The economic and financial impacts of COVID-19 has meant that even more women are having to make the choice between buying food or sanitary items, with Share the Dignity reporting a 54 per cent increase in the number of charities registering for the August dignity drive, compared to the previous drive held earlier this year.
Woolworths customers across Victoria donated more than 10,300 sanitary products towards the March dignity drive.
These products were then distributed to girls and women who could not afford to buy sanitary items.
The August dignity drive will run across all Woolworths supermarkets and metro stores nationally, giving customers the opportunity to donate sanitary items via collection boxes in store.
Woolworths will also donate five cents from the sale of pads, tampons and liners in August to Share the Dignity to help the charity fund more dignity vending machines that dispense free sanitary items to women experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or facing difficult circumstances.
Share the Dignity Victorian volunteer leader Breanna Tsemetzis said it was important communities came together to help those in need as COVID-19 continued to have a profound impact.
“Through no fault of their own, more women and girls in Seymour are not going to be able to afford basic essentials and will have to resort to toilet paper, socks or washers to deal with their period,” she said.
“Together with Woolworths Seymour, we’re calling on the local community to support our August dignity drive by purchasing their sanitary items at Woolworths or donating what products they can to our collection boxes.
“Each donation is so valuable to us and will go towards supporting the lives of women across Victoria.”
Woolworths Seymour store manager Michelle Cook said the store was proud to be partnering with Share the Dignity during a time when community support and kindness was more important than ever.
“We’re always amazed by the generosity of our customers and the support they show for our dignity drives. It’s this small act of kindness that goes such a long way in supporting vulnerable girls and women across Seymour,” she said.
Woolworths has partnered with Share the Dignity since early 2019 and, in partnership with its customers, has raised more than $1.3 million for the charity.
The funds raised are being used to install 80 dignity vending machines across Australia.
The dignity drive held in March collected more than 43,000 sanitary items for women in need across Australia.
