By Marci McPhee, Just Serve Specialist, San Antonio East Stake
It takes more than a global pandemic to stop the big hearts of our Young Women. Girls throughout the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ East Stake collected 247 bags of sanitary supplies for refugee women and girls. Each of the 247 bags contained fifteen assorted sanitary pads, enough for one month for one refugee (some heavy pads, some light).
The bags are distributed by the Center for Refugee Services, which is the only independent nonprofit agency in San Antonio that works exclusively to promote the successful community integration of legally resettled refugees. The refugees come from Burma (Myannmar), DR Congo, Eritrea, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, etc.
Some of the young women decorated the bags, to make the refugee women feel special, transmitting love and support as well as needed supplies. Some enterprising young women sewed 28 small cloth bags for the refugees, especially young girls who are getting used to having periods, so they would have a discrete, cute way to carry the pads.
Tish Rodriguez, Stake YW counselor, said, “Our Young Women, leaders and moms did an amazing job getting these products together for our ‘Sisters in Need,’ letting their lights shine brighter today than they did yesterday, with Christlike love.”
The supplies were most gratefully received. Although the Center for Refugee Services had been closed for months because of the pandemic, they continue to find a way to distribute sanitary supplies for women and diapers for babies. Those needs don’t take a break for the pandemic, and the families simply don’t have the means to afford those supplies. CRS program support manager Jill Rips said, “Please extend our heartfelt thanks from the Center for Refugee Services to the young women who collected feminine hygiene product for our clients. It was such a tremendous collection. This is such a great help to our female clients who are almost always of limited income, but additionally many now have no income coming into the households due to the COVID-19 shut down. On average we distribute some 75 packages of feminine hygiene product per month. You have helped to make their lives a little nicer and easier. Many thanks for your efforts and generosity.”
Many thanks to all who contributed, especially the Stake YW presidency (Liz Medina, Tish Rodriguez, Patty Garza, and Barbara Driscoll) and the Young Women presidents who coordinated efforts in each ward: Buena Vista Ward – Yadiela Rosales, Eden Ward – Jessica Skelton, High Country Ward – Trina Burns, Mission Creek Ward – Sister Montecino, Pleasanton Ward – Rachel Verscholye, Windcrest Ward – Meg Griesdorn, 1st Ward – Mary Lucas, 10th Ward – Corinne Perez, 2nd counselor.