With over 3 million Australians living under the poverty line and the number of women experiencing 'Period poverty' on the rise, locals will be able to help by donating sanitary items via the 'Dignity Drive' boxes located in Woolworths Lake Cathie, Kempsey, Lakewood and Port Macquarie throughout March.

'Last year, the charity collected nearly 38,000 sanitary products in the August dignity drive from donations across Woolworths stores in New South Wales.

These donations were distributed to girls and women who cannot afford to buy sanitary items each month.

Woolworths Lake Cathie, Kempsey, Lakewood and Port Macquarie Group Manager, Craig Feuz said: “Last year, we saw so many of our customers generously donate to the Dignity Drive; it was heartwarming to see how enthusiastic they were in helping us support local women in need.

“We hope our customers will get behind Share the Dignity again this month and help us raise vital supplies for girls and women experiencing poverty, homelessness and domestic violence.”

Deborah Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer of Share the Dignity, said; “While the number of vulnerable women in Australia is sadly growing, we remain committed to our vision to eradicate period poverty in this country.

“We are working towards an Australia where women and girls will no longer be forced to use wadded up toilet paper or socks to manage their periods, which is a sad reality for too many girls and women today.

“When you are shopping at Woolworths this March, Share the Dignity encourages you to think, “one for me, one for her”, because while it may seem like a small gesture, we know small dignities make a big difference.”

Woolworths has partnered with Share the Dignity over the past year to help their mission to eradicate period poverty in Australia.

Funds committed by Woolworths from the sales of sanitary items in stores across the country over the past year have been used to purchase ‘Dignity Vending Machines’. Known as ‘Pinkboxes’, the machines dispense free period packs to women and girls supported by domestic violence services, homelessness hubs and schools.