A Madison resident is calling for help. A grassroots campaign to provide impoverished Madisonians with hygienic products will launch Tuesday.
At the helm is Eileen Newman, who encourages residents to assist the 9.4 percent of Dane County residents who live in poverty, 7.2 percent of whom are children, according to UW-Extension's Wisconsin Food Security Projects Dane County Food Security Profile in 2003.
Because food stamps cannot be used for everyday essentials like toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and feminine hygiene products, many lower-income families cannot afford them. Moreover, people rarely think of donating these items to food pantries. This has left some families within the Madison community with no other option than to crumple up softer pieces of newspaper for toilet paper.
'If you're having difficulty buying food, are you going to be able to buy toilet paper and deodorant? Can you imagine the repercussions of going to a job interview'? Newman said. 'This whole drive is about educating people and to let people know that their neighbors need assistance.'
From Nov. 1 through Nov. 13, personal care items can be dropped off at the 33 Madison area donation bins. From there, they will be delivered to the closest of the eight contributing food pantries.
UW-Madison students can drop off donations at the Red Gym. The Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity has volunteered to transport items from this and five other donation sites to the First United Methodist Food Pantry.
According to Newman, it is more economical to donate money to food pantries than to pay retail food prices because pantries are able to buy food from food banks for the shared maintenance fee of up to 14 cents per pound. However, pantries still have to pay retail prices for personal care items not available at food banks.
'It's a really good thing to try to get the campus involved because that was part of the community that was missing from this drive,' said Allie Babler of Alpha Phi Omega.
The project has received support from many people, including Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, who will be speaking at the kick-off press conference on Nov. 1. Madison Public Libraries has also shown support by making each branch a drop-off point.
'We just felt it was the right thing for us to do as a community member,' Madison Public Library community services manager Linda Olsen said.
Newman is still looking for volunteers. Some projects may include helping with the press conference and taking items from the bins to pantries.
For more information, contact Eileen Newman at eileen14800@yahoo.com.
