WINTER, for many of us it’s a time to hunker down, warm and cosy in our homes, enjoying the delights of hearty soups and snuggly slippers.

For more than 85,000 Australian women and girls, the reality is very different.

They’re the homeless women, the women living in domestic violence shelters, or living in dire poverty.
For these women even the basic necessities are a luxury.

For over two years now the Share the Dignity Charity has been making a difference in these women’s lives and once again it’s calling for donations of sanitary products to help women in need.

Tea Gardens mum of two Jodie Genner is the go-to-woman for the organisation in the Myall Area.
Back in April she collected more than 200 sanitary products from generous locals.

“From Tuesday 1 August to the end of the month, people can drop their items into the office at Century 21 on Marine Drive at Tea Gardens and I’ll make sure they get to the Salvation Army Registered drop off point in Raymond Terrace,” Jodie said.

In just two short years, ‘Share the Dignity’ has grown into a national charity which has collected over 650,000 sanitary items from collection points in businesses, schools and other locations all over Australia.

Every item collected is registered, sorted and sent to services that directly support women and girls in need.
Jodie is just one of the 1,000 volunteers working to supply over 2,000 collection points across the country.
August is a very busy month for Jodie.

She’s also running again in Sydney’s City to Surf.

“It’s going to be interesting, I’ve done very little training, I’ve put on a few kilos over winter and I don’t know whether my shirt will even fit me,” she told News Of The Area with a laugh.

Jodie will be raising funds for the Autism Awareness Association.

To donate, simply go to the City to Surf website.

 

By Margie TIERNEY