Period Project working to help young ladies during the school year

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – As students begin a new school year in South Carolina, one non-profit is shining light on an issue impacting many young ladies. 

The Period Project is working to help young women who do not have access or the financial means to monthly menstrual essentials. The non-profit services eleven counties in the Midlands with partnerships with over 44 schools and two school districts. Executive Director Karen Dudley-Culbreath says products are donated to school nurses so they can provide the care that is needed.

“We have our teachers who are able to support our students with additional pen, pencils, and papers because there is a drive in most communities every year to support that. There are very few places that our nurses can go in order to receive the menstrual health products and we have lots of school nurses using their own funds in order to purchase these products,” says Dudley-Culbreath.  

The need for menstrual supplies is overwhelming. In South Carolina 1 in 4 women are eligible to receive federal and state assistance due to household income, according to Culbreath. She says it can be hard to purchase tampons, pads, liners and wipes if parents are struggling to make ends meet. “If you have a single parent with two menstruating children that’s three individuals — for each individual per month we’re talking about $13 at a minimum to meet those monthly essentials. So we find some of our nurses not just servicing the student population but the family as a hold.” 

Culbreath says she has heard heartbreaking stories from young girls who have went without. “They said hey I will share with you – I’ve been one of those who has had to go to a restaurant and get extra napkins napkins sitting out . . I needed those napkins to get me through in order to not have accidents in my clothing while I was in school.”

The community can support the Period Project by holding donations drives or packing parities or simply donating money. 

Ways to donate:

https://periodproject.org/pages/donate

OR

https://www.midlandsgives.org/nonprofits?_rs=50256634&keyword=&category=paged&adv3=5674