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When disaster strikes, Austin group provides feminine products to women in need

As Hurricane Florence hits the southeast coast, Flo Code is prepared to help out again. They have what's called "Flo packs" that contain 10 tampons, 10 pads and 10 panty liners ready to go.

AUSTIN — Preparing for a hurricane may include buying food, water and flashlights. But for women, it can go beyond that and an Austin nonprofit wants to make sure they're not left behind.

To combat that, Lamanda Ballard founded "Flo Code," a nonprofit organization that provides essential feminine products to women in need in Austin and wherever disasters strike.

"Not only are they hard to come by, but they're also expensive," Ballard told KVUE.

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Last year, Ballard and her team helped collect menstrual products to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Maria.

"We sent those off to whether it was, like, the Houston, Texas, area or Corpus Christi area. Whatever churches and organizations that were on the list that were requesting donations, we made sure that it made it out there," she said.

As Hurricane Florence hits the southeast coast, Flo Code is prepared to help out again. They have what Ballard calls "Flo packs" that contain 10 tampons, 10 pads and 10 panty liners ready to go.

"In a worst-case scenario, if we don't meet our goal [of sending a minimum of] 500 Flo Packs, we'll start packaging these," she said as she pointed to boxes full of even more tampons and pads.

So far, Ballard said she and her team have been in contact with churches, nonprofits and shelters in Charlotte, Wilmington and Raleigh, North Carolina. All they can do is wait until the storm is over.

"When you lose everything, that's the last thing you want to worry about having to purchase," Ballard said.

If you'd like to get involved with Flo Code or make a donation, click here.

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