Ninth Annual Holiday Tampon Drive for Bill Wilson Center

It's estimated that over 10,000 people live on the streets of Santa Clara Valley, and many of these individuals are women, children, and teens.

About a decade ago, I saw this video about the luxury of tampons for menstruating people living on the streets. Imagine that- living in a world in which tampons are a luxury! It inspired my daughter, Jeannessa, and me to do something about it. In 2016, we rallied our community and collected over 100 boxes of tampons for the Bill Wilson Center, which offers a myriad of services to support impoverished youth and families. (My friend and doula, Allana used to be a case manager there for young moms getting on their feet.) When we brought the tampons in, we learned they are also in need of underwear, as many kids come to Bill Wilson with just the clothes on their backs, so in 2017, we began collecting underwear and socks, as well.

We’re gearing up for the 2024 drive and look forward to your support! Stay tuned for further details…

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2023 drive. Together, we collected:

  • 1,704 tampons

  • 800 pads/liners

  • 49 pairs of socks

  • 139 pairs of underwear

  • an assortment of other useful items including postpartum panties, postpartum ice packs, period underwear and more!

Thank you so much for your kind generosity!

FAQs

I have an opened box of tampons/pads that I started to use before I became pregnant. Will you take it?

Yes!

What about men’s or kids’ underwear/socks?

Yes! Bill Willson serves all genders, and of course, not all menstruating people identify as women. And they serve many children, as well. All sizes needed.

I have leftover stuff from postpartum, like mesh panties and adult diapers. Will you take these?

Yes! Bill Willson has a program to support new parents, so these are useful items.

May I donate used clothing items?

Unfortunately, no. I don’t have the space or resources necessary to sort through used clothing. New basic winterwear items, like sweatshirts and beanies are welcome.

I got busy with the holidays and forgot to drop off my donation before December 31. Is it too late?

We’re all busy and outside of our usual routine the last couple weeks of December, Bill Wilson Center included. I don’t actually drop off the collection to them until life returns to “normal” in January, so ping me if you missed the deadline and we’ll figure out a way to connect before I head to BWC.