Now, as she plans to return to Townsville, she is hoping to see the Wagga community pitching in, in her absence.

Share the Dignity is an Australian-wide women's charity that runs annually in November.

The charity accumulates sanitary and hygiene products for women and babies who are homeless, at-risk or experiencing domestic violence who would otherwise not have access to essential items.

Mrs Grinstead, owner of Homemade by Helen, this year donated 26 bags which she was able to put together using some of the profit made through her business.

"When I first started five years ago, I was standing in a store with my dad and we were looking at a wall of bags and he said to me that looking at the bags had made him remember a post he had seen by Share the Dignity," Mrs Grinstead said.

"Basically, you put toiletries into a bag for ladies in need for Christmas.

"For me, I guess, I had always grown up in a stable home, I've always had everything I needed and I have a really supportive husband at home, so I could never imagine having to go through homelessness, or fleeing from domestic violence, and just having to pack up your life and go without the essentials we all take for granted.

"I think it's about giving back to those who don't have the essentials and bringing some kindness around for Christmas time.

"We put a lot of focus on presents and the food, but I think it's a really good time to also be giving back."

Mrs Grinstead donated one bag in her first year, a number which quickly grew to stay around the 20 mark.

"This year I was able to do 26 bags, which I think is funny because it's one more than my age," she said.

"This year was important for me as well because I was able to put some more luxury items in, some nice hand creams, Tupperware water bottles, nice facewashes, things like that.

"My first year I only did one, last year was a big year, I did about 35. Accumulatively over the five years, I've definitely hit around that 100 mark."

Mrs Grinstead said it would be nice to see the Wagga community continuing to support the drive.

"It would be nice if Wagga people could pitch in," she said.

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"I don't buy it all in November-October- I do it gradually throughout the year- if I'm shopping for baking supplies, I might grab a few things here and there for the bags. So, shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothpaste and a toothbrush and then your sanitary items like pads and tampons."

Mrs Grinstead said while there is a bigger need for incontinence products such as pads, one of the drive's greatest needs are actually baby bags.

"The biggest need is baby bags, so they do bags for a new mum and a baby and they never seem to have enough of those, so they're always a bigger need than the, say, adult bags," she said.

Mrs Grinstead said she was inspired to want to give back to the community where she could by her background and her families background.

"My grandparents and my parents are lovely kind people and for me, by giving back, it's following in their footsteps," she said.

"Also, thank you to my husband, because he puts up with the spare room in the house being filled with donations throughout the whole year and every grocery shop, I've got to get this and I've got to get that and he sort of just rolls with it."

Bags are being accepted at Bunnings stores country-wide until November 18.

Each store has placed a large pink bin at its entrance.

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