Helping Women Period

In 2023 we distributed 2,004,565 items, enough to cover the menstrual needs for 6,857 individuals for an entire year, or 82,287 periods.

We advocate for menstrual equity the provision of free menstrual products in public places. We also work to educate the public and our public officials on menstruation and related issues. In 2023, our executive director provided testimony and served as a subject matter expert for the Michigan legislature. We were instrumental in getting a line item in the state budget for a pilot project. Originally called the Helping Women Period pilot project (now the accessible Period products pilot project), it provides grant money for 15 school districts to distribute monthly Period kits to all menstruating 31a (at risk) students during the school year. In conjunction with several other advocacy groups, we held a Michigan Period action day event to educate and inform about menstrual equity. We worked with student groups (both high school and college) to educate schools, colleges/universities, and governmental units on the need for free menstrual products in public spaces and encourage them to provide products. We also worked with numerous coalitions on national, state, and local menstrual equity education.