Feminine hygiene products are low on non-profit donation lists, period

Lisa Foremost is a mother of two - and also a Peace region food bank client.

She says feminine hygiene products are often a forgotten donation when it comes to food bank hampers for those in need.

“It sometimes is left off like toothpaste or toothbrushes, but these items are just as needed.”

For the month of May, locations throughout the Peace region will be accepting donations of feminine hygiene products – including Fort St. John and Dawson Creek Safeway, Save On, and Shoppers Drug Mart locations.

“There are 17 locations across northeast BC,” says Lynnsy Noll with the United Way.

A food bank volunteer says these are products half the population use each month.

“I was 12 when I got my first period. I don’t remember having access to menstrual products at the time. A lot of the time we couldn’t afford them, struggled to buy them, or only had a small amount. I remember my perception of being “rich” as a young woman was having all your needs met, never having to worry about rationing necessities, or worrying about going without necessities," she says.

“It wasn’t my fault that we went without, I was just a kid, but life isn’t always fair, and I had to deal with the consequence of actions that weren’t even my own. It’s not fair that a young lady should have to go without something that is necessary through no fault of her own.”

Other FSJ locations taking hygiene product donations include; Nenan Dane zaa Deh Zona Family Services Society, LiUna (internal), BizzyBody Enterprises, Strait (internal), and Shell. DC collection locations are; Network Ministries, Rebel Beauty Inc., Our Social Collective, Central Middle School (internal), South Peace Secondary School (internal), Dawson Creek Public Library, Dawson Creek City Hall, Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre, and Work BC. Chetwynd locations include Work BC, Chetwynd Public Library, and Tansi Friendship Centre.

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