Fourth annual ‘Tampon Tuesday’ drive will support local food banks, shelters, agencies
United Way KFL&A has announced the fourth annual Tampon Tuesday collection drive in the region. This initiative will once again work locally with national Tampon Tuesday partners Bell Media, organized Labour and Shoppers Drug Mart.
Starting Wednesday, Mar. 1 and running until Friday, Mar. 31, 2023, community members are encouraged to donate pads, tampons, liners and other menstrual hygiene products, the United Way said in a media release.
“These collection drives are extremely important for so many in our community,” said Bhavana Varma, President and CEO of United Way KFL&A. “There are so many individuals who are vulnerable when it comes to menstrual hygiene. We are grateful for the wonderful response every year and look forward to another successful drive.”
The collection drive aims to fill a gap in the Kingston Frontenac, Lennox & Addington area, the United Way stated. Menstrual hygiene products are among the most requested items at local food banks and shelters, but the least donated, according to the release.
“Menstrual hygiene products are a necessity and yet unaffordable,” said Leigh Martins, Training, Education and Volunteer Coordinator at Kingston Interval House, a United Way partner agency. “United Way’s Tampon Tuesday drive allows us to have a supply of products available to give out to our clients.”
Last year the KFL&A community showed their local love and support by donating over 134,000 products. According to the release,these products are distributed to program users through local agencies and make an impact each day.
The United Way said that the products collected will be sorted by volunteers and distributed to various agencies including:
- Addiction & Mental Health Services
- Boys & Girls Club
- Centre for Abuse and Trauma Therapy
- Dawn House
- Dress for Success
- Elizabeth Fry Society of Kingston,
- Family and Children’s Services FL&A
- Girls Inc
- Trellis HIV& Community Care
- Home Base Housing
- Kingston Community Health Centres
- Pathways to Education
- Kingston Interval House
- Kingston Youth Shelter
- Lionhearts Inc.
- Lunch by George
- Maltby Centre
- Martha’s Table
- Morningstar Mission
- North Frontenac Food Bank
- Partners in Mission Food Bank
- Resolve Counselling
- Rural Frontenac Community Services Salvation Army Community & Family Services
- Southern Frontenac – Food Bank
- Street Health
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Tipi Moza
- Victim Services of Kingston & Frontenac
- Youth Diversion
Learn more about the impact that these donations make here.
This year’s drive will once again encourage workplaces and individual collection drives of products. There are drop-offs at locations throughout the region (see below.)
“Workplaces, neighbourhoods, families, individuals are encouraged to start their own collections, and then drop off at the collection sites,” added Varma.
Donations will be collected at the following locations:
Until Tuesday, Mar. 7, 2023:
- Cataraqui Centre (in partnership with MOVE 98.3): drop off at Centre Court during operating hours
From March 1 through 31 individuals can drop off at:
- United Way KFL&A office, 417 Bagot Street: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Look for donation boxes at:
- all Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Napanee, Amherstview and Kingston
- all Starbucks locations in Kingston
Products can also be donated through an Amazon wishlist and monetary donations can be made online. For more information and resources visit https://www.unitedwaykfla.ca/tampontuesday