A new holiday campaign called "It's the Holiday's, Period," has focused on local charity organizations' need for feminine hygiene product donations.
At the Nashville Rescue Mission, there's an abundance of toys, canned goods and furniture, but Mission officials have asked for something they don't normally receive as donations - feminine hygiene products.
"When you think about Christmas lists and what we need that's never going to make the list," said Senior Director of Development, Cheryl Davis. "That's never going to be in the front of anybody's thinking, even though it's a constant need."
That need is for more sanitary napkins and tampons for the 200 women the Mission serves every night. It's a topic Davis said is often times left unspoken.
"But that's a necessity for a woman as surely as eating and drinking and sleeping," she said. "When that time comes that's a basic necessity that they need, and its not inexpensive."
Feminine products can not be bought with an EBT card; so many women in shelters have been forced to go without because the donations just aren't there.
That's why a mid-state woman started a brand new drive called "It's the Holidays, Period" hoping to collect at least 500 unopened boxes of tampons and pads.
Two other non-profit organizations will benefit from this drive as well. They are Re-New at the YWCA and The Next Door. Kate McKinnie with The Next Door said they'll all split the donations three ways. "The Next Door is a treatment facility for women who have addiction or are coming out of incarceration," she said.
The facility holds 82 women. Many staying one to six months. "On a woman's first day at The Next Door shes given a welcome bag filled with shampoo, a Bible and feminine products are in each bag and it's just a blessing when they don't have to worry about that," said McKinnie.
To make a donation you can drop items off at the Nashville Rescue Mission, The Next Door and the YWCA. If you would rather make a financial contribution you can visit their gofundme page by clicking here.
