The initiative, driven by founder Rochelle Courtenay, asks for donations of period products and incontinence aids to alleviate period poverty.
Share the Dignity looks into accessibility to period products, and education about and attitudes towards periods through The Blood Big Survey, the world’s largest data collection on menstruation.
In its 2024 survey, which reached over 153,000 people, it found that 63 per cent of Victorians had experienced period poverty, finding it difficult to buy period products.
In Campaspe Shire, this number jumped to 70.48 per cent. Around 62 per cent of survey respondents in Campaspe also missed school due to their periods, and 68 per cent skipped sport.
Half of respondents in Murray River Council have found it difficult to buy period products, with a similar amount also missing school and sport.
Ms Courtenay said she was concerned by these survey findings, and was committed to making period products accessible through Share the Dignity.
“It breaks my heart to see such high rates of period poverty continuing here in Australia,” she said
“No-one should have to go without these basic essentials, yet this issue is alarmingly prevalent ... this research highlights that we need change, and we need it now.
“Our Bloody Big Survey is vital to ensure we have the data to validate every heartbreaking experience we have heard with period poverty since we started nine years ago so we can advocate for change.
“Period poverty in Australia cannot be ignored, not when it is something that three in five people with a period have experienced.
“I am now focused on ensuring free and dignified access to period products in university/TAFE campuses, and sporting centres, as well as campaigning for local councils to ensure their residents can manage their period with dignity.”
The Dignity Drive, which asks for donations of period products, has collection boxes outside participating businesses and Woolworths stores for the month of August.
Donation options include unopened packets of pads, tampons, menstrual cups, period undies, reusable pads and incontinence aids.
Woolworths has also contributed $2.84 million to fund 110 Dignity Vending Machines nationwide. A further five cents will be donated from the sale of every period product during August.
The closest Dignity Vending Machine is located at headspace Echuca, offering free period packs for those who need them.
Dignity Drive donations can be taken to the collection boxes at Woolworths Moama, Echuca and Echuca West. They can also be posted to Share the Dignity, or monetary donations can be made online.
