Menstrual Health Is A Matter of Human Rights
No student should have to miss school, no adult should have to miss work, and no person should have to miss out on daily life because they are unable to afford the basic necessities they require.
What Is Period Poverty?
“Period poverty” can mean many different things, but it most commonly describes the inability to afford or access tampons, sanitary pads, and other menstrual products.
Period poverty can be debilitating and has emotional, physical and mental health consequences, and chances are we each know someone who has experienced this need – a neighbor, a co-worker, a friend.
People who menstruate require around 40 period products per cycle.
Period supplies are basic necessities, but 2 in 5 people have struggled to purchase period products.
1 in 3 people who menstruate have missed work, school, and outings due to a lack of period supplies.
The SNAP and WIC programs do not cover access to hygiene items, like period products.
27 states currently charge a luxury sales tax on menstrual products, ranging from 4-7%, called the Pink Tax
The Facts
How Can You Help?
Period poverty and stigma are some of the most neglected issues affecting the world today, yet periods happen every month. And for some, it’s a source of financial stress every month... So how can we help?
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Donate period products to local shelters.
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Normalize menstruation and educate your community about inclusive language, healthcare and hygiene practices.
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Speak out against misinformation and create a positive, supportive environment for ALL people who menstruate.
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Support policy solutions that would help eliminateperiod poverty.
Policy Solutions
While there are some efforts in the U.S. to address period poverty, they are not widespread. Here are some efforts that would help eliminate period poverty:
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Require schools to provide menstrual products for free to students and mandate menstruation-related education.
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Require employers with 100 or more employees to provide free menstrual products at work and make menstrual products available for free in all federal buildings.
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Make menstrual products eligible for purchase with SNAP and WIC benefits.
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Eliminate the Pink Tax in states that still impose sales tax on menstrual products.
1. Donate Direct
Ship hygiene products direct to your preferred charity via their respective Amazon Wishlists, listed below:
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Donate to Sulzbacher Village
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Donate to The Period Collective
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Donate to The Greater DC Diaper Bank
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Donate to No More Secrets MBS
Keep scrolling to learn more about each charity and how they are working to help their communities year round.
2. Share The Wealth
Donate funds directly to PERIOD.org to help stock their warehouses so that they can distribute products directly to those in need.
PERIOD.org is a global youth-fueled nonprofit that strives to eradicate period poverty and stigma through service, education, and advocacy. Through the distribution of menstrual products, promotion of youth leadership, and championing of menstrual equity in policy, PERIOD. aims to center those disproportionately affected by period poverty and support local efforts for menstrual equity.
2 Ways to Donate
About The Charities
1. Sulzbacher Village - Jacksonville, FL
Since 1995, Sulzbacher Village has provided the Jacksonville, FL community with affordable access to housing, healthcare, and opportunities for economic growth.
They provides economic empowerment through job training and employment assistance, as well as educational advancement across all age groups. As a Federally-Qualified Health Center,
Sulzbacher also provides primary health care, dental care, substance abuse counseling, mental health counseling and treatment, vision screening, and pediatric health care.
For more information on this organization, visit sulzbacherjax.org.
Click below to donate supplies to Sulzbacher Village!
2. The Period Collective
The Period Collective is committed to supplying menstrual products to homeless and low-income individuals in the greater Chicago area.
Their organization's focus is on supplying products to shelters, transitional housing facilities, food banks, schools and other organizations that work with homeless and low-income individuals. They are aiming to fill a void, as menstrual products are not frequently being donated and organizations working to help these individuals do not have a budget for supplying these items.
For more information on this organization, visit theperiodcollective.org.
Click below to donate supplies to The Period Collective!
3. The Greater DC Diaper Bank
The Monthly - The Greater DC Diaper Bank works to empower vulnerable families and individuals by providing an adequate and reliable source for basic baby needs and personal hygiene products across the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
In addition, through their campaign, The Monthly: Greater DC Diaper Bank addresses period poverty by collecting donated tampons and pads, working with more than seventy-five nonprofit organizations in the area to get these products to the people who need them.
For more information on this organization, visit greaterdcdiaperbank.org/the-monthly.
Click below to donate supplies to The Greater DC Diaper Bank!
4. No More Secrets MBS
No More Secrets is a nonprofit dedicated to fighting period poverty by providing individuals with a 6-month supply of period products. Since opening, it has distributed over 17 million products to individuals in the Philadelphia area. In 2021, No More Secrets opened the SPOT Period - the nation's first and only menstrual hub and uterine wellness center - allowing them to go beyond period poverty to help women improve health and wellness and decrease uterine health disparities in marginalized communities.
For more information on this organization, visit nomoresecretsmbs.org.
Click below to donate supplies to No More Secret MBS!
