It's not something we get often loud about, but women need certain hygiene products every month - and they cost a lot of money.
"It's just tremendous,” says Theresa, “You don't have it." The women’s shelter client is struggling financially while looking for work.
Linda Grace, Regional Development Officer for Volunteers of America, Northern Nevada helps Theresa and many like her. "We serve over 300 women every single day, and these women are having to make a choice, a lot of them, do I feed my children, or do I buy feminine hygiene products?"
When Shanda Golden learned how women with little or no income deal with menstruation, she said it was too serious to ignore. "Whether it be socks, paper towels, toilet paper - and now we're finding out that they're also using sponges. So, that shouldn't be happening in our community."
Shanda used her last name - and last year branded the effort the Golden Tampon Drive.
The items get delivered to the women's shelter in Reno, plus... "we also have donated to Eddy House, to Our Center, we're now gonna be donating to the Awaken center," says Shanda.
This year the Tri-Delta Sorority at the University is helping with the Golden Tampon Drive. Emma Condon says, “We're also reaching out to all the other sororities and fraternities and other organizations and clubs at UNR and they can bring them to the Tri-Delt house, as well."
The goal it to also raise awareness…"to have access to safe, clean, hygiene products," says Grace.
Women’s shelter client Ondrea says the benefit is greater than just the immediate need "...and focus on moving into housing and focus on using our funds responsibly."
Last year the Golden Tampon Drive collected 1,200 boxes of feminine products. This year the goal is to double that and - really change lives. “Because that way the women, they can restore their dignity and they don't have to feel ashamed of themselves, that time of the month," explains Golden.
Golden Tampon Drive runs April 28 – May 31, 2018
Donations can be dropped at BIZARRE GUITAR, 2677 Oddie Blvd, Reno 89512 775-331-1001
or dropped shipped via Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tampons/b?ie=UTF8&node=3779601
Tri-Delta Sorority, UNR
https://deltadeltadeltarenonv.weebly.com/
Volunteers of America, Northern Nevada
https://www.voa-ncnn.org/northern-nevada
335 Record St,
Reno, NV 89512
(775) 322-7143
