As a community of menstrual health activists, we consistently face issues with menstrual equity and period poverty. Many organizations have picked up the slack when it comes to providing for communities struggling with period poverty and equality. These organizations are doing the heavy lifting by providing access, advocacy, and education without the help of federal or local government.
This means that these organizations often seek help through volunteering, donations, or even just spreading information. With so many organizations working towards the same goal, it can take time to know which you should be providing your time and money to. If you’re new to menstrual activism or just overwhelmed by choices, we’ve created a comprehensive handbook for your donations.
BIPOC Led Organizations
It is essential to highlight BIPOC-led non-profits working to provide aid to communities suffering from period poverty, improper access to OB-GYN resources, and general menstrual education. BIPOC communities suffer disproportionately compared to white communities when it comes to menstrual health education and access to hygiene products. These BIPOC-led organizations are helping their communities and asking for your aid so they can keep doing what they do best.
Code Red Co. is a group focused on de-stigmatizing menstruation and drawing attention to the inaccessibility of menstrual products and education to most BIPOC communities. They have several projects focused on aiding Indigenous communities and drawing together Black-led organizations for menstrual equity. They claim they want to “decolonize wellness” to move away from a society that criminalizes them and stigmatizes their struggles. Their Instagram is an active space for menstruators and provides menstrual education, discussion, activism, and resources.
Happy Period Organization is a collective fronted by Chelsea VonChaz, a period activist working hard to change the stigma surrounding periods and provide aid to low-income BIPOC communities. Their Instagram page features other organizations, individuals, and even companies focused on destigmatizing menstrual health and providing access to resources. They also feature a considerable amount of body positivity, showcasing different body types, skin colors, and the nitty-gritty aspects of periods, such as menstrual blood and tampon strings. They have been working on providing First Period Kits to low-income communities as well as Action Tool Kits to start out new menstrual activists.
The Pad Project began with the mission to provide period products to communities where they may not have access. They created an Academy Award-winning film called Period. End of Sentence, which has made it to numerous film festivals and is available on Netflix. The film highlighted the struggle for menstruating individuals in a village outside of New Delhi, India, and how a machine to help produce and sell menstrual pads changed their lives. On their website, they provide access to resources for education, advocacy, collaboration, and of course, donation. This is a wonderful project to support and collaborate with to give more access to communities in need.
Youth Led Organizations
Some younger individuals are impacting the movement since menstrual activism picked up speed. They want to provide education and access to communities that have been historically neglected and change the way we educate about menstruation as a whole. These youth-led organizations are making the changes they wish had been made for them.
This youth-led grassroots movement is devoted to promoting period equality for BIPOC communities as well as trans and nonbinary menstruators. They are also heavily focused on eradicating the pink tax and providing menstrual health products in all public bathrooms. They deliver direct aid to menstruators and have provided over 200,000 products to those in need. Your donations will go to active campaign efforts to help with global period poverty.
This is a global nonprofit that is youth-fueled and strives to provide aid to those experiencing period poverty, as well as eradicate stigma. They work hard to service impoverished communities by providing menstrual products to those in need. They have multiple chapters that operate globally so individual communities can get the attention and devotion they deserve. They were founded by two high school students in 2014 and have been primarily youth-led to grow their advocacy into what it is today. They also provide educational services, activism, and organization to further their agenda and help communities everywhere end period poverty and stigma.