Sophomore Collects Necessary Items for Homeless Shelter
PHOTO | Ava Stoltz
Sophomore Mason Lewis places pads in the collection box for Project Period Jan. 29. Purple maisons are supposed to drop off in the commons and white maisons in the Grande Salle.
Sophomores Alyssandra Heefner, Rajitha Velakaturi, Grace J. Riley and Genevieve Klobe organized Project Period, a collection of pads and tampons for those in need, during Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 28 through Feb. 1.
“It’s an amazing feeling getting to know that you’re helping someone,” Heefner said. “And somebody that really needs your help.”
After visiting Micah Ministries on an after-school service trip sophomore Heefner saw a problem and found a solution, Project Period. Heefner was volunteering when she noticed many women asking for pads and tampons. However, there just wasn’t enough supplies to go around, so Heefner, along with Velakaturi, Riley and Klobe decided to help by raising money and collecting items at school.
“When I was filling clothing orders a lot of people were asking for tampons and then that’s when I really realized it was a problem,” Heefner said.
Heefner gathered fellow classmates to help organize the project. Velakaturi went with Heefner to Micah Minsirites. Together they enlisted Riley and Klobe. Together the four meet with Campus Minister Stephanie Pino-Dressman during their lunches and study halls to prepare for the event.
“When I wanted to start it I knew I needed help so I asked my friends,” Heefner said. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Heefner raised over $1,500 during the Day of the Girl celebration. Students were able to wear civvies for a day if they brought $5 to support Project Period. Heefner also explained the goal of her project, bringing pads and tampons to women in need since many women don’t have access to these feminine products, causing them to miss school and work.
“[Pads and tampons] are one of their biggest needs,” Theology teacher Polly Holmes, who led the service trip to Micah Ministries said. “And it’s really embarrassing for women to have to ask for that too.
Jan. 29 was the recommended day to bring pads and tampons, but the boxes will be up until the end of the week. The project was first announced at the feast day and Day of the Girl celebration. Since women throughout the world suffer from a lack of feminine products, Heefner thought this time of solidarity would be appropriate to announce their project.
“They wanted to wait until Catholic Schools Week and the Day of the Girl to bring it up,” Holmes said. “They thought it would be a good time to explain it to the whole school.”
Not only will bringing in pads and tampons help those in need, but it will also earn Maison points, by turning items into either the purple or white collection boxes. Purple Maisons can turn products into the collection box in the commons, while the white Maison collection box can be found in the Grande Salle.
“I think its an important cause because we don’t realize in our day to day life the need that many women have,” Velakaturi said. “Not just in KC but the whole world.”