Omaha initiative addresses ‘period poverty’ and personal care needs

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Personal care items like shampoo, deodorant and menstrual products represent basic necessities that many people take for granted, but for women fleeing violence or facing financial hardship, these items often become unaffordable luxuries.

“When you’re fleeing violence and you have limited resources, the first thing that gets cut is personal care items,” said Katie Welsh with the Women’s Center for Advancement.

A new local initiative called The Beauty Box Project is working to change that reality for women across the metro area.

Women prioritize basic survival needs

Welsh said many clients who visit the Women’s Center for Advancement focus on securing housing, employment and food before considering personal hygiene needs.

Hair products, deodorant and razors are items that most people purchase without consideration, but Welsh said women in crisis situations often cannot afford these basic necessities.

The issue extends to menstrual products, creating what advocates call “period poverty” — a problem affecting millions of women worldwide who lack access to sanitary products during their menstrual cycles.

Local woman launches donation drive

Whitney Todd, founder of the Beauty Box Project, recognized this need among women in her community and decided to take action.

“Women miss interviews and jobs because they don’t have the right necessities to go forward. I said ‘Why can’t I provide those things? These are things that I’m picking up monthly.’ What’s one more and donating it,” Todd said.

Todd launched the Beauty Box Project a few weeks before Christmas, collecting donations to distribute to local nonprofits serving women in need.

“People just have an intuition to give back and sometimes they just need an invitation and I wanted to do that,” Todd said.

Initiative shows immediate impact

In nine days, Todd collected more than 1,300 hygiene products and approximately $3,000 in cash donations to help women in the metro area.

The project demonstrates that personal care items represent more than convenience — they provide dignity and opportunity for women working to rebuild their lives.

“It’s about giving women the tools to go forward,” Todd said.

Welsh said donations of personal care items and menstrual products send an important message to women in crisis situations.

“These kind of shows of support in the form of personal care items and period products mean you are seen, you are valued, you are important,” Welsh said.

Todd continues to collect items and cash donations for the Beauty Box Project. You can donate here.