Our wonderful Rotarians Marie Presti, Liz Tavares, Rae Mintz, Gayemarie Brown, and Presti Group colleague Tiffany Arsenault  spent a great day visiting Dignity Matters.  We packed women's underwear with personalized notes (you matter) for the women Dignity Matters supports.  Dignity Matters is a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization dedicated to addressing period poverty by providing free menstrual products, bras, and underwear to women, girls, and transgender men who are homeless or disadvantaged. Our mission is to help individuals stay healthy, regain self-confidence, and live with basic dignity.

We were in awe of CEO and Founder Kate Sanetra-Butler's story – A former a corporate executive and now a mother of two  was asked by a young homeless woman in Copley Square, Boston for a spare tampon. The unexpected encounter in June 2016 turned out to be transformational.

Further inquiry into the reality of life for homeless women, which uncovered a desperate need: women at homeless shelters very often have to go without feminine sanitary products and underwear.   So SHE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT. and Dignity Matters was born.  

Most people wrongly assume that if a woman receives SNAP benefits (formerly Food Stamps) or uses homeless shelter services, then such basic items are provided. People also assume that all public schools supply sanitary napkins to girls who need them. This could not be further from the truth: women can’t use SNAP benefits to purchase sanitary products or bras for themselves or their daughter, and despite their best efforts, most shelters and public schools in Massachusetts cannot cope with the demand for these products. Because menstrual products are not covered by SNAP benefits, those in need are forced to make impossible choices between buying food or menstrual care.  Supporting 170 Massachuesetts non-profits Dignity Matters distributs over 3.8 million items to individuals in need across Massachusetts. Each month, we serve over 17,000 individuals, providing them with the menstrual products, bras, and underwear they need to stay clean, healthy, and comfortable.  

This is an impressive, detailed, complex operation and we were happy to do our small part.  Stay tuned as we determine how else we might serve this organization.  Our outing ended at lunch which is always a great way to spend more time with wonderful women - Rotary is about community, service above self AND fun!