The Period Project Accepting Donations For Women In Need Of Feminine Hygiene Products

The Sisterhood of Green River College is sponsoring a women’s health drive called The Period Project.

This donation drive aims to provide and help homeless and impoverished women with adequate feminine hygiene products.

Many times, women and girls living in poverty don’t have the means or resources to obtain the products they need. Feminine hygiene products cost a lot more than some people can afford, and it leads to a devastating lack of necessities for millions of people who get periods.

According to www.period-project.org, in the U.S., there are around 40 million women currently live in poverty.

People who go through menstruation must have accessible hygiene products, but due to the overall high cost and taxation of these items, most individuals are left without easy access to feminine hygiene products.
Women’s shelters also receive general hygiene products like toothbrushes, soap, and deodorant, but scarcely acquire enough feminine hygiene items for the women staying at these local shelters.

A lot of people and organizations still don’t acknowledge feminine hygiene as a valid and crucial part of women’s health and livelihood, so impoverished and homeless women don’t get the chance to go to school, job interviews and work without being affected by their periods. For women to rise to their fullest potentials and have the same opportunity to contribute to society, their health concerns need to be met, starting with providing the necessary sanitary items.

Women’s shelters, specifically, have a unique problem. Their purpose is to provide, to the best of their abilities, a warm place to stay, food and clothing, for women who are struggling to provide for themselves.
All of these goals, however, depend on funding and donations, and when these shelters have people who have a monthly cycle, the expenses are greatly multiplied. Any donations from generous and caring people who are looking to help will likely be very appreciated by local women’s shelters in need.

The total cost of feminine hygiene products makes women and girls in poverty avoid buying them because, at around $9 a box, women will more likely buy food to sustain their families or use any extra money to make sure the rent check is paid on time.

Women in disadvantaged situations see feminine hygiene as more of a luxury, but it is, in fact, a necessity that needs to be provided for every woman. 
Donation bins are located around campus at Salish Hall, Cedar Hall, and Holman Library; all feminine hygiene items will be directly donated to local women’s shelters. For any additional information about The Period Project, contact Abigail at aharward@mail.greenriver.edu.