I distinctly remember when I first heard about The Period Purse; I was driving to work listening to Metro Morning, Jana, our Founder, was being interviewed.  When I heard that there were menstruators in shelters and on the streets who had nothing to use during their periods and potentially have to use whatever they could find including newspaper, I was moved to get involved. In 2018, I started my first blitz and became Chapter Leader for Mississauga. Genevieve joined and we expanded to become Dufferin-Peel.

I have learned so much about the city where I live, not realizing that there are so many people in the Peel Region experiencing homelessness. Funding in shelters vary from location because they are managed through the region. I learned that each location's budget for hygiene products includes period products, soap and shampoo, so there is not enough to go around.

The pandemic brought many challenges; we were not able to set up donation locations, host packing parties and shelters were not accepting items. I miss the amazing energy by working together with others to pack the purses and make the period packs. I miss the feeling I get when I can drop off the material and see the small difference we are making in people's lives.

Fortunately, Women Supporting Women (WSW, Brampton) made a significant donation in fall of 2019 and we were able to provide period products to four of our locations with direct shipments from the retailers during such a difficult time.

~ Lianne

I first heard about the Period Purse via Facebook and I felt drawn to get involved. I have had moments in my life where I struggled to be able to afford hygiene products, so this organization really hits close to home with me. There was no chapter in Orangeville so I sent an email to see how I could get involved and became a chapter leader, the rest is history! The Brampton area needed a leader and I reached out to Lianne to join forces and we became the Dufferin-Peel chapter!

The most rewarding part of being a co-chapter leader is working with an amazing community filled with strong and passionate individuals from the Period Purse and shelters. There is an overwhelming feeling of love when you are able to donate products that are so necessary but most often overlooked. My eyes have truly been opened to the amount of people experiencing homelessness in my area. I have learned so much through this organization that I will always be grateful for.

A successful blitz is dependent on getting the word and support of local companies. There is always someone out there who has not heard of us before but wants to help!

In 2021, we would love to see; a growth in our donations, a safer time for us to be able to start accepting physical donations again, resume packing parties, and most importantly growing our volunteers list!

~ Genevieve

Email Dufferin-Peel Chapter Leaders
Follow Dufferin-Peel on Facebook
Check out more details on our website
Learn how to start a chapter

What is Period Equity? (And Why Does it Matter)

This is a question we get asked a lot here at The Period Purse.

When people hear our mission

"Achieve menstrual equity by providing free menstrual products, and to reduce the stigma surrounding periods."

- we receive a questioning tilt of the head.

"What's menstrual equity?"

Menstrual equity has a few different meanings, but generally is - 

Making sure that all people who menstruate have access to the products they need.

It's 2021 and while we've come far in many social issues the stigma around menstruation still has a ways to go.

If you bleed, you need products. And yet there is still a struggle for people who menstruate to get what they need.

They have to choose between menstruating products or other essential items.

And sometimes they outright have no way to get them.

We care about menstrual equity because a period is not something that can be controlled. Having access to the needed products should be a basic human right.

Not having the supplies needed can make people feel less than.

And no one should have to feel that way simply for bleeding.

At The Period Purse, we are working to get products in the hands of those who need them most.

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You can donate to The Period Purse by clicking here for a monetary donation.

Or if you would like to sponsor a menstruator click here.

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About the Author: Anna Worms is a wife, mother, software developer, and copywriter. Her writing career stemmed from curiosity after trying her first menstrual cup! The interest blossomed into a need to help others learn more about menstruation and fight the stigma around it.

Click here to learn more about Anna and her writing services.

 

It was 2002, I was 21 years old flipping through a magazine when I saw an ad for a menstrual cup. A menstrual cup? No more pads and tampons? I never liked tampons much, and I hated the pads I used. Being earth friendly was cool, so I cut out the order and mailed it away for my menstrual cup.

It was immediate love. I felt more clean, I didn't have leaks. People thought I was weird when they got their period at work, and I told them "sorry, I don't have any pads or tampons." I was a cup user before anyone ever knew what a cup was, and I've never looked back.

Menstrual cups were invented back in the 1930s, but were slow to catch on. DivaCup, the one you all know, came out in 2003. The DivaCup was the first menstrual cup on our drug store shelves. They are the trailblazers in reusable menstrual cups.

That's why we are so excited to have a partner with DivaCup to bring this life changing period product to those who choose it. Menstrual cups are special and need to be donated with education. We donate these to people who have access to clean water, people living in the margins- from midwife offices to First Nations  reserves to high schools. To date, we've donated over 700 DivaCups out to those who choose and need them!

Did you know that one menstruator creates 300 pounds of waste in a lifetime of using disposable period products? Eeks. I know a menstrual cup isn't everyone's choice, but if you haven't tried it out, you really should. It takes some time and getting used to, and not every brand will fit everybody. But I promise you, it will be life changing.

The holidays are looking different this year for all of us. To keep one another safe, many of us will have to spend the season apart.

But that's all the more reason to give each other thoughtful gifts from afar, and those same gifts can uplift the most vulnerable members of our community.

This Giving Tuesday, give someone you love the gift of knowing they've helped someone have a safe, healthy period.

• For $15, give the gift of one month of period supplies
• For $40, one menstrual cup
• For $100, one educational presentation on the importance of menstrual equity to a group of young people
• For $180 a whole *year* of period supplies

Donate today, and we'll send your loved one an ecard letting them know that they made a meaningful difference in the life of a marginalized community member.

Thank you again for all your support in these difficult times, and we wish you and yours health and peace this season.

Part of our mission at The Period Purse (TPP) is to reduce the stigma surrounding periods through public education and advocacy. Through education, we believe we can erase the stigma surrounding menstruation and shed light on the unique challenges faced by people who experience homelessness.

We are excited to announce we have a brand new initiative to help us to do just this! As the school curricula in Canada lack a comprehensive education on menstruation and period poverty, we have designed three learning modules for students from grades 5-12.

The goal of these modules is to start a conversation. At The Period Purse, we are committed to education about healthy periods and menstrual equity. We hope that awareness of menstrual equity is fostered and the stigma of periods is challenged after each presentation.

Module 1 is called Period 101 for Grades 5-8. In this presentation, we ask: what are the common misconceptions about periods? We explore terminology that generates a healthy understanding of menstruation and brainstorm ways students can reduce stigmas associated with the menstrual cycle in their communities.

Module 2 is called Period Poverty, and is open to all ages. In this presentation, we explore what period poverty is, who is affected by it and how students can work towards menstrual equity. Students work together to think of what period poverty looks like in their communities and think of ways to address it.

And last but not least, Module 3 is about Reusable Period Products, offered to Grades 8-post secondary. In line with our core value of sustainability, in this presentation we explore options for reusable period products and how these products are used. We seek to generate thoughtful and intersectional thinking amongst students by asking: are reusable products the best option for everyone?

Our presentations run 45-60 minutes and are offered remotely by a trained TPP volunteer educator in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We ask that a $100 donation be made to TPP for each presentation.

Get in touch with Jean, education@theperiodpurse.com, to learn more about our presentations.