SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Living with limited income, some mothers in Yellowknife are budgeting their money with the knowledge that the most important thing is to fill their children's tummies.

Lyda Fuller, executive director of Yellowknife's YWCA, receives the first basket of toiletries from Lee Cristiano and Benjamin Chhoa of Outcrop Communications to start off the donation campaign called Diana's Closet at the YWCA on Tuesday. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

Shampoo, toothpaste, soap and other toiletries get overlooked, and this is where Diana's Closet comes in to offer a helping hand.

Lyda Fuller, executive director of Yellowknife's YWCA, accepted the first basket of toiletries from Outcrop Communications Tuesday at the association's office. This is the third year the project has been running.

"People who live on low incomes, including income assistance, don't have money for toiletries and laundry products and those kinds of things," said Fuller.

"They can buy food but often not enough food, and what gets cut out are the toiletries and the cleaning products, so that's why we concentrate on those."

The name Diana's Closet comes from the Roman goddess Diana, the goddess of childbirth. A closet signifies something personal, containing elements of everyday life.

Fuller said women and families living at the transitional housing program at Rockhill Apartments can access the products, as well as women who come to Alison McAteer House, a temporary shelter for women and children fleeing violence.

"Women who need these kinds of things have access to them. In a typical month, there are at least 50 families that access this," said Fuller.

The product drive started on Tuesday and will run until May 9, but products are always welcome. There are multiple drop-off locations through the community: Weaver and Devore, Sutherland's Drugs, the Yellowknife Direct Charge Co-op and the YWCA Yellowknife administrative office.

Fuller said they received an overwhelming response to the campaign last year, filling about 50 baskets.

"As well as having all the toiletries delivered in campaign time, we got toiletries right through Christmas and even into the new year. People remembered it and put them into our bin at the Co-op," she said.

"We try to make (the campaign) around Mother's Day because many of the people who need these

products are mothers of young children."

Dana Martin, front store manager at Sutherland's Drugs, said the store has been involved in the campaign for all three years both as a drop-off location and as a source of donations as well.

"The gist of it is to have products made available to women who are getting out of a bad situation and into a better situation," said Martin.

"That transition is difficult. They don't have the money to get these products for themselves so we provide them, people in the community provide them for them and that way it gives them a little helping hand to bridge that gap."

Fuller said products such as tampons, diapers, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant and toilet paper are just some of the items in need for the shelters. She said unused hotel products are welcome as well.

"A lot of the people who go to the family violence shelter are there for short-term," she said.

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