It's the Holidays, Period.

Imagine if each month you were forced to decide between being able to purchase a few extra gallons of gas, a bus ticket, food for you or your children OR being able to purchase tampons for yourself. Each month, women across Middle Tennessee, especially homeless women and women in transitional housing, struggle to acquire or pay for tampons and pads—basic necessities many of us take for granted.

Today, a box of 40 tampons is about $7, a bag of pads between $3-$5. For the price of one or two Starbucks coffees, you can help a woman maintain her dignity and provide her access to these very basic and essential items.

In the month of December, my goal is to collect at least 500 boxes of unopened tampons and pads to donate to the following local organizations:

-- Nashville Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter serving many of Nashville’s female homeless population.
-- Re-New at the YWCA, an arm of the YWCA helping women move to self-sufficiency following escape from abusive households.
-- The Next Door, an organization providing women a safe place to recover from drug and alcohol addiction.

The following businesses have graciously committed to supporting this effort. Donations may be dropped off at any of these locations beginning Saturday, November 28.

Pure Barre Green Hills // 2101 Bandywood Drive
10% off 1 retail item per box donated
(excludes socks, accessories, and hair ties and cannot be combined with any other offer)

Pure Barre White Bridge // 21 White Bridge Pike, #210 (ring bottom buzzer)
10% off 1 retail item for each box donated
(excludes socks, accessories, and hair ties and cannot be combined with any other offer)

Cognito Hair Design // 3201 Belmont Blvd
Free Paul Mitchell samples with a donation

Old Made Good // 3701B Gallatin Pike
15% off purchase with donation
(excludes midcentury furniture)

m.florita jewelry  // Track One Bldg, 1211 4th Ave. S. (4th & Chestnut)
30% off one item

The Chrome Bar  // 533 Lafayette Street
10% off one class and/or merchandise with 3 or more boxes donated
(new clients only)

Nashville Entrepreneur Center  // 41 Peabody Street

I will meet you to collect a donation if you are unable to make it to any of these drop-off spots. If you live out of town or would prefer to make a monetary donation, you're in the right place--DONATE $$ via GoFundMe. (Venmo and PayPal donations accepted, too.)

For questions or to coordinate drop-offs, please email me (Kate Parrish) at needtampons at gmail dot com.

Interested in helping? The biggest help, beyond making a donation, is sharing the message. Please consider sharing across your social media channels. If your business is interested in matching donations, please email me at needtampons at gmail dot com.

There is a high demand for these very necessary items, and no woman should ever have to go without them. I ask you to consider picking up a box or two as you complete your holiday shopping.

My sincerest gratitude for any support you are able to provide.