition Society, or call 250-897-0511 to arrange a pick up.
The donated products will be distributed to women in need through the Transition Society and at events surrounding Comox Valley’s Point-In-Time Homelessness count on March 7.
“Last year we saw what an impact the Tampon Tuesday event had in the Lower Mainland and we were inspired to organize that same kind of practical support for women in our community,” said Ney. “We hope to help restore dignity for women and girls who can’t afford these supplies and might feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about it. At the transition society we support women every day who are homeless or living in extreme poverty. Donations of these products will be a huge help.”