‘They’re our sisters’: Seniors assemble ‘dignity kits’ for women in need

Sunrise of Bethesda residents launch drive for feminine hygiene products benefiting Rockville shelter

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April 24, 2026 4:50 p.m. | Updated: April 24, 2026 4:56 p.m.

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On Thursday, nine residents — all women — at a senior living facility in Bethesda sat around a long table piled high with everything from candy and deodorant to menstrual pads, assembling “dignity kits” to donate to a nonprofit family shelter in Rockville.

The scene resembles an assembly line, as each member of Sunrise of Bethesda’s Live With Generosity Club takes a station, packing items into reusable pink bags. Together, they are turning compassion into action, assembling “dignity kits” filled with essential hygiene products for women experiencing homelessness or financial hardship.

“We’re all women, and we all have a maternal instinct,” said Joan Burg, 74, who has lived at Sunrise of Bethesda for about a year and a half and was tasked with packing toothbrushes and toothpaste into the kits. 

“They’re our sisters,” Burg said of the recipients. “We have to take care of each other, no matter who they are.”

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The effort, the culmination of an effort that began in March in honor of Women’s History Month, was spearheaded by Sunrise activities and volunteer coordinator Jazmine Onque, who said the idea stemmed from a documentary she watched about the barriers many women face in accessing basic sanitary products.

“When you can’t afford it or don’t have access to it, they resort to unsanitary measures,” Onque said. “It becomes very difficult for them during that time.”

Motivated to help, Onque brought the idea to members of the club, who quickly rallied behind the initiative. Donations came in from residents, their families, staff members and community partners, including local medical offices.

Over a dozen kits will be delivered to Stepping Stones Shelter in Rockville in the coming days. The shelter offers meals and a place to stay for families facing homelessness in Montgomery County.

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“It makes me proud to see this community doing what they’re doing,” said Barbara Ellick, 88, whose late husband worked as an obstetrician-gynecologist for more than six decades. “I know what women and people go through. There are so many women in need, and it gives me pleasure that we’re able to supply them with what they’re missing.”

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine