Menstrual health is a matter of basic health and human dignity.
People who menstruate — particularly those in communities of color —miss work and school because they don’t have the supplies they need.
Menstrual products should be as widely accessible as toilet paper.
For these reasons I am fundraising for Girls Helping Girls. Period. I am proud to serve as a board member for GHGP, which started when 2 young women and their family in South Orange, New Jersey noticed something obvious and decided to do something about it-- that people who struggle financially can't always afford menstrual products and often use poor, unsafe substitutes, or go without, causing them to miss out on school, work and life.
The org's mission is to support those in need with donations of period products that help them lead productive and healthy lives, educate about period poverty, and advocate for systemic change to normalize periods and create menstrual equity.
Some key facts:
• A 2018 survey found nearly 1 in 5 American girls has missed school due to a lack of period protection.
• While you can buy, using SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, food items including bread, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, and dairy products… you can not buy menstrual health products.
• 27 states tax period hygiene products as though they are a luxury good, not an essential health item.
• The “It’s Time to Talk” report conducted by Always and Plan International, which was based on 11 studies fielded in the U.S. between 2014 and 2020, found that since the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 1 in 3 parents worried about their ongoing ability to afford period products.
Girls Helping Girls. Period works with over 100 organizations (food pantries, shelters, schools, and more) that have helped us get more than 2.5 million products to individuals and families to help fight Period Poverty. The org's work includes leading workshops for young people about how to manage their periods, consulting on advocacy efforts nationwide, and working with business leaders, school administrators and legislators on creating systemic change and ending stigma. In short, the money GHGO raises goes to support people so they do not miss out on education and opportunity simply because they menstruate.
Thank you so much for all of your support! Hope you'll join me in this campaign!
