People in need can access donated food and personal hygiene items at no cost through the Mount Gambier office of Red Cross Limestone Coast.

Regional services manager David Walshaw said the international humanitarian organisation recognised that some local people may be doing it a bit tough at the moment.

“In recognition of this, Red Cross has partnered with Share the Dignity and Kellogg’s to help members of our community get through this difficult period by helping to reduce their weekly spend,” Mr Walshaw said.

“If people are looking for some short-term support, they can call into our Helen Street office and pick up some of the Kellog’s breakfast cereals, along with tampons, shampoo etc.

“Alternatively, people can give us a ring and we can have one of our amazing Red Cross volunteers drop some products out to their home in a contactless manner.

“There is no need to show ID to receive the free goods and no questions are asked.

“At this stage it is a 12-month program aimed to reduce the weekly spend of vulnerable people.

“We are receiving 250 boxes of breakfast cereal per quarter.

“We are grateful to Share the Dignity and Kellogg’s for their wonderful support of the most vulnerable in our community.”

One of the donors to Share the Dignity is Kimberly-Clark Australia which locally operates the Millicent Mill.

“Kimberly-Clark and our period care brand, U by Kotex, have been focused on addressing period poverty in Australia for a very long time,” a KCA spokesperson said.

“We proudly support Share the Dignity and its partners to distribute products to those who need it most, and in 2021 alone we donated tens of thousands of (imported) packs of sanitary pads and tampons.”