The period promise campaign aims to ease the burden on women in poverty who can't afford necessary products. (Pixabay)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Period Promise

Campaign helping Nanaimo and area women receive menstrual products they need

Apr 30, 2021 | 9:25 AM

NANAIMO — A campaign to get menstrual products to the women who need them most is now in its second year.

Signy Madden, executive director of the United Way Central and Northern Vancouver Island, said the Period Promise campaign is needed as more people suffered from poverty.

“The average cost of the product is $70 to $100 a year or more. Research done showed many people who make less than $25,000 cannot afford to buy food, pay rent and also afford menstrual products.”

Madden said she heard “heart wrenching” stories from women during a lengthy research process as part of the first year of the project where more than 1,600 people responded.

“Many people are skipping work, missing school or not accessing other services because they couldn’t afford menstrual products when they got their period.”

new mayor

Spring Mayoral by-election called in Ladysmith

6h ago

holiday check stops

Nanaimo motorists shine during province-wide crackdown

9h ago

targeted job action

Striking Nanaimo postal workers disrupt Purolator operations

12h ago

Thousands of boxes of menstrual products donated to the United Way in the first campaign were distributed to service providers. Madden says she hopes even more can be sent out safely in 2021.

The campaign runs from May 6 to June 3.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

— with files from Jon De Roo/97.3 The Eagle

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @nanaimonewsnow