Get Involved
There are several different ways you can help the cause. We have compiled a list of things you can do, regardless of age, to help fight #periodpoverty
1. Host your own drive for menstrual products!
You can host a drive at your school, business, or home. All you have to do is spread the word. For drives at your school, you can have a club you're involved in, help you out. You can find flyer and poster templates in our Advocacy Resources tab; download them, add your own information to them, print them, and put them up around your school campus. Set up cardboard boxes for people to drop their donations in. To give students an incentive to donate, you can offer 1 community service hour for each box of menstrual supplies they donate. You can host a drive from your front yard as well; send your flyer to friends and family members and post flyers around your neighborhood. You can approach business (like pharmacies and grocery stores) about using them as a location for your drive. With their permission, you can print flyers and hand them out to people at the door, so hopefully, they will buy a product with their purchase and donate it. There are many other places you can host drive aside from the ones we listed. All the donations should go to a homeless shelter or area with an identified need. Places like shelters for battered women are always in need of donations of menstrual supplies. If you want, you can host a drive as part of I Support the Girls. See their website for more details on affiliates and locations.
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2. Sign petitions
Visit Change.org, ACLU's website as well as Amnesty International for ongoing petitions related to period poverty issues occurring around the world. Many petitions will also ask you to send an email to your state senator. While you may feel like signing a petition isn't doing much, showing support for others' initiatives is really important. Also, check out Tax-Free. Period. which is a legal campaign to abolish the tampon tax in the US; visit their website to join the Tampon Tax Protest.
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3. Talking to your state representatives and Senators
You can email, call, or send a letter to your state's reps and senators. Personal messages are a great way to voice your opinions to your legislators. Make sure to include your name and address to make it clear that you live in the relevant district or state. All letters and emails should start with Dear Senator/Representative, and they can just be a few paragraphs about a single issue. Include specific information on the bill you would like to discuss, as well as the personal or local impact period poverty has had on you.
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For Senators:
The Honorable (Full Name)
[Room #] [Building Name] Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
For Representatives:
The Honorable (Full Name)
[Room #] [Building Name] House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
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*Visit USAGov to find your representative or elected official's contact information.
4. Talk with friends and family and destigmatize the conversation surrounding periods
Engage in conversations with people you know to raise awareness and reduce stigma. Many people aren't aware that period poverty is an issue in the US. Talk about personal experiences and listen to others. You might find out that people you know are actually victims of period poverty. When everyone is comfortable talking about periods, we end the cycle of stigma surrounding periods.
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5. Host a screening of the Period. End of Sentence.
Period. End of Sentence is a documentary by The Pad Project. It tells the story of Indian women who fight the stigma surrounding menstruation and begin manufacturing sanitary pads. It's a powerful film, and a perfect opportunity to gather a group of friends, colleagues, or family members and discuss period poverty. Netflix has helped The Pad Project continue their mission to educate, by giving permission for the film to be screened for educational purposes. Visit Netflix for the complete guidelines.
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6. Join Code Red and other initiatives who are working against period poverty
To join Code Red, all you need to do is make an account on our website! Follow our Instagram @team.code.red too! You can see all of our issue briefs, posts, and find other ways you can help the fight against period poverty. Not to mention all the other initiatives and period organizations out there that you can also be apart of. We've listed some of our favorites in our Website Resource tab.
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PERIOD, as well as other organizations, allow you to create a community or school chapters. Not only is it a great leadership opportunity, but it allows you to bring the #MenstrualMovement to your own area. Obviously, these are only a few of the many groups that are doing great things in their dedication to menstrual equity. I, Andrea, strongly encourage you to start your own club or initiative. Whether it's for menstrual equity, education, or voter registration, there is always a way to make a difference.