Interviewing this beautiful young woman made me so emotional. Lily is such an amazing human with a massive heart. Her light shines so bright just talking to her. I told her I want her for our Prime Minister when she’s older. 
Lily 16 – “I grew up all over the place really. Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and I’ve been living here for 6 years. I say that I grew up here because I’m still growing. I live in Corndale and I go to the Steiner School in Byron.
A year ago I started doing Period Pack. I collect donations of tampons, pads, soaps, that sort of thing. I put them in packs and give them to homeless and vulnerable women in the area. They go to Liberation Larder in Byron and Brunswick. I also send them to Women up North which is a womens refuge. They also go to Womens Health Centre which is just next to the hospital. When they receive them they distribute them to Indigenous new mothers. I’ve had really positive feedback from them. They are so happy to receive them.
I started because I read an article about some women who were doing a similar thing in Sydney and thought it was amazing. I looked at our area to see if there were any similar services and what the homeless population was actually like here. I was really surprised. I guess most people think of homeless people as being older men by the side of the road but there’s a large number of women who are not on the streets but who don’t have a permanent home. I wanted to offer them a similar kind of support.”
At 15 when most young women are thinking about makeup and friends you started this. What do you think drives you to do this?
“I think I’m just really passionate about helping people or offering some support. I have really great opportunities in my life and I like to use those to have a positive impact on the people around me and the world on a large scale. I’ve been an ambassador for one girl which educate girls in Sierra Leone in Africa and I like to find channels where I can help people in need.
How do you get donations for Period Packs and can people donate to you?
“I started with a lot of family and friends giving me money to buy stuff and now I have a couple of businesses on board. Last year I did a raffle and local businesses donated products for me to raffle. That raised a lot of funds that I can use this year. I have a little bit coming in through the school network and at the moment I’m working to set up some drop off areas locally so people have somewhere they can go and donate products. Sanitary items are so expensive and you don’t realise till you are buying them on mass. I go and buy 24 packets of pads and thats a couple of hundred dollars. I would love people to donate. I have Facebook and Instagram (links below). I also have an email and I have a Gofundme page for people who can’t donate products.”
What’s in each pack and how are they packaged?
“ Each pack has a packet of tampons and a packet of pads so they have the option. I have friends who travel so I collect their hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners and body wash. I also put in a toothbrush and toothpaste and a deodorant. That’s the standard pack and I also do maternity packs which have breast pads, a couple of nappies, baby wipes. Bronwyn From The Birth House just donated a heap of spoons and nappies which I can make into maternity pads. Sun and Earth Zinc have just donated tins of Zinc and Raw have donated lip balms which are really good In winter. When I first started I was donated a bunch of little pillow case bags from Lazybones, then Bio bags which are like a gift bag. I’ve also been making simple drawstring bags out of fabric.”
Do you have any help?
“I do this mostly on my own. My mum gives a hand and my 8 year old sister likes to get on board sometimes. I also work for Andrea at Il Carretto Pizza at Bexhill and Clunes. I love them and I volunteer at the Blood Bank one Saturday a month in the cafe.”
What do you see yourself doing when you leave school?
“I would like to travel when I first leave. I’m thinking about Humanitarian Law which is really big but if I go into law I don’t want to do the little issues. I change all the time though. Maybe I’ll want to be a Marine Biologist.”
https://www.facebook.com/periodpacknorthernrivers/
Lily 16 – “I grew up all over the place really. Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and I’ve been living here for 6 years. I say that I grew up here because I’m still growing. I live in Corndale and I go to the Steiner School in Byron.
A year ago I started doing Period Pack. I collect donations of tampons, pads, soaps, that sort of thing. I put them in packs and give them to homeless and vulnerable women in the area. They go to Liberation Larder in Byron and Brunswick. I also send them to Women up North which is a womens refuge. They also go to Womens Health Centre which is just next to the hospital. When they receive them they distribute them to Indigenous new mothers. I’ve had really positive feedback from them. They are so happy to receive them.
I started because I read an article about some women who were doing a similar thing in Sydney and thought it was amazing. I looked at our area to see if there were any similar services and what the homeless population was actually like here. I was really surprised. I guess most people think of homeless people as being older men by the side of the road but there’s a large number of women who are not on the streets but who don’t have a permanent home. I wanted to offer them a similar kind of support.”
At 15 when most young women are thinking about makeup and friends you started this. What do you think drives you to do this?
“I think I’m just really passionate about helping people or offering some support. I have really great opportunities in my life and I like to use those to have a positive impact on the people around me and the world on a large scale. I’ve been an ambassador for one girl which educate girls in Sierra Leone in Africa and I like to find channels where I can help people in need.
How do you get donations for Period Packs and can people donate to you?
“I started with a lot of family and friends giving me money to buy stuff and now I have a couple of businesses on board. Last year I did a raffle and local businesses donated products for me to raffle. That raised a lot of funds that I can use this year. I have a little bit coming in through the school network and at the moment I’m working to set up some drop off areas locally so people have somewhere they can go and donate products. Sanitary items are so expensive and you don’t realise till you are buying them on mass. I go and buy 24 packets of pads and thats a couple of hundred dollars. I would love people to donate. I have Facebook and Instagram (links below). I also have an email and I have a Gofundme page for people who can’t donate products.”
What’s in each pack and how are they packaged?
“ Each pack has a packet of tampons and a packet of pads so they have the option. I have friends who travel so I collect their hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners and body wash. I also put in a toothbrush and toothpaste and a deodorant. That’s the standard pack and I also do maternity packs which have breast pads, a couple of nappies, baby wipes. Bronwyn From The Birth House just donated a heap of spoons and nappies which I can make into maternity pads. Sun and Earth Zinc have just donated tins of Zinc and Raw have donated lip balms which are really good In winter. When I first started I was donated a bunch of little pillow case bags from Lazybones, then Bio bags which are like a gift bag. I’ve also been making simple drawstring bags out of fabric.”
Do you have any help?
“I do this mostly on my own. My mum gives a hand and my 8 year old sister likes to get on board sometimes. I also work for Andrea at Il Carretto Pizza at Bexhill and Clunes. I love them and I volunteer at the Blood Bank one Saturday a month in the cafe.”
What do you see yourself doing when you leave school?
“I would like to travel when I first leave. I’m thinking about Humanitarian Law which is really big but if I go into law I don’t want to do the little issues. I change all the time though. Maybe I’ll want to be a Marine Biologist.”
https://www.facebook.com/periodpacknorthernrivers/