Second annual Tampon Tuesday Drive more than doubles donations
The second annual Tampon Tuesday Donation Drive collected over 120,000 menstrual hygiene products during the United Way’s two week donation drive.
Community members were encouraged to donate pads, tampons, liners and other menstrual hygiene products to help fill a need in the Kingston Frontenac, Lennox & Addington area. During this year’s drive, from March 2 until March 16, 2021, 128,957 pieces were collected through product and financial donations, according to a release from United Way of KFL&A, dated Tuesday, Mar. 30, 2021.
Over 80,000 products were donated, and the financial donations totalled more that $9,000. Those funds were used to purchase more products, the United Way said in the release. The 2020 Tampon Tuesday drive saw 45,000 hygiene products were donated and distributed to agencies and individuals in need in the community.
“Thank you to everyone who dropped off donations, ran workplace or neighbourhood donation drives, ordered online & gave monetary donations,” said Bhavana Varma, President & CEO, United Way KFL&A. “And special thanks to all the partners who made the drive possible. Our community stepped up once again and showed their local love – thank you!”
The donation drive was made possible through partnership with Bell Media, national Tampon Tuesday partner, local Labour partners, Shoppers Drug Mart, and the Egg Farmers of Ontario. The United Way offers a special thanks to all Kingston Shoppers Drug Mart stores, Secura Financial and Cher-Mere spa locations for acting as drop off locations.
Products have now been counted and sorted and the United Way said they will be distributed in the coming weeks to various agencies in the community including Boys & Girls Club, Dawn House, Elizabeth Fry Society of Kingston, Girls Inc, HIV/AIDS Regional Services Mobile Services, Integrated Care Hub, Home Base Housing – One Roof, Rise 149, In From the Cold, KCHC Pathways to Education, KHSC Detox, Kingston Interval House, Kingston Youth Shelter, L&A Interval House, Lunch by George, Maltby Centre, Martha’s Table, Partners in Mission Food Bank, Resolve Counselling Centres, Rural Frontenac Community Services, Southern Frontenac – Food Bank, Street Health, and St. Vincent de Paul Society.