Breaking the Cycle of Period Poverty

The struggle for menstruators to afford period products is a real problem in the United States. Period poverty needs to be addressed on a grander scale, according to advocacy groups, but there are ways to help in the meantime.

Organizations have begun to understand the call for menstrual support and are working to support people in need. 

The Alliance for Period Supplies

The Alliance for Period Supplies is an organization created in 2018 by the National Diaper Bank Network and founding manufacturer U by Kotex that fights period poverty through different ways.

“The mission here at Alliance for Period Supplies is to make sure that individuals have the basic necessities that they need in order to manage their periods,” Jennifer Gaines, manager of national engagement for the Alliance of Period Supplies, tells Period Pulse.

Allied Programs

The program has a period supply member network of over 140 organizations across the country, Gaines says. These so-called allied programs are “independent community-based nonprofit organizations that collect, warehouse and distribute menstrual/period supplies in local communities,” according to the alliance. They reach out to the Alliance for Period Supplies to become a part of their network and begin receiving support in the form of supplies and fund donations. 

“We feel that organizations know their communities best, and we want to make sure that we are using our best efforts to expand the program in our network and serve more people in their communities,” Gaines says.

New York currently is home to seven organizations working with the Alliance for Period Supplies.

U by Kotex, a popular menstrual product brand, plays a critical role in the donation and distribution of products like pads and liners to these allied programs. 

“They distribute on average about over 10 million products to the Alliance for Period Supplies, and we then distribute them out to our member network,” Gaines explains. “Those donations are not meant to service all of their needs because we know that the need is a lot greater, but they are really meant to be sort of like a supplement to the products that they're already collecting.”

Raising Awareness

There are other informative resources the Alliance for Period Supplies provides in their effort to raise awareness about period poverty on a national level, including state period poverty fact sheets. 

“Every year we update these fact sheets to reflect the state statistics specifically related to poverty, women, girls, and menstruating ages,” Gaines says. 

New York’s most recent fact sheet includes statistics from 2021 about period poverty throughout the state and facts about period poverty on a nation-wide scale. Fact sheets for other states, as well as other resources, can be found on the Alliance for Period Supplies website. 

Advocacy and Legislation

The Alliance for Period Supplies also advocates for legislation relating to reproductive health issues, like repealing the tampon tax in every state and getting free period products in schools.

The tampon tax was repealed in New York in 2016, making it the fifth state to get rid of the tax.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Health Equity and Opportunity legislative package in November 2023, which includes the requirement of free menstrual products to be provided to students in private middle and high school student restrooms. 

All public school bathrooms have been required to have free period products since 2018, and homeless shelters since 2021.

All this legislation is a big win for menstruators in the state, but it doesn’t automatically solve the period poverty issue many New Yorkers still face.  

How to Get Support

For those who are struggling with period poverty, Gaines recommends calling 211, the information hotline, or visiting their website, 211.org. She also suggests reaching out to any local shelters, whether it’s homeless shelters, food banks, or any other local organization that can help get them basic necessities.

But most of all, she urges people to find the most accessible Alliance for Period Supplies allied program to get the products they need. 

“We're working with our member network and partner agencies [to reach] this even wider network of domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, Lions Clubs, and all of these other organizations that are helping to distribute period products,” Gaines says. 

The list of allied programs can be found on the Alliance for Period Supplies website. The map above identifies the best allied programs in New York. 

Gaines says if you or someone you know is experiencing period poverty, use and share these resources. They will get you the help you need.