In its first year, national nonprofit distributed 10 million donated period products to help the 1 in 4 women who struggles to afford period supplies.

NEW HAVEN, CT, UNITED STATES, May 1, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- During the month of May, the Alliance for Period Supplies—a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending period poverty in the United States—is marking its first anniversary by distributing more than five million donated pads and liners to communities throughout the country. The donation is made possible by the organization’s founding sponsor U by Kotex as part of the brand’s #WithUSheCan campaign.

The Alliance for Period Supplies works with its more than 60 allied programs throughout the country to distribute free period supplies to local partners, schools, shelters and other programs serving poor and low-wage individuals and families.

According to research released in 2018, one in four women in the U.S. has struggled to purchase period products in the past year (source: 2018 U by Kotex survey conducted with YouGov). The situation may be even more dire in communities with high numbers of people living below the federal poverty level. A study published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology reported that two-thirds (64%) of low-income women surveyed in St. Louis, Mo., "were unable to afford menstrual hygiene supplies such as pads or tampons at some point during the previous year,” with "21 percent of women lacking supplies on a monthly basis." (source: Sebert Kuhlmann, Anne; Peters Bergquist, Eleanor; Danjoint, Djenie; Unmet Menstrual Hygiene Needs Among Low-Income Women. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 133(2):238-244, February 2019).

“Period poverty is a very real issue in the U.S., and that is unacceptable,” said Mary Madoule, the director of network development & membership services at Alliance for Period Supplies. “Every individual who menstruates should have access to the period products they need to fully participate in daily life. Girls should not miss school, women should not miss work for lack of period products.”

One in five low-income women reports missing work, school or similar events due to lack of access to period supplies. These instances were linked to reported feelings of embarrassment, disappointment and depression (source: 2018 U by Kotex survey conducted with YouGov).

In its first year of operation, the Alliance for Period Supplies distributed 10 million pads and liners to communities in 22 U.S. states and the District of Columbia thanks to donations made possible by U by Kotex and its retail partners.

More information on the Alliance for Period Supplies and its allied programs is available at allianceforperiodsupplies.org. For information and ways to support With U, She Can and the Alliance for Period Supplies, visit UbyKotex.com.

About Alliance for Period Supplies

The Alliance for Period Supplies is an initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN)—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that leads a nationwide movement aimed at helping individuals and families who struggle to afford material basic needs. Launched in May 2018, with the support of founding sponsor U by Kotex, the Alliance for Period Supplies raises national awareness of period poverty (#endperiodpoverty) and supports the development and expansion of period supply programs in communities throughout the country. The organization is comprised of Allied Programs that collect, warehouse and distribute menstrual/period supplies in local communities. More information on Alliance for Period Supplies is available at allianceforperiodsupplies.org, and on Twitter (@PeriodSupplies) and Facebook (facebook.com/AllianceForPeriodSupplies).

Troy Moore
Alliance for Period Supplies
+1 203-821-7348
email us here

CEO Joanne Goldblum speaking about the first anniversary of the Alliance for Period Supplies