Stuart to Hold Hygiene Supply Drive

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. – To ensure local all families have sufficient access to menstrual hygiene products, state Rep. Katie Stuart is partnering with the Soup-n-Share Outreach Program to collect tampons, pads, and other period supplies. Contactless donations will be accepted at Stuart’s constituent service office, located at 2105 Vandalia St. Unit #16 in Collinsville, and at Soup-n-Share throughout the month of March.

“For people who are already struggling to make ends meet, the monthly cost of tampons or pads can be too much,” said Stuart. “Period poverty is a real public health issue causing employees to miss work or students to miss school due to their period if they do not have enough supplies. I try to host a few supply drives every year to help meet this need locally, and I’m also working on legislation to combat period poverty statewide.”

Stuart’s supply drive will take place during the entire month of March in honor of Women’s History Month. Accepted donations include unopened boxes of tampons, pads, and other menstrual and hygiene products, which can be dropped off at Stuart’s office in Collinsville or the Soup-n-Share building, 5 Caine Dr. in Madison. To prevent teens from missing class due to a lack of period supplies, Stuart is also sponsoring legislation to make menstrual products available free of charge in the bathrooms of K-12 schools and buildings on college campuses.

“Next time you’re at the grocery store, please consider picking up a box of tampons or pads for someone who needs it in our community,” continued Stuart. “Thank you to Soup-n-Share for partnering with my office to provide these resources across Madison County.”