Woollies And Share The Dignity Set To Celebrate One Millionth Donation Milestone With A Month Of Customer Rewards

Share the Dignity is launching its 20th August Dignity Drive this week to help deliver period product to those in need across Hawkesbury.

Donation boxes will be set up at a number of participating businesses, including all Woolworths supermarkets in the area.

The August Dignity Drive has launched as Share the Dignity reveals the results of its latest Bloody Big Survey, which found that 63 per cent of respondents in Hawkesbury had admitted they found it difficult to purchase period products due to financial stress.

Woolworths Operations Manager, Katrina Chung said they were proud to continue their partnership with Share the Dignity and support another Dignity Drive this month.

“It’s always great to see so many of our Hawkesbury shoppers get involved with generous donations to help support those in need,” Ms Chung said.

“We might even turn out to be the store that hits the one millionth donation, so thank you to everyone who gets involved.”

Woolworths will also donate five cents from the sale of every period product during August, adding to the $2.84 million already donated, which has helped fund an additional 110 Dignity Vending Machines across the country.

Share the Dignity founder and managing director, Rochelle Courtenay expressed deep concern over the Bloody Big Survey findings.

“It breaks my heart to see such high rates of period poverty continuing here in Australia,” Ms Courtenay said.

“No one should have to go without these basic essentials, yet this issue is alarmingly prevalent.

“I have heard so many stories shared through the survey about people’s experiences with period poverty, with some people having used tea towels, or tote bags to try and manage their period with dignity, which is simply unacceptable in a country like Australia.

“I had hoped to see a significant drop in the effects of period poverty when compared to our last survey in 2021, but it is just as high.

“This evidence-based data is what we need to keep advocating for change and to show the government needs to act now to ensure basic dignity for Australian menstruators.”

One NSW respondent shared their experience with period poverty in the survey.

“When I was a single mother experiencing domestic violence and struggling financially, I often wore tissue in my knickers as I could not afford period products,” the respondent said.

“It was degrading and humiliating.

No one understands unless they have had to choose between milk for breakfast for your child or period products.”

The report, which is informed by data analytics and insights from data science social enterprise WhyHive and written by Dr Jane Connory of Swinburne University of Technology, found stay-at-home parents, unemployed individuals and university/TAFE students were the most likely employment statuses to have experienced period poverty in the last 12 months in NSW.

Ms Courtenay said since the last Bloody Big Survey in 2021, they had seen every state/territory ensure the provision of period products to high school students.

“Being a student is hard enough without the added burden of period poverty,” Ms Courtenay said.

“This survey shows that we need to see universities and TAFEs better equipped to ensure our students can manage their period with dignity.

“This research highlights that we need change, and we need it now.

“Our Bloody Big Survey is vital to ensure we have the data to validate every heartbreaking experience we have heard with period poverty since we started nine years ago so we can advocate for change.“Period poverty in Australia cannot be ignored, not when it is something that three in five people with a period have experienced.

“I am now focused on ensuring free and dignified access to period products in University/TAFE campuses, and sporting centres as well as campaigning for local councils to ensure their residents can manage their period with dignity.”

Anyone wanting to make a tangible impact on those experiencing period poverty can donate unopened period products and incontinence aids to Share the Dignity’s Dignity Drive this month or donate online.

Key information about the Dignity Drive and how you can get involved:

• Share the Dignity is hosting its bi-annual Dignity Drive in August.

• People who want to support those in need can donate period products to Share the Dignity’s Dignity Drive this month.

• Supporters can donate unopened period products and incontinence aids at all Woolworths supermarkets and select businesses.

• Woolworths is on track to mark a major milestone with Share the Dignity this month, with the one millionth product donation to the organisation from Woolworths team members and customers.

• Five cents from the sale of every period care product in-store and online at Woolworths supermarkets will be donated to Share the Dignity until August 27, 2024. These funds will help provide free period care products to those in need and maintain over 109 Dignity Vending Machines.

• A number of offers will be available to all customers shopping in store and online throughout the month across the period care range, including 30 per cent off pads, tampons and liners until August 6, 2024. Everyday Rewards will be offering up to 10 x points to members who boost on the purchase of participating period products as well.

• All donations are collected by Share the Dignity’s volunteers who sort, count and drop them off to one of Share the Dignity’s 3000-plus charity partners. Donations are distributed locally to charity partners in the communities where they are donated.

Key findings from the latest Share the Dignity’s Bloody Big Survey:

• Over 63 per cent of NSW menstruators have experienced period poverty, admitting they have found it difficult to purchase period products. (Australia-wide this number sits at 64 per cent of menstruators, with NSW sitting at number three when compared to the other states and territories.)

• Numbers rose significantly nationally for those identifying as a person with a disability (78 per cent), Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders (83 per cent) and gender-diverse individuals who menstruate (83 per cent).

• Students are also doing it tough, with the number of university/TAFE students having to improvise on period products nationally due to cost, increased from 19 per cent in 2021 to 25 per cent this year, highlighting the impact the cost of living was having on them.

• Surveying 153,620 people, The Bloody Big Survey is the world’s largest survey and findings on experiences, attitudes and insights on menstruation. It is conducted every three years to monitor the physical, social and financial impacts of menstruation and to look at period poverty rates across the country.

• Seven per cent of NSW menstruators have experienced period poverty in the last 12 months.

• Topics:

• Charity / Worthwhile Causes
• Living and Lifestyle