Donate to women and girls in need for National Women’s Health Week. Period.

EMS is coordinating a drive to collect feminine hygiene products for women and girls in need. They are collecting pads, tampons, and new underwear to support women’s shelters, homeless shelters, and other community programs.

Facts:

• 1 in 4 women struggle with inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products, often having to choose between buying food or period supplies
• 35 states tax menstrual supplies as non-essential items
• Food stamps do not cover menstrual products
• The average woman spends about $20 per cycle
• Access to menstrual hygiene products is both a human rights and public health issue

This is also a matter of dignity. Shelters do not often supply these items or enough of these items in the United States and women and girls often resort to wadding up toilet paper or overusing which makes them susceptible to bacteria which can result in urinary tract infections, yeast infections and deadly toxic shock syndrome.

What do we need? We are requesting all sizes of pads and new underwear, as well as all sizes of tampons. They must be boxed or individually wrapped.

Where can I bring them? For two weeks between Sunday May 9 through Friday May 21, we will have bins placed in three locations:

• Red Skyway by the elevators
• Level 1 in the Clinic & Specialty Center
• EMS

Or donate through Target or Amazon.

Even though Women’s Health Week is a message to women to stay active, eat healthy and get sleep, let’s band together on this topic and help support our sisters who are homeless or are experiencing low income. Period.