Poverty Awareness Week was May 11 - 17, 2026.
To mark the occasion, PCPL launched a Hygiene Drive in collaboration with the Pima County Health Department. We asked community members to join us during the month of May in collecting period and incontinence products as well as toiletries and hygiene supplies for those in need.
Unsurprisingly, our community MADE IT HAPPEN! Here's a wrap up on all that was collected:
- Incontinence Pads: 7,415
- Pull-Ups: 2,882
- Waterproof Pads: 231
- Tampons: 17,364
- Pads: 18,489
- Liners: 9,295
Of the drive, Christine Russell, Managing Librarian at Joel D. Valdez Library, says, "Our annual hygiene drive helps people who are menstruating stay in the library and enjoy our books, spaces, and programs without embarrassment. Because of the overwhelming community respoinse, we're able to help our partners like the Pima County Health Department and the YWCA provide longer-term supplies for people who may not be able to afford period or incontinence supplies.
The travel-size hygiene products are convenient for patrons experiencing homelessness and helps them maintain dignity despite high heat and a limited number of places to get cleaned up."
P.S. Did you know Joel D. Valdez Main Library now has a Public Health Station vending machine that dispenses life-saving supplies and essential items at no cost to the community? The machine offers Narcan, fentanyl test strips, trigger locks, heat safety bags, and women's hygiene products. The supplies are free and available to anyone who needs them. Learn more about the vending machines in these stories on KVOA News 4 and KOLD News 13.
