Local Charity League organizes feminine products drive

A local chapter of the National Charity League recently collected and donated more than 10,000 feminine hygiene and care products for women in need.

Ryley Patten, a senior Ticktocker (what girls are called in the organization) in the Texas Lantana chapter, saw a need in the community and took action, according to an organization news release. The National Charity League is a nonprofit for mothers and daughters in grades 7-12, and the organization encourages girls to be leaders and make a difference through the Ticktocker Action Grant (TAG) program. Ryley, a Guyer High School student, applied for a TAG and was awarded a $500 grant to start a campaign for women in need in the area.

Ryley then held competitions between the grade level groups within NCL to see who could donate the most products (pad, tampons, panty liners and underwear). She also set up collection boxes at her school and gained support from the Student Council, Theatre Department and American Sign Language club. She collected 5,573 tampons, 3,187 pads, and 6,341 panty liners for a grand total of 15,101 products plus multiple packages of women’s underwear, a total valued over $9,000.

After months of preparing, Ryley held the first packaging day in January to make “packs” to distribute to our local shelters, each containing a week’s worth of menstrual products. The 133 period packs were delivered to Denton County Friends of the Family on Jan. 26 and the second delivery of 114 period packs were given to Our Daily Bread on Friday.  More organizations will be receiving period packs in the coming months.

“I was so pleased with the success of our feminine product drive,” Ryley said. “It was extremely fulfilling to take our first round of donations and I look forward to delivering more to other organizations in our community. I hope that bringing awareness to this unpopular issue will inspire others to continue making an impact on the hygiene and quality of life of the women in our community”.

Ryley’s final phase of the project will be working with the remaining and incoming NCL members to sustain this program after she graduates this year.