General News
26 November, 2025
Charity 'Share the Dignity' needs some extra hands
With no local volunteers, Share the Dignity relies on helpers from Bendigo to deliver essentials to women fleeing violence or facing homelessness. You can make a real difference.
As a journalist, I'm in a position of privilege to have an audience and a stage not a lot of others have.
That privilege is never lost on me.
And although I pride myself on equally and passionately putting 100 per cent into any story I compile, there are a couple of topics, through my experiences personally, that I hold close to my heart.
Domestic violence will always be close to my heart, having experienced it myself for many years.
And as an independent, strong, and outspoken woman (not often, but sometimes, depending on who you ask), I am also passionate about women having access to necessities - especially having essentials in challenging times.
In my experience, I was fortunate enough not to have to flee my house, and I got to keep my essentials and a lot of my possessions.
But many females in similar situations don't.
They often leave with just the clothes they are wearing.
And if they do get the opportunity to grab some belongings, it's often their children they think of, instead of themselves.
Share the Dignity is a charity making a difference to the lives of females experiencing or at risk of domestic violence, homelessness or poverty.
They distribute period and other essential products to those in need and work to achieve equality when it comes to all things menstrual across Australia.
Horsham included.
And while there is a demand for products from the charity's Dignity Drive or It's in The Bag campaign from local organisations, there are currently no volunteers in the Wimmera to assist the cause.
It means volunteers from Bendigo have to make the 400km round trip to ensure the needs of females, at times when they need assistance the most, are being met.
I've been a Share the Dignity volunteer, or, as they are commonly referred to within the organisation, a "Shero" in the past, and it's something I plan on returning to once life settles a bit.
(At the moment, it's a cycle of being a single mum, both boys having commitments with sport, and balancing that with caring for myself, because according to my counsellor, looking after oneself is vital and you can't fully operate by not doing so.)
Although the charity's focus is on making a difference to other women's lives, it also made a big impact on the lives of my family.
Because of my time as a volunteer, not only was I left with many lasting memories of just how caring, giving, and kind humans can be, but it also taught my children compassion and understanding - and in the youngest's case, how to count.
Now nearly 13 and nine, collecting and sorting through donations with my children was the foundation for many conversations about the deeper topics in life - people experiencing challenging times like domestic violence and homelessness, and it was a good introduction to them becoming caring and knowledgeable about female health, like periods.
It taught my children that, despite the situation we were in, we could still give to others.
It taught my children that there are always people out there who are worse off than you.
And it taught my children empathy and knowledge around females and their periods.
Still to this day, Bohdi, nearly nine, is the first to offer to make me a warm chocolate milk when he realises it's that time, or Lucas, nearly 13, will pop a heat pack on when I complain of cramps and I take solace in the fact they will carry this into being good and understanding friends or partners to females as they go through life.
Funnily, it also taught Bohdi, who was just a toddler when I started volunteering, how to count really well because when sorting the It's In The Bag donations, you had to package them into lots of 15.
So he had counting down pat from early on, thanks to Share the Dignity.
If you live in the Wimmera, and can spare some time - it isn't even each and every week of the year - just mainly around their campaigns and drives which take place in March, August and November and even then it's just a few hours of your time - please, please, please consider becoming a volunteer.
It really can be a life-changing experience - both for you and your family.
To register, visit https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/get-involved/volunteer.
