Purses for Periods campaign to help homeless women in Vancouver
A group of six Vancouver women are collecting pads, tampons, menstrual cups and purses for women living in the Downtown Eastside this April.
The campaign, Purses for Periods, was started by Mary Wilson, who heard of people gathering menstrual products for homeless women in Toronto.
So she took to social media to do the same in Vancouver.
“It’s something we don’t think about,” said Wilson in a release. “Having your period when you are homeless or at-risk is challenging – and very costly. Especially in a city like Vancouver.”
Purses for Periods aims to collect 200 purses and enough menstrual supplies to fill them throughout April.
“Women shouldn’t have to chose every month between buying tampons or food and shelter for themselves or their family,” said volunteer Melanie Glaim-Osmack in the release.
“The purses personalize the donation and connect us to women in need.”
The campaign will run from April 1- 28 and donations will be given to the WISH Drop-in Centre, which provides support to at-risk women, for distribution.
The women ask that you donate new or gently used purses, unopened boxes of pads, tampons, and menstrual cups, and new packs of baby wipes, hand sanitizer and underwear.
Donations can be dropped off at the following locations:
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Roundhouse Community Centre – 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
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Strathcona Community Centre – 601 Keefer Street, Vancouver
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Le Centre Culturel Francophone – 1555 7th Avenue West, Vancouver
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Réseau-Femmes Colombie Britannique – 1555 7th Avenue West, Vancouver
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Creekside Community Recreation Centre – 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver
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