Distributing Discreet Dignity

DISTRIBUTING DISCREET DIGNITY IS BACK! 

The Junior League of Schenectady & Saratoga Counties has decided to relaunch this initiative in order to continue to provide support to those in need.  Feminine hygiene products can be expensive and are not covered through government supplement programs.  As we continue to bring awareness to this need we will be supporting organizations in Schenectady & Saratoga Counties.

Junior League’s Distributing Discreet Dignity has been providing feminine hygiene products to women and teen girls who need them most. Food pantry clients have revealed that their daughters sometimes have to stay home from school because they are menstruating and the family can’t afford to purchase pads or tampons.  These products cannot be purchased using food stamps so many families struggle to get these necessary products.  The League has been purchasing them and then providing to the community thru various organizations including local food banks. During the pandemic the need as increased significantly.

Organizations that we have provide feminine hygiene products include:

Franklin Community Center
City Mission of Schenectady

Things Of My Very Own

Wellspring

Scotia Food Pantry

SUNY Schenectady Food Pantry

Jonesville Food Pantry

Schenectady Inter City Mission – (includes Patty’s Place, St. Joseph’s Place, Period Pantry)

Keene School Food Closet

Some of the organizations we are working with repackage the products to ensure they can help as many girls and women as possible including  The Schenectady Inter City Mission. They have repurposed a newpaper vending machine so products are available 24/7 and in the first week of operation the machine was emptied.  The products that we supplied will keep this machine full, as long as providing products for the food pantry.  Some of the clients they work with do not feel comfortable coming to the pantry to ask for help.  This machine them allow then to receive what they need without having to ask.

“Thank you so much for including the SUNY Schenectady Food Pantry in the Distributing Discreet Dignity program.  I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that the feminine care products we provide are requested in virtually all of the orders placed by our female students.

We will be so grateful for whatever we receive, but our wish list includes tampons (especially the super type) and pads (especially the overnight type), which are the most requested items.”

Robyn King, LMHC

Director of Wellness & Support Services

SUNY Schenectady County Community College

If you are an organization that could use product please reach out to us at [email protected]’

Distributing Discreet Dignity History- 2015 Provisional Project

The 2014-2015 Provisional Class of JLSS Distributed Discreet Dignity by collecting feminine hygiene products (such as pads/tampons) and monetary donations to then donate to five nonprofit organizations that help women in our community.

The Department of Health suggests that a woman changed their feminine hygiene product every 4-8 hours for an average of 32 times per period cycle. Think about this for a minute, 10,000 pieces of product will help 312 women for one period cycle, or ONLY 26 women for a year. As part of the League’s 85th anniversary, we distributed 85,000 products!

Here are some of the recipients of the donated feminine products:

  • Guardian House
  • Safe Inc., of Schenectady
  • Salvation Army
  • Schenectady Inner City Ministry
  • YWCA Northeastern New York
  • Schenectady City Mission
  • Safe, Inc.
  • Jonesville Food Pantry
  • Booth House
  • Working Group on Girls
  • Girls, Inc.
  • Things of My Very Own
  • Saratoga Community Health Center
  • Franklin Community Food Bank
  • Bridge Church
  • St. Luke’s Food Pantry
  • YMCA-Duanesburg
  • Scotia-Glenville Food Pantry

Thank you for helping us to Distribute Discreet Dignity!