By Mikayla van Loon
Share the Dignity, the leading charity and advocate for ensuring every woman and girl has access to period products, is in the midst of its March Dignity Drive.
Every Woolworths supermarket across the Yarra Ranges, from Seville to Lilydale to Monbulk, is partnering with Share the Dignity to collect donations.
But it’s volunteers like the Yarra Ranges’ Leanne Thompson who see the end result, delivering the products to other local charities.
“You get to select a charity (that has partnered with Share the Dignity) which is the best bit, because you get to go and deliver the items that you know are going to be received and shared with those that need them most,” she said.
In the Yarra Ranges, two charities have requested over 300 products and nationwide there’s over 155,000 charities requesting products.
Signing up to volunteer in October last year, Ms Thompson said it was a desire to help but also knowing that some women and girls would have to go without that led her to wanting to support the cause.
“(It was) the need and to see that women have been struggling with equality, and knowing that there’s a real need for products is mind blowing,” she said.
“People are struggling to buy essential things, or living in circumstances where they can’t afford those essential products that they need during menstruation. That I thought, yeah, this is a great cause to support.”
The Bloody Big Survey, conducted by Share the Dignity in 2024, highlighted the hardships faced by everyday Australians, quantified in alarming statistics, finding 64 per cent of respondents have had difficulty purchasing period products due to cost.
In the Yarra Ranges, the survey showed that 65 per cent of respondents found it difficult to buy products, nearly 13 per cent felt like they hadn’t been educated about menstruation and the percentage ranged from 41 to 65 for those who missed out on school, sport, socialising and work.
“Our mission has always been to ensure that no one has to go without period products, but the reality is that demand is growing faster than we can meet it,” Share the Dignity founder and managing director Rochelle Courtenay said.
Celebrating 10 years of the charity and all the incredible support for trying to end period poverty, Ms Courtenay said the cost of living was adding a huge burden to many lives.
“We’ve accomplished so much over the last 10 years and I’m so proud of the work that we’ve done, but there is still so much more to do,” Ms Courtenay said.
“The cost-of-living crisis has placed immense pressure on vulnerable Australians, and we must rally together to ensure no one has to face period poverty alone.
“No woman, girl or person who menstruates should have to experience the indignity of having to substitute period products.”
Aiming to collect at least 200,000 period products across the country, Ms Thompson said “every little bit helps”, even if it is just one or two items.
Throughout March as well, any period product purchased from Woolworths, they will donate five cents to Share the Dignity, adding to the over $3 million already donated since the partnership started in 2019.
Ms Thompson said, otherwise, volunteering for the charity was extremely rewarding and well worth it.
“It doesn’t take a lot of time and it’s really great. Volunteering as always you get more back than you give.
“You give to your local community, and it helps to build networks. I’ve met people just in the last six months, through charities and deliveries that I would never have met or even known existed in the local area if I hadn’t got involved with Share the Dignity.
“So getting involved is a really wonderful way to be part of the community.”
With a daughter of her own and as a woman, Ms Thompson said the thought of women and girls having to make do with other items, or feel embarrassed at school, or choosing between a meal and a period product was hard to comprehend but encouraged her even more to volunteer.
“I’ve just been fortunate that I’ve been able to take this for granted…and just want to ensure that every woman out there feels loved and protected and cared for,” she said.
“I feel privileged to be a part of such a wonderful network supporting women and ensuring there’s equality for women.”
