By Clara Moffitt

The pillars of truth, beauty, and goodness are integral to the development of TPA students. Sophomore Catherine Ross is an exemplar of goodness as she takes on an extraordinary role as a volunteer at Women4Women. Women4Women is an organization with a goal to “maintain the dignity and health of low-income and homeless women in Tempe by providing feminine hygiene products to them,” says Catherine.

Beginning volunteering there in 2017, Catherine has put in “well over 100 hours” into this organization. Catherine spends these 100+ hours packing feminine hygiene into bags which are then distributed to homeless shelters or food centers.

Catherine’s volunteering began as a Google search for local volunteer opportunities but has evolved into an extremely meaningful way to impact her community. Catherine elaborates, “Women4Women has allowed me to . . . [provide] a meaningful impact to those in need. By volunteering, I can impact at least one woman’s life by supplying those feminine products when they might not be accessible for her.” With her astounding number of hours dedicated to supporting women, it is clear that Catherine has helped far more than one.

In addition to allowing underprivileged women to grow, Catherine has also seen growth within herself. She says, “By working with Women4Women, I have been able to help those in need and give purpose to their lives. Providing them with these bags allows them to have access to other opportunities rather than worrying about their hygiene. I have grown by taking on leadership roles through Women4Women and recruiting new volunteers to help.”

So, what can you do? Catherine has been able to find meaning and passion through working with Women4Women and you can too! People that are looking to “impact their community and help women in need” would love working with this organization, Catherine explains. She concludes, “This is a very fun and empowering opportunity that I hope everyone can enjoy like I do.”