Every time Natasa Jesic goes to the supermarket, she puts a pack of tampons in her trolley.
Since signing up her Mill Park home this month to join the list of more than 100 drop-off points for donated tampons and pads, Ms Jesic has built up a collection of sanitary items to hand over to new charity, the Melbourne Period Project.
The 28-year-old stumbled upon the charity online and was struck by its compassionate raison d’être: to ensure homeless women don’t have to experience the humiliation of menstruating without tampons or pads.
“We’re all women; we should be helping each other,” Ms Jesic said.
The hospital clerk has a box outside her house for anyone in the Mill Park area also wanting to donate. It’s one of a number of drop-off points in Melbourne’s north.
People have also put their hands up to collect donated sanitary items at Bundoora, Craigieburn, Doreen, Epping, Mernda, Riddells Creek, South Morang, Sunbury and Tullamarine.
The charity was launched by Victorians Donna Stolzenberg and Nat Cruz.
“Imagine having to ask a stranger for sanitary products, even if that stranger is there to help,” Ms Stolzenberg said.
Details and drop-off locations are online at www.melbourneperiodproject.org.au.
