Why Your Donation Matters Most in November: Clothes, Shoes, and Period Products for Local Shelters

November is here, and this is the month your donation can help local shelters prepare for Thanksgiving and the colder months ahead. All month long, The Period Pantry is collecting clothes, shoes, and period products. Proceeds from the drive go to local shelters for Thanksgiving.

Cold nights, higher heating costs, and winter shelter services make November an important time to get supplies ready. Donate items at our Pasadena hub, help host a collection, or share the drive with your community.

Take action: Donate products · Host a donation station

Why November hits hardest

November marks a seasonal shift. Cold nights arrive, heating bills rise, and shelters begin winter operations. At the same time, Thanksgiving brings food and gathering into focus. For households already choosing between basic expenses, the holiday season can make financial strain more visible.

Nearly 30 percent of U.S. households struggle with energy insecurity. That can mean choosing between heating a home and paying for essentials such as food or medicine. Projected average winter heating costs are rising to $1,030 this season. An $82 increase over last year. When a heating bill jumps, something else may have to wait: groceries, medication, transportation, or menstrual products.

A family choosing between heat and pads is making a poverty decision, not a preference. Menstrual products are not covered by SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid, so they can remain out of reach even when other assistance is available. Period poverty rose from 35% in 2023 to 42% in late 2025-roughly 2 in 5 people. In Maryland, 1 in 4 students struggles to afford menstrual products.

The pressure is also local. In Baltimore City, the poverty rate is 19.6 percent, and 30 percent of residents receive SNAP benefits. Baltimore’s winter emergency shelters operate from November through March, with activation when temperatures reach 32°F or below. The city’s winter shelter information explains how winter shelter services are activated. The need begins this month, before the coldest part of the season arrives.

In Anne Arundel County, roughly 1 in 3 households falls below the ALICE threshold: working households that still cannot cover basic needs. This financial strain can make it harder to manage heating costs, replace worn shoes, or buy period products. The Anne Arundel County ALICE snapshot provides more local context.

LIHEAP, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, provides critical help with energy costs, but assistance frequently falls short of covering actual bills. Local nonprofits and community organizations help fill gaps. Marylanders can apply for heating assistance through MarylandBenefits.gov.

Volunteers folding clean clothing and organizing shoes and sealed menstrual products

What we’re collecting

Bring clean, usable items to the Pasadena hub during November. Please use this guide to sort your donation before you arrive.

  • Clothes: All sizes and all seasons. New or gently used items are welcome.
  • Shoes: All sizes, in wearable condition.
  • Period products: Pads, tampons, and liners. Products must be unopened and sealed.

Period products are essential supplies, but they can be difficult for shelters to purchase because public assistance programs such as SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid do not cover them. A sealed pack of pads or tampons can mean one less impossible choice for someone facing a tight budget.

Use the period product donation guide for more information about donating supplies. If you are preparing an emergency period kit, check the kit page for current guidance.

Where to bring your donation

Drop off donations at the Pasadena hub:

The Period Pantry
8375 Country Life Rd
Pasadena, MD 21122

Phone: 410-714-5507
Website: www.theperiodpantry.com
Instagram: @theperiodpantrymd

If you cannot get to the hub, contact us about hosting a donation station or arranging another way to help. You can also give financially to support the drive.

A volunteer passes a clean coat and wearable shoes during a community collection

What your donation does

The drive’s proceeds go to local shelters for Thanksgiving. Your contribution supports community organizations as they prepare for the season and respond to needs that become more urgent as temperatures drop.

Clothes and shoes matter during late autumn and winter. Warm layers, coats, and shoes in good condition can help people stay warmer while accessing shelter and other services. Period products matter in every season; winter does not pause a menstrual cycle. Cold weather can add barriers, including longer waits outside and more layers to manage. A donated pack of pads, tampons, or liners helps make an essential item available when a household cannot afford it.

The collection is designed to bring support to local shelters before Thanksgiving. Every bag of clothing, pair of shoes, and sealed pack of period products you contribute helps move the drive toward that goal.

Can’t donate items?

You can still help the November drive reach more people.

  • Host a donation station at work, school, or a community space. Start with our partnership information.
  • Volunteer to support The Period Pantry’s work. View current options at the volunteer hub.
  • Join the student ambassador program and help share menstrual equity resources with your school community. Visit Get Involved.
  • Give financially through our donation page.
  • Share the drive with friends, family, neighbors, and local groups.

Community volunteers organizing winter donations together at a neighborhood hub

The clothes, shoes, and period product drive runs through the entire month of November. Bring donations to the Pasadena hub or contact us to discuss hosting a collection.

Thanksgiving is the deadline that matters. Every bag, pair, and pack you contribute supports the drive’s effort to provide proceeds to local shelters for the holiday. Thank you for helping make winter supplies and period products part of the community response.

Donate products: View donation details
Get involved: See ways to help
Contact The Period Pantry: Send us a message