CM Libraries’ Erin Steward with donations received at the Millbrook branch for Period Purse
In February, Cavan Monaghan resident Leslie Bilcox launched a second Period Purse drive in the township, collecting unopened personal hygiene projects including menstrual pads, Tampons ,as well as new underwear products.
The donations were directed to the Crossroads Women’s Shelter operated by the YWCA in Peterborough and the Millbrook Foodshare. The objective of this drive was to help address alack of access to menstrual products, education and/or hygiene facilities, a situation described as “period poverty”. Research indicates that one in five people face barriers in accessing menstrual products due to lack of money, social norms and attitudes surrounding menstruation, with the experience disproportionately impacting youth, single mothers, people experiencing homelessness and racialized communities. Women lacking these supplies may experience serious health consequences including infections and toxic shock syndrome.
Leslie reports that over the course of the two week drive she received more than 120 donations from the community, which provided more than 3,600 individual items for those in need. She attributes the success of this operation to the support of local organizations that hosted donation bins and promoted the efforts through their social media channels and client networks. Among those supporters were Cavan Monaghan Libraries, Blank Canvas Hair & Art Studio, TrailPhysio, Cavan Monaghan Township, Millbrook and District Foodshare and Hive Pelvic Health.
In addition, the Millbrook Lions Club made a generous cash donation which was used to purchase products for the Millbrook Foodshare. One of the objectives of the drive was to help raise awareness of the issue in the community while encouraging organizations to implement measures that help to lessen the stigma around menstrual equity. To that end, Cavan Monaghan Libraries will have a basket of products accessible in their washroom moving forward. A portion of the individually wrapped donations were donated to the library for this purpose. Hive Pelvic Health will continue to accept donations from their patients.
Millbrook Foodshare and the Crossroads shelter will be providing feedback on their product needs to help organizers quantify the need and time collection drives when the need is greatest. Period Purse is a registered charity with a vision “For menstruation to be understood and treated with dignity, and for period products to be free for all.” The organization helps facilitate donation campaigns in communities outside of the GTA. Donation drives like this one puts these products directly into the hands of the people who need them most. Thank you to all who supported this initiative.