Purse Project: Ottawa Police and partners collecting personal hygiene products

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 15, 2024  10:25 a.m.

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service and our partners Shoppers Drug Mart and Citron Hygiene are once again inviting Ottawa residents to help us collect personal hygiene products for women, starting on November 15^th.

“Hygiene products are an expense that some women in our community simply can’t afford,” said Cst. Dawn Neilly, co-organizer of 9^th installment of the Purse Project. “With a sharp increase in the cost for goods this year, more women are struggling.”

In addition to sanitary and hygiene products like pads and tampons, donations of soap, deodorant, toothpaste & toothbrushes, shampoo & conditioner, and shaving products are also welcomed. We are also inviting the community to donate gently used purses, as they are a discreet way to deliver the products to women in need.

The collection of personal hygiene products was introduced in 2016 as the ‘Purse Project’ and resulted in over 8000 purses filled with necessities that have been donated to women living at local area shelters over the past years.

There are several locations where people can drop off donations until December 1^st :

• The Ottawa Police Service will accept donations at 211 Huntmar Drive, 3343 St. Joseph Boulevard and 474 Elgin Street (see their respective Hours of operation);

• Shoppers Drug Mart locations: 174 Bank Street, 702 Bank Street, 1080 Bank Street/Sunnyside, 181 Greenbank Road and 3781 Strandherd Drive;

• The Citron Hygiene warehouse located at 150-2855 Swansea Crescent is also a drop-off location, from Monday to Friday between 8:30am to 4:30pm.

All items collected will be delivered by OPS to local area shelters including, but not limited to Youville Centre, St Joe’s Women’s Centre, Emily Murphy Non-Profit Housing Corporation, and la Maison d’amitié.

If you are unable to attend any of these locations and still wish to donate, you can send an e-transfer to Purseproject@ottawapolice.ca. 

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