Clubs Coordinate To Help Eliminate Period Poverty

Dallastown GLI, NHS, LEO, and DHS Health Stat worked together to collect donations of feminine products in what organizers hope will be an annual event.

Bella Van Arsdale, Reporter|June 7, 2021

Photo via Wikipedia Commons under Creative Commons License

Four clubs at DHS are hoping their efforts can bring an end to the challenges facing women through Period Poverty.

In the United States, Period Poverty Awareness Week goes from May 24-May 30.

Period Poverty is having the lack of access to period products due to financial issues or just because these women do not have access to them. 1 in 4 women have struggled to purchase period products within the past year due to the lack of income.

According to the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, with 1 in 5 girls missing school due to lack of menstrual products, period poverty is an important, yet often ignored, public health crisis.

Several DHS clubs recently came together to try to make a difference.

Girls Learn International, National Honor Society, Dallastown High School Health Stat, and Leo Club collected pads and tampons for girls who do not have access to these products.

Michelle Godfrey, the Leo Club advisor at Dallastown Area High School has helped with the drive. She said, “I thought the drive was a terrific way for numerous clubs to collaborate and do something positive for the community.”

Berry Jiang, president of GLI said that the idea came about during a club meeting, as the leaders brainstormed ideas and fundraisers together.

The drive was originally supposed to take place last year, however the school shut down last spring led to its cancellation.

Covid could not stop the drive this year though.

Jiang is the mastermind of the period product drive. She has been in charge of most of the drive.

Godfrey stated, “I did not do very much because Berry Jiang did such an amazing job of planning, organizing, and following through with all aspects.”

Girls should not have to miss out on opportunities, especially education, just because they don’t have access to these products or can’t afford them.

Jiang stated, “Period Poverty is a serious issue. Because of how expensive period products are, many girls actually miss school when they are on their period,” Jiang said.

This period product drive was designed to raise awareness of period poverty and collect products for women who don’t have access to these products or can’t afford them.