Some remember the homeless only during homeless week. But there are also some people who have made their life-purpose to help the homeless every day.
Donna Stolzenberg belongs to the category of people who help everyday. A winter night while walking in the streets of Sydney, she saw a homeless man trembling out in the cold without having a blanket to warm himself up.
His image shocked her and when she returned to her home town, Melbourne, she decided to mobilize friends and acquaintances to gather blankets and sleeping bags and offer them to homeless before the winter arrived. They offered them to homeless, those people who for various reasons were forced to live on the streets. Away from the warmth and security of a home. Soon she had to set up the organization , in order to give the whole initiative an official form. 
One day a homeless woman asked her if she could have sanitary pads or tampons. She had her period, but no money to buy anything at all. Donna helped her and listened to her story. It was very shocking.
Source: Supplied
Homeless women try to wash and reuse products that are not designed for this purpose. They are not reusable. They have to use socks or even leaves to stop the bleeding. Often, they have to choose whether to eat or to buy sanitary products with their little money.
Immediately Donna thought that someone should help the homeless women too, especially during the difficult days of the period. She sought to find out if there was an organization operating in this field. When she realized there wasn't, she took action.
Donna Stolzenberg Founder and director of Melbourne Period Project Source: Supplied
She founded , asked donors and companies to offer feminine hygiene sanitary products. She began collecting them in a warehouse and with with the help of volunteers, packing them and distributing them in shelters of homeless people, charities and most importantly directly to women sleeping rough on the streets.
Each pack can contain sanitary products, tampons, wet wipes, soap and disposable bags.
There are 6 different packages available. So homeless women have the right to choose, based on their social, religious and cultural differences. Soon the example of was followed by other Australian cities too.
The Period Project, is now also giving work and a wage to homeless women involved in packing the period packages. Helping them recover their lost dignity. Image
"The thought beggars cant be choosers is wrong", Donna tells us in an interview with ."Like everybody, homeless people should have the right to choose. Sit with them, ask them what they need, what they want! Do not be afraid to give them money, because of the fixed idea they will buy alcohol or drugs", she urges us.
Let them buy what they want. What they need. Don't treat them like infants. You shouldn't decide what they eat or what they drink. They are people who, for whatever reason, became homeless. If you want to help, ask them how you can. Image
It is worth listening to the entire interview with Donna Stolzenberg (in English) by playing the podcast that accompanies the central photo. Although one woman and one project cannot solve all the problems homeless people face, it is certainly a good start. A great example of unselfish offer to people who are in absolute need.
season 2 aired over three nights on SBS. You can stream the show anytime on . Join the conversation with #FilthyRichHomeless.
