Covid-Affected Period Poverty Initiative Team

Our team addresses the issue of period poverty during the coronavirus pandemic. We plan to tackle this issue by distributing menstrual care packages to shelters in and nearby Oakland. For instance, we have already partnered with and plan to donate care packages throughout the future to the shelters SAVE and House of Grace. While doing so, we’ll comply with all general safety regulations whilst alleviating the detrimental effects of period poverty for the greatest number of those at-risk. Materials bought to make care packages using this grant will be shipped separately to each volunteer’s house to ensure social distancing. Care packages will include an array of menstrual products that sustain individuals through several menstrual cycles. Partnering up with our community members, we want to also create personalized messages for these menstruators and include these messages in our care packages. Currently, we have 10 dedicated members and plan to expand as we gain recognition. Volunteers will be tasked with securing monetary and physical donations of menstrual products and putting together our menstrual care packages. Physical donations would be left untouched for 72+ hours to ensure the safety of our volunteers. When donating our care packages to shelters, volunteers will donate their packages at separate times to ensure there are no mass gatherings. We envision supporting 200+ women with menstrual products and other basic necessities through the coronavirus pandemic. Even after restrictions are lifted, we hope to expand our project by creating care package workshops and allowing people to make care packages directly in these workshops, so that care packages are not only donated to shelters after restrictions lift but also to more menstruators directly by putting care packages at designated pickup points such as schools, centers, etc. This all goes towards our mission to protect our community's health and safety, starting with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

Funded by Oakland, CA (July 2020)