Just had to share this concept and see what you all thought. A “buy one, GIVE one” opportunity This organization was founded in Ohio - my state - and resulted in the creator, a 19 year old, dropping out of college (I believe) to get it off the ground: http://www.auntflow.org/about-us/
Mission
Considering menstrual hygiene products aren’t covered by food stamps or WIC, many the 16.9 million women living in poverty in the United States have to choose between tampons and food. When money is tight, women resort to using plastic bags and dirty socks to stop the flow. Dealing with the monthly visit is hard enough with cramps, but not having something to hold the flow is humiliating and messy.
ALL WOMEN DESERVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY TAMPONS AND PADS. AUNT FLOW IS THE ONLY MENSTRUAL HYGIENE COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT IS A TRUE BUY-ONE, GIVE-ONE MODEL. FOR EVERY TAMPON OR PAD PURCHASED, ONE OF THE SAME QUALITY IS DELIVERED TO THE ORGANIZATION OF YOUR CHOICE.
I have said many time over the years that the govt. should provide sanitary products for us women - haha - sort of half joking. But this -this is real. I have worked with women/mothers like this - no products to use that time of the month.
Thoughts? Nobel effort? Worthy cause? Will it take off or not???
The website is actually quite well thought out and looks good. I think a lot of thought went into this. If you work with women who would benefit from their donations you can apply for your program to be a recipient.
@ abasket – what a practical idea! I’m surprised nobody thought of this before. I’m thinking my local shelter could also use some donations of these products. Thanks for sharing!
I do wonder why menstrul cups and “period” panties weren’t touched on in her business model. She can’t solve poverty but surely supplying more sustainable products would help?
Yeah, I’m with @Niquii77 that more sustainable options like menstrual cups would be a much better way to go with this. I did not know WIC did not cover menstrual supplies; that’s pretty heinous.
^^Boiling water? It doesn’t take much. I will say a lot of people take one look at a Diva Cup and are like, no way, so there is that. Maybe have it as an option…
Currently I am unable to look up how the period parties arendiing in the developing countries where they are donated. If it’s working, it would be a good model to adopt.
I do agree many women are turned off by the idea of “sitting in their own blood”, but these are pretty sustainable options.
@MotherOfDragons boiling water isn’t an option for families who have either no running water or no electricity. The church where I work had a family whose electric was shut off one winter and they didn’t tell anyone out of embarrassment. The kids were doing homework by candlelight. Shelters don’t often allow unfettered access to the kitchen, so it might be an issue if you’re living in a shelter. Things that are “don’t take much” can be a huge issue for the very low income, the homeless, etc. Our church has a monthly drive for feminine hygiene supplies for such families.
@Niquii77 I don’t know about the period panties, but a friend of mine’s daughter works with a program that supplies washable/reusable pads to women in developing countries. According to her, they are much welcomed. Without them, the girls have to stay home from school and women have to stay at home in some places.
@sseamom Yes, those are the kind I’m thinking of - reusable and washable - that are used in developing countries. Surely, we can use it in our country, too!
@Niquii77 I do know people who make their own here in this country. They are usually the “crunchy granola” moms, but it’s easy enough to do with fabric scraps. I’m sure it’s possible someone sells them on Etsy!
There’s so much I want to say on this topic. I’ll come back at a later time, but I wish there wasn’t a stigma against reusable products; especially when that stigma works against those who aren’t able to buy in to the luxury of disposable products.
Nothing against reusable products. But you have to have people who have the means, knowledge and motivation to care for those products in the right way - otherwise you may not only a more expensive product (not as widely produced as pads and tampons) not being used and the chance for disease, unsanitary use, etc.
People are used to pads and tampons. Most know how to use them. So they do.
True, @abasket . The knowledge is important. I know of a crunchy person who made her own “bathroom wipes” and even though she used hot water, soap, etc. to wash them, several in the family ended up with UTI’s because they weren’t actually sanitized. There are things I’m willing to kill a few trees for. Toilet paper is one of them. I worry about the same problem with reusable pads in developing countries, but hopefully they can boil water and wash them.
I have an industrially high tolerance for gross stuff but wow, that has me cringing. So does the sock thing. I wish we could afford to hand out free Mirenas so nobody has to get their periods until they want to…
I wouldn’t advocate for anything less. It’s important to follow up and see how these communities are doing where reusable products have been introduced. To be honest, I assumed this was a given for a business that pushes for sustainable practices. A period has a large impact on a woman’a livilihood as many of us are aware. I would ultimately be overjoyed to see a reusable pad or underwear that is sanitary, simple to clean, and has a longer lifetime that the current option in the market.
But this -this is real. I have worked with women/mothers like this - no products to use that time of the month.