‘Even more crucial’ — OP nonprofit gathers menstrual hygiene supplies, undergarments for those in need during pandemic

  Leah Wankum  - Good causes

I Support the Girls KC, a nonprofit located in Overland Park, is collecting undergarments and menstrual hygiene items for a drive to support Project Homeless Connect Kansas City this month. Photo courtesy I Support the Girls KC

Overland Park-based nonprofit I Support the Girls KC is collecting undergarments and menstrual hygiene items for a drive to support Project Homeless Connect Kansas City this month.

The two organizations are collaborating to collect new or gently used bras, menstrual hygiene products and new underwear for men, women and children. The Bras for a Cause collection drive supports the following local agencies during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month:

  • Hope Faith Ministries
  • True Light Family Resource Center
  • Rose Brooks Center
  • reStart

Lindsay Weiss, the Kansas City coordinator for I Support the Girls, said that so far, her organization has collected 40 packages of underwear, 85 bras, more than 300 tampons and more than 500 pads.

Weiss said the COVID-19 pandemic has made it “even more crucial” for these items to get in the hands of those who cannot afford or access them.

“A lot of kids not being in school right now, we have even less touch points to get to them, to deliver items to the schools is not happening right now,” Weiss said. “We had a hashtag, that #PeriodsDontStopForPandemics. Those natural, basic human need continue to be very important during this time especially.”

How to donate

Sarah Fustine, co-coordinator of Project Homeless Connect Kansas City, said their goal is to respond to the needs of social service agencies in the metro area. Undergarments and menstrual hygiene products are some of those top-need items, particularly while donations have slowed during the pandemic.

“For us, the role of this donation drive is connecting the amazing resources [I Support the Girls KC] has, to fill the great need of undergarments for people experiencing homelessness to agencies. We’re going to be spreading the love, per se, and distributing the undergarments to… the people with the greatest need.”

I Support the Girls and Project Homeless Connect Kansas City are accepting donations all month. More information is on Facebook, but here are three ways people can donate:

  • Drop off at a collection event from 1-3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24, at Seaboard Corporation, 9000 W. 67th St., Merriam
  • Select and donate items from the organizations’ Amazon wishlist: http://bit.ly/phckcSTG
  • Donate to the post office box for I Support the Girls: 9727 Antioch P.O. Box #13194 Overland Park, KS 66212