Sharing the dignity

The Anglicare office in Launceston is now hosting a Share the Dignity vending machine which distributes personal hygiene items for women.

“The Pinkbox vending machines allow women and girls experiencing homelessness to access free sanitary products,” said Share the Dignity’s Tracey Clark. “We believe that access to pads and tampons is a right, not a privilege”. Another machine will be installed in the Devonport Anglicare office soon.

Across Australia, Share the Dignity is installing machines in community centres, schools, domestic violence refuges and charity organisations.  Each machine delivers a small pack of free sanitary supplies on demand. Since the charity began in 2015, it has collected more than 1.7 million sanitary items for distribution through the Pinkbox machines.

“Having these machines installed at Anglicare means women no longer have to be embarrassed by needing to ask for personal hygiene products,” said Louise Bieser, Anglicare’s Area Manager, Housing Connect.

“We know many women struggle to afford these essential items and worry about how they’re going to obtain them,” said Louise. “They either end up with unsanitary makeshift alternatives, or have to go without basics like food to buy these necessary products”.

“We have heard of young women missing school because they don’t have the sanitary products they need to get through the day. That’s unacceptable”.

Louise said the Pinkbox machines were a practical response to the issue and Anglicare was pleased to be able to offer the service to local women experiencing homelessness or other life crises.