MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)- 18-year-old Amelia McKnight is a Girl Scout Senior Ambassador with Troop 95 in Myrtle Beach. She’s currently working on her Gold Award and is using the project to help homeless women and teens in the area.
“I just knew that my project had to be something to help the homeless and I thought hugs were nice so I just decided to name the project H.U.G.S. or Helping Underprivileged Girls Survive.”
The goal of Amelia’s H.U.G.S. project was to collect feminine hygiene items and money to purchase a year’s supply of these items for the homeless and sheltered women and girls in our community. Amelia raised $4500 and was able to purchase more than 40,000 items.
“Well we made five trips and people were saying things like that’s a lot of pads and tampons and are they on sale? It was very embarrassing but it was worth it.”
Something that the dozens of women and teens at the New Directions Shelters will appreciate. Shelter leaders say it was overwhelming when Amelia pulled up with several vehicles full of items.
“I was thinking, I had no idea when Amelia first talked to us that we were going to have this magnitude of assistance for our ladies and out teenagers,” Executive Director Kathy Jenkins said.
Tampons and pads aren’t covered by Food Stamps or SNAP benefits which is why Amelia said this project was a necessity. It’s one that touched more than the women at the shelter.
“Oh wow, it’s overwhelming for me a a leader I couldn’t be more proud,” Myrtle Beach Troop 95 Leader Michelle Cox said.
Amelia says this project will continue after she graduates from Myrtle Beach High School and she hopes it inspires others to get involved.
“I just hope they see that I care and if a little 18-year-old girl can care so much about feminine hygiene items being given to homeless people that they should get out and do something about homelessness too,” Amelia said.
The donations were contributed to New Directions, a non-profit organization that works with homeless and sheltered women and girls in Horry County.
