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Hurricane Harvey Victims Need Tampons, Pads, and Diapers—Here's How You Can Help


PHOTO: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI

It’s been a week since Hurricane Harvey first made landfall, and now tens of thousands of Texans are trying to cope with the colossal damage caused by the storm. Harvey—possibly the worst disaster Texas has ever seen—has left at least 46 people dead, forced around 42,000 into emergency shelters, and left over 60,000 without power.

It’s hard to imagine dealing with your period and other bodily functions on top of it all, but for countless women, it’s the reality. In the wake of the storm, securing tampons, pads, diapers, and other basics has been a major struggle for many women—especially those who are low-income or homeless. Most shelters don’t have such items stocked, and the supplies that were available are quickly dwindling.

“Periods don’t stop for hurricanes,” Dana Marlowe, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Support the Girls, told Circa. “Periods don’t stop for flooding.”

Millions of dollars have already poured into the Harvey relief efforts—and a growing list of celebrities pledging major donations—but there are plenty of opportunities for you to directly help women and families who are in desperate need of basic supplies. Here are a few organizations that need your help.

The Texas Diaper Bank is preparing for an expected 10,000 displaced families. You can donate to their website or check out their Amazon account for disaster relief essentials you can buy. If you are in the San Antonio area, the organization is also seeking out volunteers to help sort items for distribution.

#HappyPeriod collects pads, tampons, soap, wipes, and underwear for women who are low-income, homeless, or living in poverty. You can donate directly to their Houston chapter or purchase items from their Amazon wishlist to send directly to their Harvey relief operations.

The Homeless Period Project’s Houston affiliate has created an Amazon wish list and you can purchase pads and tampons for women and girls who have been affected by Harvey.

Support the Girls is sending bras, pads, and tampons to women and girls in Houston. A suggested donation of $22 is enough to cover a full kit containing all of these items. You can also send products to their Wylie, Texas, location.

Aquí Estamos RGV, a youth-led south Texas advocacy group for LGBTQ people of color, has partnered with the bilingual multimedia company NETA to collect donations for The Homeless Period Project of the Rio Grande Valley.

Simply the Basics is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that assembles hygiene kits—which include soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and feminine hygiene products—for homeless and low-income communities. They are accepting donations for hygiene kits to send to victims of Harvey.

For more ways to contribute to the relief efforts, here’s how you can help victims of Harvey in Texas, no matter where you are.



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