Telegraph file photo The Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter is partering with Cigna Healthcare for an online donation drive for women's health products. (Telegraph file photo)

NASHUA — An online drive called a “Women’s Initiative Drive Virtual Amazon Smile campaign” aimed at collecting hygienic and health-related items for women got off to a robust start Monday, and organizers hope the numbers keep rising throughout the week.

Donations are being accepted on behalf of the benefactors, the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, through Friday, Oct. 8, and if Monday is any indicator, the drive will far surpass its goal of 1,500 items, according to Andrea Alexander, a senior representative of Cigna Healthcare and one of two representatives who volunteered to be site leaders for New Hampshire.

She said before Monday was out, more than 900 items had already been donated, well over half of the entire week’s goal of 1,500.

The way the virtual collection works is donors first log onto a “personalized shelter wish list” at www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/22MOS8XYB0ALT?ref_=wl_share.

Then, donors choose the items they want to donate and click “add to cart.” The items available for donation have been chosen by necessity and need by Soup Kitchen personnel.

Next, go to checkout, and make sure to change the shipping address to Nashua Soup Kitchen, so the items will be delivered directly to the agency.

Campaign organizers chose this week for the drive because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and “we want to do our part to promote women’s health and to make a positive impact on our community” by supplying items for which there is a critical need at this time, Alexander said.

The items being collected, which are geared primarily for homeless women and those who are experiencing hardship, include toothbrushes, sanitary napkins, tampons, incontinence products, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and breast feeding pads.

Several “sanitary items” are high on the list, Alexander said, because they are typically pricey, and because they are sometimes considered a “taboo topic,” they are often left out of shelter donations.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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