The United Way of Bruce Grey says a grassroots committee based out of Chesley is sharing information and resources to combat period poverty locally.
The United Way partnered with ‘It’s Personal Period’ to advance menstrual equity for Menstrual Hygiene Day (which was May 28th).
The United Way says, according to a local survey of 442 menstruators who reside in Grey Bruce carried out by It’s Personal Period in 2021, one in two people surveyed (52 per cent) struggled to access menstrual products.
73 per cent (about 3 in 4 people) missed work or school due to menstruation.
The United Way says, in the 2021 / 2022 Ontario budget, the government made a 3 year commitment to provide six million menstrual products a year to school boards.
Toronto charity, Period Purse estimated the number of breaks down to only ten pads per student per year.
The United Way says, in Grey Bruce, the allocated amount from the Ontario government does not cover enough to provide products and dispensing machines for all students in schools.
Dobbyn says, “It breaks down to ten products per student for the entire year, which is not even enough products to get the average menstruator through one cycle. But you’ve got to start somewhere right? So we congratulate them on starting somewhere.”
The Grey Bruce Poverty Task Force is advocating for the Ontario government to mandate free menstrual products in all public school washrooms which would put Ontario on par with British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
The United Way says, back in 2021, Gore Mutual Insurance donated $10,000 and Kristin’s Pharmacy in Southampton worked with this donation with a wholesale purchase to provide menstrual products to those who need them.
Dobbyn says because of that, you can find menstrual products in libraries across Grey Bruce.
For more resources, visit www.itspersonalperiod.com/resources.