NHS’s Full Stop club needs help donating items for the 2019 Christmas Drive in December.

Just like people need food and water, women need personal hygiene products. 

This is a problem that many women face everyday in shelters. According to the Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women, 73 percent  of homeless women reported that they do not have access to the products they need. In another study, Dr. Allegra Parrillo found that 79 percent of women had to use dirty or unsanitary items. For some women, getting access to personal hygiene products is a mountain to climb. 

It is time to change that. 

Current Full Stop President Kara Cowell said that all it took for Full Stop to get started was a video. Our founder Rachel Miserlian saw a video about how homeless women in New York City have to choose between feminine hygiene products and food. This video prompted Miserlian to realize that the same issue is going unheard about in this community as well and that something should be done to help. 

“Full Stop is a service-based club here at the NHS aimed toward empowering homeless and  underprivileged women. We collect feminine care and general hygiene products to package and donate to local shelters within the Fox Valley,” vice president Emily Stingle said.

With the holidays are around the corner, Full Stop needs help! Stingle says things like travel size shampoo and conditioner, body wash or bar soap, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, combs and lotion would be helpful things to donate. Boxes will be placed in different areas of the school to assemble donations. 

The holidays are not the only time people can help out. 

President Kara Cowell said: “We run multiple drives throughout the year especially around Christmas time, International Women’s Day (March), and the diversity fair. This is the easiest way to get involved and contribute to our cause so watch for our posters or follow our Instagram @fullstopneenah. You can also make product or monetary donations to our cause at any point throughout the year- if interested in doing this contact [email protected]. We also would love for anyone to join our efforts by becoming a member of our club. You do not have to attend every meeting, just come when you can and get involved with our different projects.”

Full Stop meets every other Friday at 7:15 a.m. in Mrs. Diane Underhill’s room (410). Anyone interested in joining can contact Cowell or Stingle to be added to the e-mail list to get updated on the meeting schedule. 

Women have full plates. Having the supplies to take care of themselves should not be one of them.

All it takes is a few passionate people with big ideas to make a difference.