Philanthropy in Action: Meals of Hope Grant

Women’s Foundation grant helps provide necessary hygiene items for those in need in our community

DID YOU KNOW?

• Its costs more to live in Collier County, but average incomes are less than the state or U.S. (The average annual income for people in the labor force in Collier County is $43,934 compared to Florida at $44,803 and the US at $53,657.)
• 62% of Collier County students qualify for free or reduced price lunch compared to 60% in FL.
• Feminine hygiene products cannot be purchased with SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps, nor are they regularly provided at food pantries.

How Women’s Foundation philanthropy is making a difference

Due to stigma, nobody will discuss the need and cost of feminine hygiene products. CFCC WFCC wants to ensure that women and girls in Collier County do not have to make a choice between the basic needs of food or feminine hygiene products.

The WFCC  awarded $15,000 to Meals of Hope to supply 686 Collier County women and/or girls with much needed feminine hygiene products. Meals of Hope will purchase and distribute bags of individually wrapped sanitary napkins and sealed boxes of individually wrapped tampons to at-risk teen girls, homeless teen girls and women, and women who are in need of such products, but cannot afford them. These products will be distributed without fanfare or stigma to those in the most need. Clients at the Meals of Hope food pantry in Golden Gate, the East Naples mobile pantry location, and the Greater Naples YMCA will have the ability to obtain the products they prefer on a weekly basis. We provide food in an environment filled with dignity and want to address the subject of basic feminine needs with that same dignity

Additionally, Meals of Hope will work with other not-for-profit organizations which have expressed an interest, including, but not limited to: The Collier County Hunger and Homeless Coalition; Friends of Foster Children Forever, and Baby Basics.

Meals of Hope believes in out-of-the-box strategies when it comes to ending hunger. Due to stigma, nobody will discuss the need and cost of feminine hygiene products. Meals of Hope wants to ensure that women and children in Collier County do not have to make a choice between the basic needs of food or feminine hygiene products. They provide food in an environment filled with dignity and want to address the subject of basic feminine needs with that same dignity.

If you’d like to help make a difference in the lives of women and girls in Collier County, please consider a charitable gift to the Women’s Foundation of Collier County. To learn more about how you can help, please contact us.