Nikki Isergin’s Hillside lounge room looks like the toiletries aisle of a supermarket.
Over the past few weeks, Ms Isergin and her mother, Dianne Withoos, have received thousands of donations of tampons, sanitary pads, waterproof handbags, deodorant, toothpaste and other necessities, which they will donate to the Melbourne Period Project, a charity that provides sanitary products for homeless women.
Ms Isergin said that on a recent trip to the city they were struck by the number of women sleeping rough on the streets. So they decided to act.
On June 19, the mother and daughter decided they would use their Facebook accounts to ask friends and family to join them in their bid to assist Melbourne’s homeless women.
“We started that Sunday and it’s just gone viral,” she said. “We’ve received thousands upon thousands of donations. It’s overwhelming.”
Last week, mother and daughter donated 60 “care packages” to homeless services in Brimbank and another 20 to a crisis support centre in St Kilda.
Ms Isergin said more donations were needed urgently and they would set up a drop-off point at Watergardens shopping centre on Sunday, July 24. For locations of other drop-off points, email becausewecare@aanet.com.au
