TAMPA, Fla. — Little free libraries are all around the Tampa Bay area. Now, there is something similar, but instead of books, there are feminine hygiene products inside.
ABC Action News Anchor Lauren St. Germain listened to the founder of the organization about how it’s grown in the past two years and how they are now helping more people in our community.
“So here is the inside. It has a bunch of different things in it right now—tampons, pads, wipes, toothbrushes,” said Bree Wallace, founder of Tampa Period Pantry.
Right off North Florida Avenue, in front of Disco Dolls in Seminole Heights, is one of the many period pantries around the Tampa Bay area.
“They are all outside for the most part. They are very discreet. You don’t have to talk to anyone about it or ask them for it. You can just go up, grab what you need, and go,” said Wallace.
WATCH: Period pantries provide free feminine hygiene products
“You guys fill these weekly?” asked St. Germain.
“Yes, weekly. As much as we can usually,” said Wallace.
“I mean a lot of people obviously have the privilege to buy these products every month or have never really thought about other people needing them, so I think that’s a huge thing to step into and realize that a lot of people around us have barriers to this,” said Wallace.
“It’s you and about 20 volunteers who do all of this work,” said St. Germain.
“Yes, me and my 20 volunteers, which I love, and they all do amazing things and help this all work the way that it does,” said Wallace.
There are now nearly 30 pantries across five Tampa Bay area counties. Most of them are pink metal cabinets filled with free feminine hygiene products for anyone who needs them. This year, they also started a new venture.
“This week, we started our school program where we are giving pads to 16 different schools right now, 20 different classrooms or offices that people want and filled out a form for, which was amazing. We definitely want to help more students,” said Wallace.
They are working to reach more people with the goal of helping to end period poverty in the Tampa Bay area.
“I love that it’s getting used. I love to see them empty because it shows that there is a need and people are obviously using them for what they need,” said Wallace.
If you are interested in donating or seeing the locations, click here.
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