CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – When Ashley Eubanks saw a homeless woman panhandling, she noticed her clothes were stained with blood.
Eubanks, 30, said she and the woman were about the same age. She knew that she had to help.
"She was obviously on her menstrual cycle," Eubanks said.
When you can't afford to buy food or a place to stay, tampons and pads become secondary. Eubanks knew that helping the homeless woman was not enough. She wanted to help as many young homeless women as possible, so she recently founded Beauty Initiative Inc.
The Coral Springs-based nonprofit organization's mission is "to provide free sanitary items to women that are homeless or experiencing financial hardship." Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Thursday that will help them on their mission, as it will make feminine products tax-free starting January.
Eubanks said so far the organization has collected and donated over 1,300 care bags containing more than 40,000 products, according to Eubanks. She also hopes to donate bags to students in public schools in neighborhoods in need.
Eubanks said the organization has already donated bags to girls at Aspira Middle School, Ramblewood Middle School and Northeast High School.
"No young lady should be turned away and have to miss days of school because of this natural occurrence," Eubanks said.
For more information on the organization or to donate, click on this link.