During the month of February, Athena’s Sexual Assault Counselling and Advocacy Centre (a program of Huronia Transition Homes) will be collecting toiletries for local women’s shelters in Simcoe County through the Bathtub Project.

The initiative is a collaborative effort between Athena’s and a number of community partners, including Georgian’s Bookstore Services.

The objective is to fill the tub, located at Athena’s (80 Bradford St., Barrie), with toiletries that women and children in shelters need most. These include:

• Shaving creams and razors
• Toothbrushes and toothpaste
• Hair and skin care
• Deodorant, soap and body wash
• Lotions
• Brushes and combs
• Feminine hygiene products

Donations for babies and children include diapers and wipes. Certain items, such as hair dryers, are also important so that women looking for work can look professional for job interviews.

These toiletries provide women who have escaped dangerous situations with the basic necessities that they might not have been able to take with them when they left their homes.

Donations may be dropped off at Athena’s Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is also a donation box at the customer service desk in the Barrie Bookstore.