The More You Know
The distribution and subsequent availability of menstrual health products is a just one of the many issues related to menstrual equity that Helping Women Period supports. Please find resources below regarding international, national and local organizations, articles, and other resources on the subject. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Check back for additional updates and new categories to address menstrual health in regards to the transgender population, immigrant/refugee population, the homeless and other related topics.
International
Around the world, on any given day, more than 800 million people are menstruating. And at least five million of those lack adequate resources-including supplies, education, and facilities-for managing their periods.
- Menstrual Health Hub
- Society for Menstrual Cycle Research
- Every Woman’s Right to Hygiene and Sanitation
- Launch Pad: How An Indian Engineer Reversed-Engineered the Making of Sanitary Pads
- The Unlikley Sanitary Pad Missionary
- Banana Pads in Rwanda
- http://www.zanaafrica.org/
- https://www.afripads.com/
- https://www.thecup.org/
- https://www.daysforgirls.org
- 25 Years: Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water (UNICEF)
National
In our own country, we have some work to do. Menstrual health products are ineligible for purchases made with public benefits (WIC or SNAP), they are not readily available in our public spaces such as schools, workplaces or government buildings, not exempt from sales tax, and not available in shelters, crisis centers, jails or prisons. However, progress is being made on a variety of fronts.
- Alliance for Period Supplies
- #Happy Period
- Helping Girls and Women, Period (NYT)
- The Case for Free Tampons (The Guardian)
- For Homeless Women, Getting Their Period Is One Of The Most Difficult Challenges (Huffington Post)
- Hygiene and heartache: Homeless women’s daily struggle to keep clean (Al Jazeera)
- Women in Federal Prison to Get Tampons and Pads
- NJ Period Project (New Jersey)
- She Supply (Texas)
- The Period Collective (Chicago, IL)
- Distributing Dignity (National)
- Menstrual Cycles and Mental Health
Michigan
Helping Women Period is not the only organization or group focusing on providing menstrual health products to people. Please see the other organizations below and be sure to remain informed on current legislation impacting sales tax on these products.
- Michigan Dems Want to End The Tampon Tax
- Be A Rose (Grand Rapids)
- Support the Girls (Detroit)
- E2 Boxes (East Lansing)
Recent News
In The Media
Make A Donation
Helping Women Period is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, committed to supplying menstrual health products to people that menstruate who are either homeless or low-income. With your donation, we can buy in bulk. Any donation amount is appreciated and goes a long way to purchasing products.