Press release from Pisgah Health Foundation:
A $25,000 grant from Pisgah Health Foundation has been awarded to non-profit Project Dignity of WNC, Inc, based in Hendersonville. Created in 2017, Project Dignity has continued to provide free feminine hygiene products to hundreds of women and girls in Henderson, Buncombe, Polk, Transylvania, Rutherford, Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties. Period products cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits, and the monthly costs, including sales taxes, can be prohibitive for many women.
“Our Board has always been aware of the needs of women and girls in Hendersonville and surrounding areas who might be homeless, financially challenged, or victims of domestic abuse,” said Barbara Morgan, President and Founder of Project Dignity. “Over the past three years we have continued to attract donors and volunteers who share the passion for our mission. This important and timely grant from Pisgah Health Foundation will enable us to continue to meet women’s needs in new areas – such as Madison and Haywood counties and beyond.”
Debbie O’Malley, Vice President for Warehouse and Distribution, says “Project Dignity is staffed entirely by volunteers who work countless hours each month to gather donations, package period products for distribution, and drive their personal vehicles to the eight counties Project Dignity now serves”.
Donna Miller, who lives in neighboring Burnsville, recently signed on to distribute Project Dignity’s period products in Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties. “I’m grateful to be part of an organization that provides a real solution,” said Miller, who added, “Project Dignity is a dynamic piece of our community health puzzle.”
Jamie L. Ramsey, MD, FACOG, at the Transylvania’s Women’s Care in Brevard is a member of the Pisgah Health Foundation Board. She said, “During these economically challenging times it is often the most basic necessities that women in poverty must do without. A girl should never feel guilt or shame due to the lack of affordable feminine hygiene products. As a mother, an ObGyn, and a PHF Board member I am proud that we are able to provide women of all ages with the ability to manage their natural cycles with dignity and ease.”
About Project Dignity of WNC, Inc.: For more information, visit www.projectdignitywnc.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/projectdignityofwnc.
About Pisgah Health Foundation: The Pisgah Health Foundation is a public 501(c)(3) charity founded in 2019 by a board of seven caring individuals focused on improving the health, wellness and lives of western North Carolina residents by addressing healthy opportunities in targeted social determinants in several health areas. To learn more, please visit www.pisgahhealthfoundation.org.
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