Goodlettsville, Tenn. — According to the Journal of Global Health Reports, 16.9 million women in the U.S. are living in poverty, two-thirds of which could not afford personal care products in the past year.
To recognize Women’s History Month last month and help combat "period poverty" which is defined as the lack of access to safe and hygienic menstrual products, Dollar General’s Blair Distribution Center collectively donated nearly 2,800 feminine care products to local homeless shelter, Open Door Mission.
“As we wrap up Women’s History Month in March, Dollar General is proud to donate feminine care products to Open Door Mission,” shared Joseph Hunter, Dollar General’s senior director of operations at DG’s Blair distribution center. “We humbly live out our mission of serving others by supporting Open Door Mission in increasing access to basic essentials for women. Thank you to our DG employees who helped donate, collect, organize and distribute these items to make a positive difference in our community.”
Donated products included tampons, panty liners, feminine wipes and sanitary napkins. These donations complement DG employee Joi Bass and her “Keep It Cute” shelves to stock essential feminine hygiene products for students in need, which were highlighted by Reader’s Digest. In total, Dollar General distribution centers and employees across the nation have donated more than 36,000 products since 2023.
“Thank you, Dollar General, for recognizing the importance of advocating for women's needs and for your dedication to serving those in need in our community,” Vieva McClure, Engagements, Drives and Events Coordinator at Open Door Mission. “The donation of feminine hygiene products from Dollar General was a huge contribution that made a significant impact on the women at the shelter. We can't do what we do without the help of generous partners in our community like Dollar General."
