Menstrual products of all kinds are available free of charge at a variety of participating locations across B.C. thanks to the United Way BC's Period Promise campaign, running from May 16 to June 13. (UWBC)

By Jordan Davidson

period poverty

Period Promise campaign helping to end period poverty

May 21, 2023 | 5:21 AM

NANAIMO — United Way BC (UWBC) wants to make sure being unable to afford menstrual products doesn’t prevent people from living their fullest lives.

UWBC has been providing free menstrual products through its Period Promise campaign since 2017 and has collected and distributed over 2.5 million products to date.

Julie Rushton is the community impact and investment manager at UWBC, and said ‘period poverty’ is when someone who menstruates doesn’t have the financial means to purchase period products.

“We’re seeing an incredible amount of people experiencing period poverty. 26 per cent of people who menstruate in B.C., say they’ve gone through a period without having the products they need to go to work, go to school, participate in social events, etc.”

This year’s campaign runs from May 16 to June 13.

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Nearly 75 per cent of the people surveyed through UWBC said that having access to period products at community organizations allows them to be more engaged in their community.

Rushton said period poverty has increased significantly in the last few years.

“The campaign has been gaining momentum and we’re really starting to see this…issues because of COVID, the lingering effects of COVID, rising costs from inflation, and financial pressures in general have really increased the period poverty level across our province.”

According to Statistics Canada’s consumer price index, the cost of items like tampons and pads is up 6.2 per cent compared to last year.

Rushton said they also accept monetary donations, which can go towards small grants for more isolated communities.

“Our more remote communities that don’t have access to products to purchase, so they will make an order from out of town and bring those products into their rural community with the funds we granted.”

She said non-profits are really starting to play a role in the distribution of free products.

You can find a list of locations where you can drop off products at the UWBC website here.

Local participating businesses include Royal LePage Nanaimo, the Port Theatre, and various Vancouver Island Regional Library locations across the Island.

Some Island institutions have already taken United Way BC’s lead and begun offering menstrual products free of charge at their facilities year-round like Vancouver Island University did last year when they teamed up with UWBC.

UWBC will be hosting a Period Promise collection drive on June 13 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. at their Central and Northern Vancouver Island office in Nanaimo located at 327 Prideaux St.

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

jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow