An annual event is once again helping to provide women in need across Chatham-Kent with menstrual products.
Tampon Tuesday in Chatham-Kent is typically accompanied by a social event. However, for the second year in a row, organizers opted for a drive-thru style donation centre to ensure social distancing.
On Tuesday afternoon, Individual Donor and Major Gift Associate with the United Way of Chatham-Kent Margery Muharrem said the team was still tallying up the totals. However, she said it was once again an amazing event that was well received by the community.
"We had [more] individuals or businesses coming in with donations and not as many vehicles, I don't think...There were more gift cards and cash and cheque donations this year, especially compared to last year," she explained. "Once we flush that all out it will be interesting to see where we land."
Tampon Tuesday was first started in nearby London in 2009 and has since grown to communities across Canada.
In 2020, over 2,000 boxes of feminine hygiene products were collected in Chatham-Kent alone. Approximately 400,000 boxes have been collected across Canada since the initiative began, according to the United Way.
Earlier this month, the province announced that it made a deal with Shoppers Drug Mart to provide millions of menstrual products to schools across Ontario, starting this fall.
With pads and tampons being some of the most requested but under-donated items at food banks, Muharrem said it's great to see period poverty being addressed and to see that work is continuously being done to tackle the stigma surrounding menstruation.
"It's a fact of life that females go through a menstrual cycle every month. It's not something we have control over, it's nature," she said. "To be taxed on it and have it be at the level of cost it is can be very challenging for folks that are on or below the poverty line."
After last year's Tampon Tuesday collection in Chatham-Kent, the products were disturbed amongst 15 local organizations. Muharrem said they are expecting around the same amount to benefit this year.
After a busy day on Tuesday, the team has another busy day ahead of themselves on Wednesday when they begin sorting out the products and preparing them for delivery.
"A big giant thank you to the community of Chatham-Kent for stepping up and recognizing that this is an important discussion," said Muharrem. "For a woman to have to make a decision to put a meal on the table or purchase menstrual products, we're hoping to help lessen that challenge for them."