Did you know that girls and women represent 49% of the adults who access food banks each month? That’s about 430,000 individuals who not only need access to food but also to items like feminine hygiene products.  

For women with limited income, managing their periods can often become complicated and expensive. Spending money on feminine hygiene products can often mean making tougher decisions when it comes to choosing to stay healthy and clean during their cycles or using that money for food or transportation. Food banks also face a challenge when receiving donations because it’s not often that feminine hygiene products are top of mind for donors. 

But there are some people willing to help. News has spread about the lack of feminine hygiene product donations at food banks and many have stepped up. Organizations such as Helping Women Period and Women Helping Women have been able to provide hundreds and thousands of pads and tampons to their local food banks to assist women and female youth in need.

For the past year, Shoppers Drug Mart has hosted events and conferences for their staff and through these events they have been able to collect over 20 bins filled with feminine hygiene product donations. In total, those products will help over 15,000 girls and women who access food banks in Canada. And the love and gratitude for these products was felt across the country.

“On behalf of the Ontario Association of Food Banks and the food banks we serve, would like to thank Shoppers Drug Mart for their generous donation of feminine products to our network. With this support, we are able to help ensure that families in need have access to basic essentials, healthy food, and the products they need to thrive in daily life.”

– Adelaide Wimpenny, Ontario Association of Food Banks, ON

“Thank you so much for your generous donation of feminine products. All too often women are faced with having to choose between purchasing the household basics for their family or purchasing necessary and essential feminine products. […] Donations like yours is just another way we are able to continue helping women period.”

– Alex Counsell, Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank, Nanaimo, BC

It may not be first on your list of items to donate but the need for feminine hygiene products is great among those who use food banks. Consider adding these items to your list the next time you donate to your local food bank. Many thanks to Shoppers Drug Mart for being a dedicated partner in helping us help Canadian girls and women in need!