As the Menstrual Hygiene Day movement has used May 28th since 2014 to decrease the stigma around menstruation and promote good menstrual health, two local organizations are doing their part to address this issue.

Optimae Life Services and Washington for Justice have partnered for a menstrual health donation drive this month, with donations to be distributed to The Lighthouse Center homeless shelter in Washington. Washington for Justice Associate Director Bethany Glinsmann says personal hygiene items like menstrual products, soap, and deodorant are critical for individuals’ sense of dignity, in addition to being beneficial to their health, “People who don’t menstruate might be surprised just to find out how expensive these items can be. Especially because these are products that are typically disposable but you need them every month if you are a menstruating person. And so they can be very expensive if you don’t have a ton of disposable income, and I understand that some of these products are not covered under SNAP benefits as well. So it’s kind of a hole in the system, these are very much necessary products for people who are menstruating.”

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Optimae Holly Stevenson says lack of access to these essential products is an ongoing challenge for many, and that talking about periods in 2022 is still taboo. She hopes this initiative will provide products to those in need but encourage everyone to talk about this issue and feel more comfortable discussing this natural part of life for many. Donations can be dropped off through May 31st at Optimae’s Washington office or the Washington Public Library. You can also make an online donation by visiting here.