Handbags of sanitary items are being collected for women who cannot afford the necessary monthly products.
Student Sammy Bailey of Katikati decided to help after watching a video about the issue of dealing with menstruation while being homeless.
The idea came to Ms Bailey after she helped out in a drive of the same nature in Brisbane a few years ago. She posted the idea on the Tauranga Buy, Sell, Swap Facebook page on Sunday evening and said the reaction was "crazy". She has already collected five handbags full of sanitary items from people in the community. The sanitary products would be going to the Tauranga Community Foodbank and the Auckland City Mission, to help the high number of homeless women there.
Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said sanitary items were always needed.
Ms Bailey said they would accept any new sanitary items as well as personal hygiene products for both men and women such as deodorant. She will be at Gull on Hewletts Rd at 5.30pm today to collect donations and can also be contacted via Facebook.
