The Coral Glades High School Chapter of Girl Up Back Row Angela Andriesse, Bertyann Fortulien, Valentina Celis, and Alberta Tran. Front Row Savanah Sutters, Gabrielle Prosper, Alex Hernández, and Megan Davies.
By Sherry Nabbie-Singh
The female empowerment group Girl Up teamed up with multiple organizations, launching a drive to give women in need personal hygiene products.
Organized by an 18-year-old senior Alex Hernandez, the Beauty Initiative, and the Kiwanis Club of Tamarac, the one-day event took place at Coral Glades High School on April 17.
Hernandez discovered the need for free hygiene products at her school and began her mission to help her peers. Teacher Angela Andriesse encouraged her to join the school’s chapter of the United Nation Foundation Girl Up.
“Period poverty is affecting every girl in South Florida,” said Hernandez. “Schools don’t provide these items, and it is not part of the safe sex curriculum.”
Hernandez stated during the first year, they were only able to stock 22 classrooms adding the April event collected 10,000 hygiene products and counting.
In attendance was Mayor Michelle Gomez, who thanked Demond Crump, CEO of Reign Premium Sanitary Napkins, and Tamarac resident Alex Council for their contribution of 500 sanitary napkins, while fitness trainer and social media influencer Megan Davies also supported the one-day event.
All the products collected will be donated to the Christmas in July Organization which distributes to those in need, especially the homeless.
The hygiene drive ends on May 17, but donations are always accepted at any organization involved. Only unopened donations will be accepted at the following sites.
Tamarac Recreation Park 7501 N. University Drive in Tamarac. Monday – Friday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. A donation box will be outside.
Tamarac Community Center 8601 W. Commercial Blvd in Tamarac. To schedule a drop-off, please contact Monique at 954-597-3626.
The following schools will accept donations during school hours.
Millennium Collegiate Academy 5803 NW 94th Avenue in Tamarac.
Piper High School 8000 NW 44th Street in Sunrise.
J P Taravella High 10600 Riverside Drive in Coral Springs.
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