One bag can make a big difference in a woman’s life, Ballarat Share the Dignity volunteers say.
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The group of passionate volunteers are calling for the Ballarat community to help support women and girls in poverty this Christmas as part of Share the Dignity’s It’s in the Bag campaign.
Old handbags or backpacks that are filled with pads, tampons and personal hygiene products are gifted to homeless women, women at risk or victims of domestic violence in Ballarat as part of the campaign.
Ballarat Share the Dignity volunteer Andrea Whimpenny said the bags meant so much more to women than access to essential hygiene products that become a luxury for those in poverty.
I think once women get these bags they realise there is support and respect out there for them.
- Andrea Whimpenny, Share the Dignity
“I don’t think it is necessarily the contents or the bag itself that has the biggest impact, I think it is the fact that somebody is thinking of them, that someone is out there and has gone to the trouble to put this bag together for them. I think women realise once they get these bags there is support and respect out there for them,” she said.
Those who would like to create and donate a bag are asked to include pads, tampons, a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and soap, but can add any extra Christmas gifts that are new and sealed and a personal note to the recipient.
Share the Dignity also accepts bags with items for young girls, labelled with a yellow ribbon and young mothers, labelled with a purple ribbon.
The bags can be dropped off at Bunnings and are then donated to local charities including WRISC Family Violence, Berry Street and Salvation Army for distribution.
Ms Whimpenny said Share the Dignity volunteers were aiming to collect 500 bags for women and girls in need in Ballarat.
“There has been some beautiful bags collected already. I collected a backpack which was made by young girls who saved their pocket money to put a backpack together and they wrote a gorgeous letter,” she said.
“On Saturday I dropped some bags at the soup bus and there was a mother with three young girls collecting groceries... She took one of the bags, opened it up and said ‘oh my goodness’. You could see she was about to cry. She turned around and said thank you so very very much.”
Bags filled with essentials can be donated to Bunnings as part of the It’s in the Bag campaign until December 2.
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