How Project Dignity went from menstrual product donations to 1,900 women

For many women, buying pads or tampons is an ordinary part of the monthly shop. For someone already struggling to pay for food, rent or other essentials, the same purchase can become a difficult calculation. Across Western North Carolina, that gap has left some women and girls without reliable access to menstrual products. The consequences can reach into school, work and everyday routines. According to Deerfield Charitable Foundation, in Hendersonville, Barbara Morgan began responding to that problem in 2017 by collecting menstrual supplies for people who could not afford them. What started as a small local effort has since developed into Project Dignity, a nonprofit whose volunteers now help nearly 1,900 women and girls each month.How Morgan’s menstrual support effort expanded over eight yearsProject Dignity began in 2017, when Morgan started gathering menstrual products for women who needed them. At the time, the work was a grassroots effort rather than a large distribution operation, with volunteers and donation boxes helping collect supplies.The need was tied to a basic household expense that can be difficult to absorb when money is already tight. Food assistance does not cover...