November’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Meghan White, to support a new organization she has founded to eliminate period poverty in Ottawa.

“Our primary mission at Period Packs is to eliminate the socioeconomic and geographical barriers that keep menstruating people from accessing menstrual products,” explains Meghan.

“We gather and distribute period products to organizations that engage with and support underserved communities. We also run public and private workshops where community members can donate products, learn and chat about periods, and create period packages for donation.”

“Aside from our commitment to providing products to the community,” Meghan continues, “we want to use our platform as a soapbox for people to share their stories and chip away at the harmful stigma surrounding menstruation.”

“Behind the scenes,” says Meghan, “Period Packs is organizing ourselves to put pressure on the provincial government and see legislative changes which would mandate that menstrual products be available in all schools across the province.”

Meghan is a business administration student and social equality advocate.