Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS) is launching, “Take Back the Month!” This donation drive will support women in need who experience obstacles to obtaining menstrual care and feminine hygiene products.

Menstrual hygiene management is a fundamental necessity, but one in five women report being unable to afford feminine hygiene products. Women with lack of proper access to menstruation management supplies due to financial hardship or homelessness suffer ill effects to their health and dignity each month.

CSS Family Service Centers located throughout the five-county Philadelphia region are also seeing an increase in need from women and households who are experiencing hardships stemming from the ongoing pandemic. Many women must choose to put other immediate needs and the needs of their family first such as purchasing food, diapers, and other basic essentials causing inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products for themselves.

Those interested in helping women in need and supporting CSS can donate items online through YouGiveGoods at https://yougivegoods.com/takebackthemonth.

All goods donated will help stock the shelves of CSS’ “Ladies Locker” pantries which provide women in need with feminine care products. CSS’ housing and social services programs benefitting from the collection include: Mercy Hospice and McAuley House; Women of Hope;  Visitation Homes; Mercy Café; Chester City Coffee Club; as well as six Family Service Center’s across the five-county Philadelphia area. Donated items will also be distributed to CSS Social Workers who work within Archdiocesan High Schools.

Those interested in donating new and unopened feminine hygiene products in person are asked to contact Ms. Amy Stoner, director of Community Based and Housing and Homeless Services Division of Catholic Social Services, at astoner@CHS-ADPHILA.ORG to schedule a drop-off.

# # #

Editor’s Note: Catholic Social Services (CSS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia offers community-based and residential programs and services to support men, women and children in need as an expression of the charitable works of our local Church throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. To learn more about CSS programs that serve a wide variety of human needs, please visit https://cssphiladelphia.org/