NORCROSS, Ga. — A non-profit in Gwinnett County that specializes in helping mothers and girls says the need goes way up once school is out for the summer.

The founder of the non-profit said the high demand is for items the schools often provide.

Jamie Lackey says for the moment her nonprofit has a good inventory but in a few weeks, it may not be enough.

“The stories we hear are remarkable. We have moms come through. Sometimes they have three or four teenage girls living in the home, and they’re making do,” Lackey said.  But she says it’s not in an ideal way.

They need period products and can’t afford to buy them.

“They’re making do with things like socks, which are not acceptable period products. They make do with toilet paper and they’re missing school or work,” Lackey said.

Lackey’s nonprofit Helping Mamas specializes in providing free diapers.

But period products are a close second. They hold free distribution events all year long to keep up with the need, but that need jumps every summer.

Lackey says in May they give away 72,000 separate period items but in July it doubles to 144,000. She says that’s because school is out for the summer.

“They often get those from their school nurses and we provide them to schools. But during the summer there’s no access for that,” Lackey said.

If you’d like to help Helping Mamas provide those products, click here.

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